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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, On the night of June 5-6, 1944, more than 6,500
3elite paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division, the first
4of the first, spearheaded the American airborne assault on the
5Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy, France with the critical
6missions of securing four causeways leading inland from the
7beach codenamed 'Utah' and neutralizing enemy resistance in
8advance of the amphibious landings at dawn on D-Day morning by
9the 4th Infantry Division; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Many of the paratroopers were mis-dropped from
11their designated drop zones; before dawn, a small group led by
12Major John P. Stopka, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment,
13attacked and captured a strategically sited and important
14German garrison headquarters and strongpoint at Marmion Farm
15on the outskirts of Ravenoville village; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Major Stopka made the decision to hold the farm
17until relief arrived from Utah Beach, thereby denying enemy
18movement against the northern shoulder of the 101st assault
19area and the critical exits; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Throughout D-Day, other mis-dropped paratroopers
21from mixed elements of the 101st, even some from the 82nd
22Airborne, arrived at the farm, thereby strengthening the

 

 

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1American defense against repeated enemy counter-attacks; the
2paratroopers held firm until relieved on the early morning of
3June 7, 1944 by lead elements of 4th Infantry Division; and
 
4    WHEREAS, On June 6, 2012, the Eternal Heroes Memorial was
5inaugurated in Ravenoville to honor the Raveno Boys, whose
6heroic stand made a significant contribution to the success of
7the amphibious landings on Utah Beach and ultimately the
8Allied invasion of Normandy on D-Day; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Among their number were five gallant sons of
10Illinois, Thomas F. Cahill Jr. of Cook County, Clifford S.
11Emerick of Washington County, John A. Powers of Peoria County,
12Joseph P. Powers of Peoria County, and Louis J. Venditti of
13Cook County; therefore, be it
 
14    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
15HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
16we declare June 6-7, 2024 as Eternal Heroes Memorial Days in
17memory of the Illinois Raveno Boys; and be it further
 
18    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
19presented to the Eternal Heroes Memorial as a token of our
20esteem and respect.