FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
State Rep. John Pallone D-Westmoreland/Armstrong www.pahouse.com/Pallone State Rep. Tony Melio D-Bucks www.pahouse.com/Melio

Pallone, Melio honor Pennsylvania's military with a pair of House resolutions

HARRISBURG, Nov. 10 – The Pennsylvania House of Representatives unanimously adopted two resolutions from state Reps. John Pallone, D-Westmoreland/Armstrong and Tony Melio, D-Bucks, honoring Pennsylvania's military.

House Resolution 437, sponsored by Pallone, marks the 234^th anniversary of the U.S. Marines by designating Nov. 10, 2009 as Marine Corps Day in Pennsylvania.

"The United States Marine Corps has fought valiantly to defend the United States and its citizens and principles since the birth of our nation," said Pallone, D-Westmoreland/Armstrong. "Marines fought on every continent and in every conflict in American history from the Revolutionary War to Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq."

The U.S. Marine Corps was founded as the Continental Marines by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Congress on Nov. 10, 1775. There are about 202,000 people currently enlisted in the Corps.

House Resolution 519, sponsored by Melio, honors all Pennsylvania veterans who served during war and peace time on the occasion of Veteran's Day, Nov. 11, 2009.

"These are brave and loyal heroes who serve and have served our citizens well," Melio said. "Our veterans are effective participants in critical missions of our state and country who have valiantly given of themselves in the name of freedom."

In 1918, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day in the eleventh month, the world rejoiced and celebrated because, after four years of bitter war, an armistice was signed that declared the "war to end all wars" over. November 11 was set aside as Armistice Day in the United States, a name eventually changed to Veterans Day, to remember the sacrifices men and women made during World War I in order to ensure a lasting peace.