LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to
proclaim June 15, 2016, as Special Operations Forces Day in the State of
New York, and commending those military men from New York State who
serve our nation as team members of the Special Operations Forces

WHEREAS, Joint Special Operations Command (J.S.O.C.) Special Operations
Forces include the Army Green Berets, Army Night Stalkers, Army Rangers,
Navy SEALS, Marine MARSOL, MARINE Force RECON and Air Force Special
Tactics; and
WHEREAS, Special Operations teams defend the United States and its
interests by conducting synchronized planning of global operations
against the enemy; and
WHEREAS, Each special operations team is unique and each team member
has a specialty that is needed to accomplish the goal, which never
changes, to defend the United States and its interests; and
WHEREAS, The Navy SEALS are named after the environment in which they
operate SEA, AIR and LAND; and
WHEREAS, Navy SEALS are organized, trained and equipped to conduct a
variety of special operations missions in all operational environments;
and
WHEREAS, SEALS trace their history from the elite frogmen of World War
II; and
WHEREAS, National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum, also known as the Navy SEAL
Museum is located in St. Lucie County just in Fort Pierce, Florida; and
WHEREAS, The centerpiece of the Memorial is a bronze sculpture of a
World War II Combat Swimmer and their counterparts, and todays NAVY
SEALS; and
WHEREAS, Names of all Underwater Demolition Team members, Frogmen of
World War II and modern Navy SEALS who have died in the service of our
country are carved in the black, granite panels on the walls surrounding
the sculptures and its reflection pool; and
WHEREAS, The National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum is the only museum dedi-
cated solely to preserving the history of the Navy SEALS and their pred-
ecessors, including the Underwater Demolition Teams, Naval Combat Demo-
lition Units, Office of Strategic Services Maritime Units and Amphibious
Scouts and Raiders; and
WHEREAS, There are several New Yorkers who were members of the elite
Navy SEALS, among them was Michael Patrick "Murph" Murphy (May 7, 1976-
June 28, 2005) from Smithtown, New York; he was awarded the Medal of
Honor posthumously for actions of war in Afghanistan; he was the first
member of the United States Navy to receive the Medal of Honor since the
Vietnam War; he was killed June 28, 2005 after his team was compromised
and surrounded by Taliban forces near Asadabad, Afghanistan; and
WHEREAS, Michael A. Strenk (died September 29, 2007) from Scotia, New
York, a Navy SEAL who received a Navy Commendation Medal for mobiliza-
tion during GWOT 2004-2005; and
WHEREAS, Roy Boehm (April 9, 1924-December 30, 2008) was born in
Brooklyn, New York, served in three wars and various clandestine oper-
ations; he was commissioned and led what became the Navy SEALS, and is
considered the godfather of all SEALS; and
WHEREAS, Rudolph Ernst "Rudy" Boesch (January 20, 1928-) was born in
Rochester, New York; he was chosen as one of the first SEALS and became
Chief of the Boat in 1962; and
WHEREAS, Joseph Maguire, from Brooklyn, New York (1952-) was a member
of the Underwater Demolition/SEAL training (BUDS) and graduated as Honor
Man, Class of 93; and

WHEREAS, It is important that we honor those men who have served in
the Special Operations Forces so that we may pay tribute to their mili-
tary actions that have helped to make this country outstanding; and
WHEREAS, We honor those members from the State of New York who served
in the Joint Special Operations Command; and
WHEREAS, Through its avowed commitment to those who have served in the
cause of America's Freedom; those men who served in Special Operations
Forces so unselfishly advance the spirit of the united purpose and
shared concern which is the unalterable manifestation of our American
experience; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to pay
tribute to the bravery, patriotism and sacrifice made by those who serve
in Special Operations Forces, particularly in the Navy SEALS, both those
living and those who died in service to our great country; and to memo-
rialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim Wednesday, June 15, 2016,
as Special Operations Forces Day in the State of New York, fully confi-
dent that such procedure mirrors our shared commitment to preserve, to
ensure and yet effect that patrimony of freedom which is our American
Heritage; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New
York; the families of Michael Patrick "Murph" Murphy, Michael A. Strenk,
Roy Boehm, Rudolph Ernst "Rudy" Boesch, and Joseph Maguire; Colonel Eric
J. Hesse, (Ret.), Director of the New York State Division of Veterans'
Affairs; and Rich Keider, Director, and Ruth McSween, historian of the
National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum.