2026 SESSION

INTRODUCED

26109224D

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 204

Offered March 6, 2026

Commending United States Navy ships named USS Yorktown.

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Patrons—Diggs, Cifers, Craig, Durant, French, Hackworth, Jordan, McDougle, Mulchi, Peake and Suetterlein

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WHEREAS, the name USS Yorktown holds deep historical significance for the United States, paying tribute to the Continental Army's decisive victory over the British at the Siege of Yorktown in 1781; and

WHEREAS, the name USS Yorktown represents courage, sacrifice, and triumph, and several ships have proudly borne this name, with each contributing to pivotal moments in American naval history; and

WHEREAS, the first USS Yorktown was a 16-gun sloop-of-war launched in 1839, which patrolled the Pacific Ocean to safeguard maritime commerce and subsequently patrolled the coasts of Africa in an effort to curtail the slave trade; and

WHEREAS, the USS Yorktown (PG-1), a steel-hulled twin screw gunboat commissioned in 1889, was part of a program to modernize the United States Navy in the late 19th century and took part in actions during the Philippine-American War and the Boxer Rebellion; and

WHEREAS, the USS Yorktown (CV-5), an aircraft carrier commissioned in 1937, played a vital role in the early stages of World War II and its crew fought valiantly at the Battle of Midway before its loss in 1942; and

WHEREAS, its immediate successor, the USS Yorktown (CV-10), an Essex-class aircraft carrier commissioned in 1943, continued that proud legacy in the Pacific Theater of World War II and later served as a museum ship at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum in South Carolina; and

WHEREAS, most recently, the USS Yorktown (DDG-48/CG-48), a Ticonderoga-class cruiser commissioned in 1984, participated in a wide range of counter-terrorism, counter-narcotics, and freedom of navigation missions; the ship served the nation through the end of the Cold War, Operation Desert Storm, and the beginning of the Global War on Terror before it was decommissioned in 2004; and

WHEREAS, the various iterations of the USS Yorktown have each reflected the United States Navy's enduring commitment to strength and innovation, and their crews have served the nation with valor and distinction; and

WHEREAS, the year 2031 will mark the 250th anniversary of the Siege of Yorktown, the last major battle of the Revolutionary War, which offers a singular opportunity to honor the military and maritime heritage of the United States, as well as the generations of sailors who have safeguarded the nation; and

WHEREAS, commissioning a new USS Yorktown would stand as a fitting tribute to the United States Navy's proud traditions of service, including the achievements and history of previous ships bearing that name, and symbolize the continued resolve of the United States to defend liberty at sea; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend United States Navy ships named USS Yorktown; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for the historical significance of United States Navy ships named USS Yorktown and appreciation for the importance of continuing to use this name for future ships.