§1 - C.36:2-339
A Joint Resolution designating October 3rd of each year as “Sergeant Dominick Pilla and Corporal Jamie Smith Day” in the State of New Jersey.
Whereas, Sergeant Dominick Pilla and Corporal Jamie Smith were New Jersey natives; and
Whereas, Sergeant Pilla was from Vineland in Cumberland County and Corporal Smith was from Long Valley in Morris County; and
Whereas, They both were United States Army Rangers, served in Mogadishu, Somalia, and were 21 years old when they were killed on October 3, 1993 while serving our country; and
Whereas, Sergeant Pilla was a member of an Army Ranger team deployed to Mogadishu, Somalia, and was on an assignment to recover and extract fellow Army Rangers from a downed Black Hawk helicopter when his convoy was ambushed; and
Whereas, During the ambush Sergeant Pilla noticed a Somalian taking aim at a member of his team and he in turn was noticed, and both men shot and killed each other; and
Whereas, Sergeant Pilla was the first of 18 soldiers to be killed in the Battle of Mogadishu; and
Whereas, Corporal Smith was a member of a force deployed to Mogadishu, Somalia to contain warlords; and
Whereas, While Corporal Smith and other members from his team launched a raid to capture the warlord Mohammed Addid, a Black Hawk helicopter was hit by a rocket propelled grenade and went down; and
Whereas, Corporal Smith was one of the first Army Rangers to arrive at the downed helicopter, and after he and three members of his team made their way to the crash site to establish a defense perimeter, a bullet struck his thigh and severed his femoral artery; and
Whereas, Attempts to stop the bleeding were unsuccessful and Corporal Smith died; and
Whereas, Sergeant Pilla and Corporal Smith served courageously and dutifully as United States Army Rangers; and
Whereas, Sergeant Pilla was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star with valor device and the Purple Heart, and Corporal Smith was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star with valor device, an Oak Leaf Cluster, and a Purple Heart; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New
Jersey:
1. a. October 3rd of each year is designated as “Sergeant Dominick Pilla and Corporal Jamie Smith Day” in New Jersey.
b. The Governor is respectfully requested to issue a proclamation each year calling upon public officials and citizens of the State to observe the day with appropriate events.
2. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This Joint Resolution designates October 3rd of each year as “Sergeant Dominick Pilla and Corporal Jamie Smith Day” in the State of New Jersey.
Sergeant Pilla and Corporal Smith were United States Army Rangers who served in Mogadishu, Somalia. They were killed on October 3, 1993, when Sergeant Pilla’s convoy was ambushed and when Corporal Smith was shot in the leg and his femoral artery severed. The fatal firefight of the mission and the death of both men were recreated in the film “Black Hawk Down”.
Sergeant Pilla was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star with valor device and the Purple Heart. Corporal Smith was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star with valor device, an Oak Leaf Cluster, and a Purple Heart.
Designates October 3rd of each year as “Sergeant Dominick Pilla and Corporal Jamie Smith Day” in New Jersey.