|
| | SJ0003 | | LRB104 05724 LAW 15754 r |
|
|
| 1 | | SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
|
| 2 | | WHEREAS, It is appropriate to remember the many sacrifices |
| 3 | | and contributions to the cause of freedom made by the |
| 4 | | outstanding men and women who served in the U.S. Armed Forces; |
| 5 | | and
|
| 6 | | WHEREAS, First Lieutenant James F. Claussen was born to |
| 7 | | Ernest and Stella Claussen on Christmas Day in 1921; at the |
| 8 | | time, the family lived on a small farm near Jacob; and
|
| 9 | | WHEREAS, 1LT Claussen voluntarily enlisted in the U.S. |
| 10 | | Army in June of 1940 with the goal of becoming a paratrooper; |
| 11 | | he did not meet the Army's size requirements to become a |
| 12 | | paratrooper and redirected his efforts to becoming a pilot; |
| 13 | | and
|
| 14 | | WHEREAS, From June of 1943 until his death in March of |
| 15 | | 1945, 1LT Claussen flew seven combat missions over Sicily, |
| 16 | | France, Holland, and Germany; and
|
| 17 | | WHEREAS, On March 24, 1945, 1LT Claussen was killed in |
| 18 | | action while taking part in Operation Varsity; while his |
| 19 | | three-year commitment when enlisting had ended, he volunteered |
| 20 | | to fly the day he was killed in action; his C-46 Commando was |
| 21 | | last seen with its left engine on fire heading back across the |
|
| | SJ0003 | - 2 - | LRB104 05724 LAW 15754 r |
|
|
| 1 | | Rhine River after successfully dropping all of its |
| 2 | | paratroopers; and
|
| 3 | | WHEREAS, 1LT Claussen was the recipient of the Air Medal, |
| 4 | | the American Defense Service Medal, and the Good Conduct |
| 5 | | Medal; he was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart; |
| 6 | | therefore, be it
|
| 7 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL |
| 8 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF |
| 9 | | REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that we designate the |
| 10 | | portion of Illinois Route 3 between mile marker 20 and mile |
| 11 | | marker 22, near Rockwood, as the "1LT James F. Claussen |
| 12 | | Memorial Highway"; and be it further
|
| 13 | | RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Transportation |
| 14 | | is requested to erect at suitable locations, consistent with |
| 15 | | State and federal regulations, appropriate plaques or signs |
| 16 | | giving notice of the name "1LT James F. Claussen Memorial |
| 17 | | Highway"; and be it further
|
| 18 | | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be |
| 19 | | presented to the family of 1LT Claussen and the Secretary of |
| 20 | | the Illinois Department of Transportation. |
Translate