I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 3143 To posthumously promote Lieutenant Colonel Richard E. Cole, United States Air Force (retired), a colonel on the retired list. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JUNE 5, 2019 Mr. ROY (for himself, Ms. GRANGER, Mr. CONAWAY, Mr. FLORES, Mr. OLSON, and Mr. WEBER of Texas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To posthumously promote Lieutenant Colonel Richard E. Cole, United States Air Force (retired), a colonel on the retired list. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. FINDINGS; PURPOSE. 3 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds as follows: 4 (1) Lieutenant Colonel Richard E. Cole, United 5 States Air Force (retired), was born on September 6 7, 1915, in Dayton, Ohio. 7 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:50 Jun 13, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3143.IH H3143 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •HR 3143 IH (2) On November 22, 1940, Lieutenant Colonel 1 Cole enlisted as an aviation cadet in Lubbock, 2 Texas. 3 (3) In July 1941, Lieutenant Colonel Cole was 4 commissioned as a second lieutenant and rated as a 5 pilot. 6 (4) Lieutenant Colonel Cole was one of the air- 7 men who took part in the Doolittle Raid on Japan 8 in April 1942, serving as co-pilot to then Lieutenant 9 Colonel James (Jimmy) Doolittle. 10 (5) After the Doolittle Raid, Lieutenant Colonel 11 Cole remained in China until June 1943. 12 (6) Lieutenant Colonel Cole served again in the 13 China–Burma–India Theater from October 1943 to 14 June 1944. 15 (7) Lieutenant Colonel Cole later served as Op- 16 erations Advisor to the Venezuelan Air Force from 17 1959 to 1962. 18 (8) Lieutenant Colonel Cole retired from the 19 Air Force in 1966. 20 (9) On September 19, 2016, the B–21 bomber 21 developed by Northrop Grumman was formally 22 named ‘‘Raider’’ in honor of the Doolittle Raiders. 23 (10) Lieutenant Colonel Cole died on April 9, 24 2019, at 103 years of age. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:50 Jun 13, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3143.IH H3143 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •HR 3143 IH (b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is as follows: 1 (1) Recognizes the accomplishments, sacrifices, 2 and legacy of Lieutenant Colonel Richard E. Cole, 3 United States Air Force (retired). 4 (2) Encourages citizens of the United States to 5 remember the legacy of Lieutenant Colonel Cole and 6 the legacy of all the Doolittle Raiders. 7 SEC. 2. POSTHUMOUS ADVANCEMENT OF LIEUTENANT 8 COLONEL RICHARD E. COLE, UNITED STATES 9 AIR FORCE, ON THE RETIRED LIST. 10 (a) ADVANCEMENT.—Lieutenant Colonel Richard E. 11 Cole, United States Air Force (retired), is advanced to the 12 rank of colonel on the retired list of the Air Force. 13 (b) ADDITIONAL BENEFITS NOT TO ACCRUE.—The 14 advancement of Richard E. Cole on the retired list of the 15 Air Force under subsection (a) shall not affect the retired 16 pay or other benefits from the United States to which 17 Richard E. Cole would have been entitled based upon his 18 military service or affect any benefits to which any other 19 person may become entitled based on his military service. 20 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:50 Jun 13, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H3143.IH H3143 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS