Designate Sergeant John "Jack" Thurman Memorial Highway

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 26-011

BY SENATOR(S) Marchman and Kirkmeyer, Amabile, Baisley, Ball, Bridges, Bright, Carson, Catlin, Cutter, Danielson, Exum, Frizell, Gonzales J., Hinrichsen, Jodeh, Kipp, Kolker, Lindstedt, Liston, MichaelsonJenet, Mullica, Pelton B., Pelton R., Rich, Roberts, Rodriguez, Simpson, Snyder, Sullivan, Wallace, Weissman, Zamora Wilson, Coleman; also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Boesenecker, Bacon, Barron, Bottoms, Bradley, Brooks, Brown, Caldwell, Camacho, Carter, Clifford, DeGraaf, Duran, Espenoza, Flanell, Froelich, Garcia, Garcia Sander, Gilchrist, Goldstein,. Gonzalez R., Hamrick, Hartsook, Jackson, Johnson, Joseph, Keltie, Lieder, Lindsay, Luck, Lukens, Mabrey, Marshall, Mauro, McCormick, Nguyen, Paschal, Phillips, Rutinel, Rydin, Slaugh, Smith, Soper, Stewart K., Stewart R., Story, Suckla, Taggart, Titone, Willford, Winter T., Woodrow, Woog, McCluskie.

CONCERNING DESIGNATION OF A PORTION OF U.S. HIGHWAY 34 BETWEEN WILSON A VE. AND NORTH COUNTY RD. 23H IN MEMORY OF SGT. JOHN "JACK" THURMAN.

WHEREAS, Sergeant John "Jack" Ryland Thurman, United States Marine Corps, was born on September 27, 1925, in South Dakota, and passed February 1, 2025, at 99 years old, in Loveland; and WHEREAS, Jack married the love of his life, Carol Jean Meier, on October 22, 1951, and together, the couple raised four children; and WHEREAS, After many decades together, Carol Jean passed June 22, 2009;and WHEREAS, Sgt. Thurman was a veteran of World War II, a survivor of Iwo Jima, and one of just a few select soldiers pictured in the iconic "Gung Ho" photo of U.S. Marines atop Japan's Mt. Suribachi mid-battle; and

WHEREAS, Jack enlisted on his 18th birthday with the United States Marine Corps at Minnesota's Ft. Snelling; was selected for special forces training at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, CA, a group that became known as the original "Carlson's Raiders", and was attached to the 5th Marine Division 27th Regiment, 2nd Battalion, Foxtrot Company, and Headquarters; and WHEREAS, Sgt. Thurman deployed to the Japanese island of Iwo Jima from February 19, 1945, to the end of March 1945, where he was in the first waves of steel "amtracs" (amphibious assault vehicles) that landed on Red Beach 1; and WHEREAS, An advanced infantry sniper, Sgt. Thurman provided coverage for the six original Iwo Jima flag raisers, saved numerous Marines by securing pillboxes and Japanese tunnels, located a strategic map identifying Japanese heavy artillery locations-which impacted the outcome of the war, provided supplies to the front lines, and rescued ·sailors and Marines from a downed B-29 bomber on Motoyama Airfield No. 1 while under direct fire; and WHEREAS, Sgt. Thurman took mortar wounds to his hip and face during the battle, and his arms numbed from the impact of his Ml Carbine rifle itself taking a hit, but he was determined to keep moving forward; and WHEREAS, For his heroism, Sgt. Thurman received a Bronze Star Medal, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal, in addition to an Honorable Discharge; and WHEREAS, Sgt. Thurman's military memorabilia has been preserved at museums such as the National Museum of the Marine Corps near Quantico, VA; the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.; the Center for American Values in Pueblo; and the Broomfield Veterans Museum; and WHEREAS, After World War II, Sgt. Thurman had a successful career as an architect and designer in Colorado, best known for his involvement with the University of Colorado Engineering Center, the

U.S. Marine Corps Memorial in Golden, the Admiral Arleigh Burke Memorial in Boulder, the Black Forest restaurant in Nederland, and several commercial buildings throughout the United States and in Germany; and WHEREAS, Sgt. Thurman remained dedicated to community service as a member or volunteer with organizations including the Boulder and Loveland VFW and American Legion-for which he was appointed Commander and Colorado District Commander, Arvada-based Marine Corps club "Cooper's Troopers", the Marine Corps League, 40/8, Lions Club, Knights of Columbus, Veterans Honor Guard, youth sports, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, police and fire departments, and as a guest speaker providing numerous presentations educating children and adults alike;and WHEREAS, Sgt. Thurman served as Grand Marshal of the Larimer County Fair Parade on July 27, 2019, a day subsequently proclaimed as "Sgt. John 'Jack' Thurman Day" by the Larimer County Board of Commissioners; was Veterans Day Grand Marshal for Denver, Loveland, Boulder, and Longmont; and was selected as "Veteran of the Month" twice by FOX31; and WHEREAS, Sgt. Thurman was also honored by President Donald Trump in 2020 during a Colorado Springs rally, recognizing him for his service as an Iwo Jima survivor; and WHEREAS, In addition to his military and civic accomplishments, Sgt. Thurman also was a champion chess player at the University of Colorado and an established author, completed the Bolder Boulder in 2016 in a wheelchair pushed by his daughter Karen, and tossed the coin for both a Colorado Buffaloes and a Denver Broncos game; and WHEREAS, Sgt. Thurman also served as a lifelong inspiration for his daughter, Commander Karen Thurman, U.S. Navy (Ret. ), who herself served 21 years on active duty, with deployments to Bosnia; Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; Okinawa; and Iraq; and WHEREAS, Sgt. Thurman, a member of the Greatest Generation, will be remembered for his heroism, courage, dedication, strong faith, humble compassion, and his significant impact on our American history; now,

therefore, Belt Resolved by the Senate ofthe Seventy-fifth General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the House ofRepresentatives concurring herein:

(1) That the portion of U.S. Highway 34 between Wilson Ave. and North County Rd. 23H be designated as the "Sgt. John 'Jack' Thurman Memorial Highway"; (2) That the Colorado Department of Transportation may accept and expend gifts, grants, and donations for the purpose of the initial placement of signs to mark the portion of U.S. Highway 34 between Wilson Ave. and North County Rd. 23H as the "Sgt. John 'Jack' Thurman Memorial Highway"; and (3) That the Colorado Department of Transportation may explore a cooperative agreement with the City of Loveland, Larimer County, or both, for the maintenance of the signs marking the "Sgt. John 'Jack' Thurman Memorial Highway".

Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent to Commander Karen Thurman, Larimer County Commissioner John Kefalas, and Colorado Department of Transportation Executive Director Shoshana Lew.

James Rashad Coleman Sr. PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE

Julie McCluskie SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Esther van Mourik SECRETARY OF THE SENATE

Vanessa Reilly CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES