[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 665 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 665
A resolution recognizing Lieutenant Commander Louis A. Conter, the last
living survivor of the USS Arizona during the December 7, 1941, attack
on Pearl Harbor and the United States Territory of Hawaii.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
August 25, 2023
Mr. Kiley (for himself, Mr. McCaul, Mrs. Kim of California, Mr. Bacon,
and Mr. Bera) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to
the Committee on Armed Services
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RESOLUTION
A resolution recognizing Lieutenant Commander Louis A. Conter, the last
living survivor of the USS Arizona during the December 7, 1941, attack
on Pearl Harbor and the United States Territory of Hawaii.
Whereas Lieutenant Commander Louis A. Conter was born on September 13, 1921, in
Ojibwa, Wisconsin;
Whereas Lieutenant Commander Conter enlisted in the United States Navy in 1939;
Whereas Lieutenant Commander Conter served as a Quartermaster and reported to
the USS Arizona in 1940;
Whereas Lieutenant Commander Conter was aboard the USS Arizona when the Japanese
began their attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, at 7:48
a.m.;
Whereas Lieutenant Commander Conter was on the stern of the USS Arizona when the
sirens announced the Japanese attack;
Whereas a bomb hit the ammunition magazine located between the turrets on the
USS Arizona at 8:05 a.m.;
Whereas Lieutenant Commander Conter was knocked forward to the deck after the
bomb went off;
Whereas Lieutenant Commander Conter recovered from the explosion and immediately
began helping other wounded sailors onto lifeboats;
Whereas Lieutenant Commander Conter was able to escape the USS Arizona before it
ultimately sank;
Whereas 1,177 officers and crew members lost their lives aboard the USS Arizona
on December 7, 1941;
Whereas 2,403 Americans in total lost their lives during the attack on Pearl
Harbor on December 7, 1941;
Whereas following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Lieutenant Commander Conter
attended flight school and served as a Patrol Bomber (PBY) Catalina
Pilot in the Pacific Theater;
Whereas Lieutenant Commander Conter served for the duration of World War II and
was shot down twice during his time as a pilot in the Pacific Theater;
Whereas Lieutenant Commander Conter continued his military service beyond World
War II and participated in combat missions as an intelligence officer
during the Korean war; and
Whereas Lieutenant Commander Conter retired from the United States Navy in 1967
after 28 years of service to the Nation: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes and honors the heroism and service of
Lieutenant Commander Louis A. Conter for his actions aboard the
USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7,
1941, and during World War II;
(2) recognizes and honors the 1,177 officers and crew
members who perished aboard the USS Arizona;
(3) recognizes and honors those who survived the attack on
the USS Arizona and have since passed away;
(4) recognizes and honors those who survived the attack on
Pearl Harbor and the United States Territory of Hawaii that are
still alive today; and
(5) commends all who served in the United States Armed
Forces during the attack on Pearl Harbor and during World War
II.
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