H*4904 Concurrent Resolution, By Alexander, Branham, Crawford, Lowe and 
Williams
 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO COMMEMORATE THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE
 UNINTENTIONAL RELEASE OF AN UNARMED ATOMIC WARHEAD OVER THE MARS BLUFF
 COMMUNITY IN FLORENCE COUNTY.

   03/27/08  House  Introduced HJ-11
   03/27/08  House  Referred to Committee on Invitations and Memorial
                     Resolutions HJ-12
   04/03/08  House  Committee report: Favorable Invitations and
                     Memorial Resolutions HJ-7
   04/09/08  House  Adopted, sent to Senate HJ-47
   04/09/08  Senate Introduced SJ-13
   04/09/08  Senate Referred to Committee on General SJ-13
   04/29/08  Senate Polled out of committee General SJ-20
   04/29/08  Senate Committee report: Favorable General SJ-20
   04/30/08  Senate Adopted, returned to House with concurrence SJ-58

POLLED OUT OF COMMITTEE

MAJORITY FAVORABLE

April 29, 2008

H. 4904

Introduced by Reps. Alexander, Branham, Crawford, Lowe and Williams

S. Printed 4/29/08--S.

Read the first time April 9, 2008.

To whom was referred a Concurrent Resolution (H. 4904) to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the unintentional release of an unarmed atomic warhead over the Mars Bluff community, etc., respectfully

Has polled the Concurrent Resolution out majority favorable.

TO COMMEMORATE THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNINTENTIONAL RELEASE OF AN UNARMED ATOMIC WARHEAD OVER THE MARS BLUFF COMMUNITY IN FLORENCE COUNTY.

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina General Assembly pause to thank Almighty Providence for the danger from which the citizens of this great State were mercifully spared on March 11, 1958; and

Whereas, fifty years ago when the fated B-47 out of Savannah, Georgia, left on a training mission, no one could have foreseen its role in the unintentional release of an unarmed atomic warhead over the Mars Bluff community of Florence County when a problem occurred with the pin locking the bomb into its cradle; and

Whereas, perhaps the only time such a weapon has accidentally fallen on a civilian community, the seven-thousand-pound, ten-foot-long, warhead fell fifteen thousand feet onto the Pee Dee community, tearing a crater fifty feet in diameter and thirty-five feet deep, destroying one nearby home, and cracking plaster in homes for miles around; and

Whereas, erosion and rain have filled in most of the crater, but two fragments of the bomb have remained for decades in the Florence Museum, and Florence County plans to place a historical marker in June to commemorate the unusual event; and

Whereas, under the auspices of the Florence City-County Historical Commission and Mars Bluff Historical Commission, chairwoman Marshall M. Yarborough has coordinated plans for a ceremony to mark the bombing's anniversary; and

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina General Assembly express profound gratitude that military safeguards prevented a nuclear explosion and loss of life in the disaster, and commend the citizens of Florence County for commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the event at Mars Bluff. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the members of the General Assembly, by this resolution, commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the unintentional release of an unarmed atomic warhead over the Mars Bluff community in Florence County.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Mrs. Marshall M. Yarborough.