LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending The Honorable Andrew P. O'Rourke upon
the occasion of his designation for special recognition by the Putnam
County Bar Association on June 4, 2009

WHEREAS, There are certain outstanding citizens of New York State who,
through their selfless commitment and dedication, have served to better
the quality of life in their communities; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, it is the sense of this Legislative Body to commend
The Honorable Andrew P. O'Rourke upon the occasion of his designation
for special recognition by the Putnam County Bar Association on June 4,
2009; and
WHEREAS, A native of New Jersey, Andrew P. O'Rourke has a long history
of involvement in governmental and civic affairs in Westchester County,
beginning in 1965, when he was elected to the Yonkers City Council;
during his eight-year tenure, he served as both Majority and Minority
Leader; and
WHEREAS, In 1973, Andrew P. O'Rourke was elected to the Westchester
County Board of Legislators; he was named Chairman of the Board of
Legislators in 1978 and held onto the position until he stepped down in
1982 to accept the nomination to the office of Westchester County Execu-
tive; and
WHEREAS, Andrew P. O'Rourke resoundingly was elected to fill the
balance of the term the following November and was subsequently re-e-
lected in 1985, 1989 and 1993; he was appointed to the New York State
Court of Claims in 1998 and was elected to the New York State Supreme
Court in 2000; and
WHEREAS, Prior to becoming the Westchester County Executive, Andrew P.
O'Rourke practiced law with several New York City firms before moving
his practice to Westchester County, where he was a partner in a firm in
White Plains, New York; and
WHEREAS, Furthermore, Andrew P. O'Rourke has had a long and distin-
guished military background, serving his Country proudly from Private
First Class in the New York Army National Guard to Rear Admiral of the
New York Naval Militia; and
WHEREAS, Andrew P. O'Rourke enlisted in Company A, First Battalion,
165th Infantry (the Old 69th) of the New York Army National Guard soon
after his 15th Birthday and had risen to the rank of Private First Class
when the Korean War started in 1950; and
WHEREAS, As the New York Army National Guard prepared for a possible
call to active service, a search of personnel revealed Andrew P.
O'Rourke was too young and he was Honorably Discharged for minority and
recommended for further military service once he came of age; and
WHEREAS, A member of the Civilian Air Patrol from a young age, Andrew
P. O'Rourke joined the United States Air Force ROTC program at Fordham
when he began his freshman year in 1950; four years later, he graduated
as a Distinguished Military Student and Commander of the Cadet Wing and
commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the USAF Reserve; and
WHEREAS, Soon thereafter, Andrew P. O'Rourke was recommissioned as a
Regular Air Force Officer and reported for preflight training at Lack-
land Air Force Base in Texas; he then moved to Connolly Air Force Base
for extensive training as an Observer (Navigator and Bombardier) and as
a Radar Intercept Officer in jet fighter-Interceptors; and
WHEREAS, Andrew P. O'Rourke was then sent to Moody Air Force Base for
jet training on F-94 Starfighters and F-89 Scorpions before returning to
Connolly Air Force Base as an Instructor Radar Intercept Operator and to
teach electronics to student observers; and

WHEREAS, After almost four years in Texas, Andrew P. O'Rourke was
transferred, first to Mitchel Air Force Base in New York, and then to
McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey, where he held positions as Chief
Navigator, Unit Commander and Standardization Board Navigator; and
WHEREAS, Andrew P. O'Rourke resigned his commission as a Captain in
the Regular Air Force in 1963, after flying over 2,800 air hours; a
Senior Navigator, he had seen service in Japan, Berlin, Beirut and the
Congo; and
WHEREAS, In 1964, Andrew P. O'Rourke was offered a commission in the
United States Navy Reserve as a Naval Aviation Observer with the promise
of a transfer to the new JAG Corps when it formed; he flew for a short
time as a navigator, then transferred to inactive reserve and kept his
points up through correspondence courses; and
WHEREAS, When the JAG Corps was established in 1967, Andrew P.
O'Rourke attended the Naval Justice School in Newport, Rhode Island and
then belonged to a succession of reserve units and served four years as
a Military Plans Officer with FEMA, as well as two years as Staff Judge
Advocate for Readiness Command Two in Scotia, New York; and
WHEREAS, Andrew P. O'Rourke has been a member of both the New York
Recruiting Assistance Council and the Blue and Gold Program for the
United States Naval Academy; his active duty for training included tours
at the Pentagon working for the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary
of the Navy's Reserve Policy Board, Office of Judge Advocate General of
the Navy and working with field commands such as NSA Naples and on board
the USS Nimitz; and
WHEREAS, In 1992, Andrew P. O'Rourke officially retired from the
United States Naval Reserve and transferred to the Retired Reserve; he
remained on active service as a member of the New York Naval Militia,
where he was a Rear Admiral and served as Judge Advocate General of the
Naval Militia and as Naval Aide to two Governors of New York State,
until resigning all positions in 1998; and
WHEREAS, During his military career, Andrew P. O'Rourke received the
Meritorious Service Medal; the Army, Navy, and Air Force Commendation
Medals; the Meritorious Unit Citation with star; the Good Conduct Medal;
the American Defense Medal with two stars; the Armed Forces Expedition-
ary Medal with star; the Aimed Forces Reserve Medal with two hourglass
devices; the Navy Recruiting Ribbon; the Air Force Longevity Service
Award with an oak leaf cluster; as well as numerous awards for marksman-
ship; and
WHEREAS, Andrew P. O'Rourke also received the Conspicuous Service
Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Military Commendation Medal
with devise, the Conspicuous Service Cross and the Long and Faithful
Service Medal from the New York Naval Militia; and
WHEREAS, An Associate Adjunct Professor of Law at Fordham University
from 1974 to 1975 and an instructor in Business Law at Mercy College
from 1976 to 1977, Andrew P. O'Rourke is admitted to practice law in New
York State Courts, the United States District Courts for the Eastern and
Southern Districts, the Court of Military Appeals, the Second Circuit
Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court; and
WHEREAS, The author of numerous articles published in many law jour-
nals, Andrew P. O'Rourke also has had articles published on such diverse
topics as the Russian Navy and the Roman Army, as well as two novels,
RED BANNER MUTINY and HAWKWOOD; and
WHEREAS, A true citizen of Westchester County, Andrew P. O'Rourke
believes in giving back to the region he loves so much; he is a former
director of the Cardinal Newman Foundation of New York, a member of the
Big Brother-Big Sister Committee and served as a member or on the boards
of numerous organizations; and

WHEREAS, The quintessential civic leader, Andrew P. O'Rourke has been
the recipient of a multitude of awards, honors and certificates of
recognition, acknowledging his efforts of in-depth magnitude, including
the 1984 Seth Low Award for Distinguished Public Service from Long
Island University, the 1986 B'nai B'rith Man of the Year, the 1987
National Conference of Christian and Jews Award for distinction as a
public servant, the Tucker Ashworth Memorial Award from the Greater
Westchester Human Rights Fund, the 1993 New York State Decade of the
Child Award and the highest award from the Jewish National Fund, the
Tree of Life; and
WHEREAS, In addition, Andrew P. O'Rourke was granted an Honorary
Doctor of Humane Letters degree by Mercy College in 1985, an Honorary
Doctor of Laws degree by Manhattanville College in 1986, an Honorary
Doctor of Laws degree by Pace University in 1988 and an Honorary Doctor
of Laws degree from Marymount College in 1997; and
WHEREAS, Andrew P. O'Rourke was also honored by Pace University with
its Medal of Honor for outstanding contribution to education in 1987,
made a Fellow at BAR-ILAN University in Tel Aviv, Israel and received
the Westchester-Putnam Affirmative Action Program Distinguished Service
Award; and
WHEREAS, Andrew P. O'Rourke received a Bachelor of Science degree in
1954 and a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree in 1962 from Fordham Universi-
ty, as well as a Master of Laws degree from New York University in 1965;
and
WHEREAS, Our local governments, our State and our Nation have been
strengthened by generations of Americans who felt a sense of responsi-
bility to their community, to one another and to their families; and
WHEREAS, A singular asset to all of the citizens he has served in the
community of the State of New York, The Honorable Andrew P. O'Rourke's
life and career are a portrait of preeminence in public service, and
present a role model for all who aspire to a career in public service;
and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when individ-
uals of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our atten-
tion, they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens of
the great State of New York; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend The Honorable Andrew P. O'Rourke upon the occasion of his desig-
nation for special recognition by the Putnam County Bar Association on
June 4, 2009, and to wish him continued success in all of his future
endeavors; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Honorable Andrew P. O'Rourke.