Senate Resolution No. 30

BY: Senator GRIFFO

CONGRATULATING Herbert C. Thorpe upon the occasion
of celebrating his 100th Birthday

WHEREAS, Senior citizens bring a wealth of experience and knowledge
to the increasingly active roles they play in today's society; their
past contributions and future participation are a vital part of, and
valuable asset to, the fabric of community life and activity; and

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to commemorate
and recognize certain milestones celebrated by citizens of this great
Empire State; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
congratulate Herbert C. Thorpe upon the occasion of his 100th Birthday
to be celebrated Saturday, January 14, 2023, at the First Presbyterian
Church in Rome, New York; and

WHEREAS, Herbert C. Thorpe was born on January 9, 1923, in
Manhattan, New York; raised in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York,
he is the second oldest of six children born to Barbadian immigrants;
and

WHEREAS, After graduating from Alexander Hamilton High School,
Herbert C. Thorpe enrolled in the Civilian Conservation Corps, working
as a typist and automotive mechanic, before enlisting in the United
States Army Reserves in 1942; and

WHEREAS, Upon completion of his basic training, Herbert C. Thorpe
applied, and was accepted, to cadet school; in 1944, he arrived at the
Tuskegee Institute in Alabama to begin the rigorous journey to become
one of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen; and

WHEREAS, Herbert C. Thorpe was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant
Navigator Bombardier on December 30, 1944; because the Armed Air Forces
were not integrating multi-engine air crews then, he was sent back to
the Tuskegee Army Airfield where he went into advanced flying training
to operate multi-engine aircraft; Herbert C. Thorpe was then qualified
as a B-25 pilot with the Tuskegee Airmen; and

WHEREAS, After an honorable discharge in 1946, Herbert C. Thorpe
returned to Brooklyn, New York where he worked for the Veterans
Administration and the United States Postal Service before enrolling in
New York University under the G.I. Bill; upon receiving his Bachelor of
Electronic Engineering degree in 1953, Herbert C. Thorpe was employed in
the Brooklyn Naval Yard as a radar engineer; it was then in 1959 that
Herbert C. Thorpe moved with his wife, Jessie Thorpe, and their two
children, to Rome, New York to work at the Griffiss Air Force Base until
his retirement in 1983; and

WHEREAS, Imbued with the duty of serving his country as a proud
Tuskegee Airman, Herbert C. Thorpe, along with his wife Jessie Thorpe,
was instrumental in the founding of the Rome, New York Branch NAACP and

its Afro-American Heritage Association; both Herbert C. Thorpe and
Jessie Thorpe were well-known regional, cultural, civil and human rights
advocates for more than 50 years; and

WHEREAS, Herbert C. Thorpe is the recipient of numerous honors,
awards and recognitions for service to his country and community,
including the New York State Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian
Award in 2012 and a Rome Historical Society 1777 Medal of Honor Award in
2013; a lifelong patriot and never one to forget those who were integral
to him becoming the great man he is today, Herbert C. Thorpe continues
to be an active member of Tuskegee Airmen Incorporated, Claude D. Govan,
Tri-State Chapter, New York; and

WHEREAS, Herbert C. Thorpe's indominable wife, Jessie Thorpe, passed
away on May 25, 2020, after 69 years of marriage; however, he continues
to live on for both of them through the rejuvenating spirit of his two
children, five grandchildren, one great grandson and two great
granddaughters; and

WHEREAS, With his zest for life and infallible will, Herbert C.
Thorpe has inspired and enhanced the lives of his family and friends;
and

WHEREAS, This distinguished man has experienced the incredible joys
and sorrows characteristic of and reserved for those with the stamina
and courage to savor a full life; and

WHEREAS, Herbert C. Thorpe has enriched the lives of those around
him through his joyous and sincere love for others and through the
vibrant charm and infinite wisdom which comes only from a fullness of
years; and

WHEREAS, It is the intent of this Legislative Body to publicly
recognize those who have reached such a remarkable age and who have
witnessed and celebrated the innovations, cultural developments and
incredible achievements of this country during the last century, while
themselves contributing to the growth and excellence of this great
Empire State; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
congratulate Herbert C. Thorpe upon the occasion of celebrating his
100th Birthday; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Herbert C. Thorpe.