Bill > S1656

Introduced Session

An act relating to the designation of the official state flagship; amending s. 15.0465, F.S.; redesignating the official state flagship as the S.S. American Victory; providing an effective date. WHEREAS, built in 1944, the S.S. American Victory is one of only four operational World War II merchant vessels left in the United States and served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, and WHEREAS, the S.S. American Victory is an interactive maritime museum located in Tampa, and WHEREAS, the United States’ entry into World War II transformed American history and directly affected more than 250,000 Floridians who served on active duty, and WHEREAS, of these brave Floridians, more than 3,500 gave their lives in defense of the United States during World War II, and WHEREAS, Florida is the ideal location for the S.S. American Victory, as the tourism industry caters to nationwide visitors who can experience firsthand what it was like to serve on board the ship, and WHEREAS, the S.S. American Victory is a 455-foot steamship that was launched on May 24, 1945, during the largest ship building effort in United States history, and WHEREAS, the S.S. American Victory set sail from the United States into the treacherous waters of the Pacific Ocean awaiting orders for the invasion of Japan, and WHEREAS, the S.S. American Victory assisted the war effort during the final days of World War II by transporting military equipment, troops, ammunition, and supplies for the Allied Forces, and WHEREAS, the S.S. American Victory sailed around the world delivering provisions, industrial materials, machinery, and raw materials after the war under the auspices of the Marshall Plan to countries devastated by the destruction of World War II, and WHEREAS, the S.S. American Victory transported cargo, fuel, and ammunition during the Korean War, and WHEREAS, the S.S. American Victory repatriated 260 casualties, including three fallen Floridians, Army Private P.C. White, Marine Second Lieutenant Robert C. Craig, and Marine Private First Class Joseph T. Jacobs, to the United States during the Korean War, and WHEREAS, the S.S. American Victory was reactivated to service in 1966 to support the Vietnam War and conducted 12 voyages supporting the war effort by transporting military equipment, troops, ammunition, and supplies, and WHEREAS, the S.S. American Victory sailed from the James River Reserve Fleet on March 13, 1985, to participate in the United States’ Victory Ship Validation Program, a program designed to gauge the time and expense necessary to reactivate victory-class ships, which enabled the S.S. American Victory to be brought back to full operational status and to perform sea trials after restoration, and WHEREAS, the S.S. American Victory was then transferred by an act of Congress from the Maritime Administration to The Victory Ship, Inc., in her home port of Tampa, and WHEREAS, the S.S. American Victory has been a landmark destination for the past 25 years within Tampa and was recognized as a National Historic Place in 2002, and WHEREAS, the S.S. American Victory acts as a preeminent location for military retirement or promotion ceremonies, marriage ceremonies, and many other types of celebrations, and WHEREAS, the S.S. American Victory actively supports military charities and foundations such as America’s Gold Star Families, Warrior Ethos, Florida 4 Warriors, The Mission Continues, the Navy SEAL Foundation, and the Green Beret Foundation, and WHEREAS, the S.S. American Victory continually supports community organizations and foundations such as Visit Tampa Bay, Leadership Florida, Leadership Tampa Bay, Leadership Tampa, the Maritime Alliance, Propeller Club – Port of Tampa, and Friends of the Tampa Riverwalk, and WHEREAS, the S.S. American Victory has acted as a primary platform for thousands of training hours for a wide range of organizations over her 25 years in Tampa, and WHEREAS, the S.S. American Victory has hosted all branches of the Department of Defense as well as Special Operations Command and Central Command; Department of Justice agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration; Department of Homeland Security agencies such as the United States Customs and Border Protection, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the United States Coast Guard; and city, county, and state law enforcement agencies, and WHEREAS, the S.S. American Victory is visited by tens of thousands of guests annually and acts as an educational platform for Tampa Bay’s seven-county area as well as for educational programs throughout this state, including AMIkids, the Jefferson High School Maritime, Marine & Environmental Science Academy, the Howard W. Blake High School Maritime Program, the University of South Florida College of Arts and Sciences and Muma College of Business, and various other public schools and home education programs, and WHEREAS, the S.S. American Victory serves as the homebase for the American Victory Division and other regional Sea Cadet, Boy and Girl Scout, and ROTC programs, and WHEREAS, the S.S. American Victory also hosts international programs such as the training ship Gunilla, a Swedish vessel that circumnavigates the globe as an international educational platform, and WHEREAS, the S.S. American Victory is a maritime museum and memorial that is open year-round for visitors of all ages, from across the United States and abroad, supporting Florida’s vibrant tourism industry, and WHEREAS, due to its service to the United States and past 25-year history of service to this state, the official state flagship is redesignated as the S.S. American Victory, NOW, THEREFORE,

AI Summary

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Danny Burgess (R)*, 

Placed on Special Order Calendar, 03/06/26 (on 03/03/2026)

Official Document