Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 35–Senators Raggio, Titus, Amodei, Care, Carlton, Coffin, Jacobsen, James, Mathews, McGinness, Neal, O’Connell, O’Donnell, Porter, Rawson, Rhoads, Schneider, Shaffer, Townsend, Washington and Wiener
Joint Sponsors: Assemblymen Dini, Perkins, Anderson, Angle, Arberry, Bache, Beers, Berman, Brower, Brown, Buckley, Carpenter, Cegavske, Chowning, Claborn, Collins, de Braga, Freeman, Gibbons, Giunchigliani, Goldwater, Gustavson, Hettrick, Humke, Koivisto, Lee, Leslie, Manendo, Marvel, McClain, Mortenson, Neighbors, Nolan, Oceguera, Ohrenschall, Parks, Parnell, Price, Smith, Tiffany, Von Tobel and Williams
Senate Concurrent RESOLUTION—Commending Buzz Aldrin for his lifetime achievements.
Whereas, Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr., was born in Montclair, New Jersey, on
January 20, 1930, and is now known worldwide as “Buzz” Aldrin, after
legally changing his name to reflect the nickname given to him by his
sister, who called him “Buzzer” when she couldn’t quite pronounce
“brother”; and
Whereas, Buzz Aldrin was influenced by the interests of his father, a
pioneer in aviation who studied rocket development, and one must wonder
whether his mother’s name, Marion Moon, was just a coincidence; and
Whereas, Buzz graduated with honors in 1951 from the United States
Military Academy at West Point, ranking third in his class of 475, was
commissioned as an officer in the United States Air Force and received his
wings in 1952; and
Whereas, During the Korean War, Buzz Aldrin distinguished himself
by destroying two enemy MIG-15s and flying F-86 Sabre jets in 66
combat missions; and
Whereas, Buzz pursued his career in the Air Force by serving as an
Aerial Gunnery Instructor at Nellis Air Force Base, attending the
Squadron Officers’ School at the Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base,
in Alabama and flying F-100 aircraft as a Flight Commander with the 36th
Tactical Fighter Wing at Bitburg, Germany; and
Whereas, The desire to excel led him to the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, where he earned a doctorate degree in astronautics in 1963;
and
Whereas, After completing an assignment in the Gemini Target Office
of the Air Force Space Systems Division in Los Angeles, California, Dr.
Aldrin was transferred to the United States Air Force Field Office at the
Manned Spacecraft Center, where he was introduced to the Gemini
program and worked on integrating experiments of the Department of
Defense with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA); and
Whereas, In October 1963, the dream of a lifetime came true when
Buzz was accepted into NASA’s astronaut program, and after 3 years of
training, he was launched into space on November 11, 1966, for a 4-day
flight with James Lovell aboard the Gemini XII; and
Whereas, On that flight, Colonel Aldrin set a new record for
extravehicular activity by spending more than 5 hours outside the
spacecraft, and because of problems with the radar, “Dr. Rendezvous”
cemented a second nickname by performing a successful docking
rendezvous using, for the first time ever, only the backup charts aboard the
spacecraft; and
Whereas, On July 20, 1969, Colonel Buzz Aldrin participated in the
unprecedented heroic event that was witnessed by the largest worldwide
television audience in history, as he stepped out of Apollo XI onto the
surface of the moon and stamped into millions of minds the lasting image
of an earthling in his space suit, facing the United States flag; and
Whereas, Colonel Aldrin has logged an incredible 4,500 hours of
flying time, of which 289 hours and 53 minutes were in space, including
extravehicular activity time of 7 hours and 52 minutes, and he has received
over 50 special honors, ranging from the Presidential Medal of Freedom to
the National Geographic Society’s Hubbard Medal; and
Whereas, Buzz Aldrin is an accomplished author of four books and a
coauthor of two others, and he participates in many organizations, such as
the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the Society of
Experimental Test Pilots, the International Academy of Astronautics and
Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society; and
Whereas, After retiring from the Air Force and NASA, Dr. Aldrin has
remained at the forefront of efforts to ensure a continued leading role for
America in manned space exploration, as evidenced by his development of
a master plan of evolving missions for sustained space exploration, his
patented design for a permanent space station, the founding of a company
that designs rockets and the establishment of a nonprofit foundation that is
devoted to opening the doors to space tourism for all; and
Whereas, Buzz Aldrin continues to quench his thirst for adventure
through such journeys as a trip to the North Pole and an 11-hour
underwater dive to observe the recovery attempt of part of the Titanic, and
as the new millennium beckons, his enthusiasm for such adventure is
transplanted into audiences all over the world when this well-loved,
enthralling international speaker motivates, captivates and entertains with
tales of his experiences; and
Whereas, Colonel Buzz Aldrin will honor Carson City with such a
speaking engagement on April 18, 2001, at the Carson City Community
Center to help raise money for the Jack C. Davis Observatory soon
scheduled for construction on the campus of Western Nevada Community
College in Carson City; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of Nevada, the Assembly
Concurring, That the members of the Nevada Legislature do hereby
commend Colonel Buzz Aldrin for his lifetime achievements that have
made him unquestionably one of the world’s most dynamic forces in
aeronautics and space exploration; and be it further
Resolved, That it is with great pride we welcome him to Carson City
and salute his efforts to make possible a new observatory where thousands
can study and be entranced with the beauties of space and heavenly bodies
that he has actually visited; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and transmit a copy
of this resolution to Buzz Aldrin.
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