HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-044RESOLUTION NO. 04-44
A RESOLUTION CONGRATULATING THE
UNITED STATES NAVAL AMPHIBIOUS
TRAINING BASE - FT. PIERCE (USNATB)
ON THE 60TK ANNIVERSARY OF ITS
FOUNDING IN ST. LUCIE COUNTY,
FLORIDA
WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners of St. Lucie
County, Florida, has made the following determinations:
1. The United States Naval Amphibious Training Base Ft.
Pierce (USNATB) was commissioned January 26, 1943 to serve as an
"Invasion Cradle", training a mixed force composed of elements from
the Army, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard in the (then) new art of
specialized amphibious warfare.
2. The beaches of St. Lucie County duplicated heavy surf
conditions expected during the invasions of Fortress Europe and the
Pacific Theatre.
3. Over 140,000 men trained under the base's only C.O., Navy
Captain Clarence Gulbranson, whose motto for his unique mission was
"One Force, One Fight, One Foe"
4. USNATB - Ft. Pierce featured training for the soon to be
famed Scouts and Raiders, Naval Combat Demolition Units (NCDU),
Underwater Demolition (UDT) teams, Beach Battalions, Attack Boat
and DUKW crews and Construction Battalions ("Sea Bees").
5. Much experimental demolition work was done here by the
Joint Army Navy Experimental Testing Board (JANET), Army Ordinance,
Engineers and Chemical Warfare units and Navy Demolition Research
Unit (NDRU) .
ATTEST:
6. Initially envisioned as a temporary base to be used for
only five months, the value of the amphibious mission was soon
realized and the base produced combat units vital to the war effort
until being decommissioned after war's end on February 2, 1946.
7. Alumni of the Ft. Pierce base saw action in the Normandy,
Sicily, Italy, North Africa, Saipan, New Guinea and Phillipine
invasions. The Navy SEAL museum, on North Hutchinson Island,
celebrates the memory of USNATB - Ft. Pierce.
8. This Board believes the Florida World War Two Memorial
should be constructed to recognize the contribution of St.
Lucie County to the war effort.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County
Commissioners of St. Lucie County, Florida.
1. This Board does hereby congratulate the United States
Naval Amphibious Training Base - Ft. Pierce (USNATB) on the 60
Anniversary of its Founding in St. Lucie County, Florida.
2. This Board thanks the Navy SEAL Museum, on North
Hutchinson Island, for celebrating the memory of USNATB-Ft. Pierce.
PASSED AND DULY ADOPTED this 27th day of January, 2004.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
ST. LUCIE COUNTY, FLORIDA
BY: