SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION No. 43

STATE OF NEW JERSEY 215th LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 16, 2012

Sponsored by: Senator JEFF VAN DREW District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)

Co-Sponsored by: Senator Whelan

SYNOPSIS Permanently establishes September 4th as “Richard Somers Day.”

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT As introduced.

(Sponsorship Updated As Of: 6/1/2012)

SJR43 VAN DREW 2

1 A JOINT RESOLUTION permanently establishing September 4th as 2 “Richard Somers Day” in New Jersey. 3 4 WHEREAS, Richard Somers, born during the American Revolution 5 on September 15, 1778, was the great-grandson of John Somers, 6 the founder of Somers Point, New Jersey; and 7 WHEREAS, Richard Somers first learned to sail as a boy on Great 8 Egg Bay, later joining the in 1798 as a 9 Midshipman on the U.S.S. United States under the command of 10 John Barry, the father of the U.S. Navy; and 11 WHEREAS, Upon being promoted to Lieutenant, Richard Somers 12 was put in command of his own ship and assigned to the 13 Mediterranean fleet to fight the in the First 14 Barbary War; and 15 WHEREAS, Aboard the U.S.S. Intrepid, Richard Somers and 16 , Jr. recaptured the U.S.S. Philadelphia from the 17 enemy without incurring any casualties; and 18 WHEREAS, Later while in command of the U.S.S. Intrepid, Richard 19 Somers and his crew of 12 volunteers died a hero's death during 20 a daring nighttime raid on the harbor in Libya on 21 September 4, 1804; and 22 WHEREAS, The remains of Richard Somers and his crew are buried 23 in graves now overgrown with weeds in an old Protestant 24 cemetery in Tripoli, Libya; and 25 WHEREAS, Richard Somers' contributions helped end the First 26 Barbary War, an important campaign for his fledgling country, 27 proving that the American forces had the cohesion to fight 28 together and execute a war far from home; and 29 WHEREAS, Richard Somers has been memorialized by the United 30 States Navy, with at least six naval warships bearing his name 31 and a monument standing at the United States Naval Academy in 32 Annapolis, Maryland; and 33 WHEREAS, September 4, 2004 marked the 200th anniversary of 34 Richard Somers' death; now, therefore, 35 36 BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate and General Assembly of the 37 State of New Jersey: 38 39 1. September 4th of each year is designated “Richard Somers 40 Day” in honor of the anniversary of the heroic death of New 41 Jersey's native son. 42 43 2. The Governor shall annually issue a proclamation calling 44 upon public officials, private organizations, and all citizens of the 45 State to observe this day each year with appropriate educational 46 events and activities. 47 48 3. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.

SJR43 VAN DREW 3

1 STATEMENT 2 3 This resolution declares September 4th of each year “Richard 4 Somers Day” in the State of New Jersey. Richard Somers, a native 5 of Somers Point, New Jersey, fought bravely against the Barbary 6 pirates in the . September 4, 2004 marked the 7 200th anniversary of his heroic death during a daring nighttime raid 8 on Tripoli harbor in Libya.