SR0702 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0702 LRB101 13442 ALS 62455 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Albert Leon Mampre, the last surviving medic from the so-called "Band of Brothers," who passed away on May 31, 2019; and

WHEREAS, Albert Mampre grew up in Oak Park, the son of immigrants from the Armenian diaspora; his mother, Viola, came from Baghdad; his father, Nishan, came from Turkey and repaired rugs and farm equipment; after graduating from Oak Park High School, he pursued ministerial studies at Ohio Northern and Hardin-Simmons University in Texas; he married Virginia Joboulian in 1945; and

WHEREAS, Albert Mampre enlisted in the United States Army in 1942; during WWII, he was part of the 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, which was featured in Stephen Ambrose's book Band of Brothers; and

WHEREAS, Albert Mampre's unit jumped into Holland as part of Operation Market Garden, where he was twice wounded by a sniper as he went to the aid of a wounded lieutenant; he was subsequently transported to an English hospital; after healing, he returned to the front in France; during the Battle of the Bulge, he served at Bastogne, Belgium at Regimental Headquarters across the plaza from General McAuliffe; he moved with the regiment all the way to occupying the Eagle's Nest in Berchtesgaden; at the Berchtesgaden Hof, he became the House Physician; he ended the war in Paris and Marseilles and then flew home to be discharged from Ft. Sheridan; and

WHEREAS, Albert Mampre received many honors for his war service, including the Purple Heart, the Purple Heart with bronze oak leaf cluster, the Distinguished Member of the 506th Infantry Regiment honor by Order of the Secretary of the United States Army, the European African Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon with four bronze stars, the European Campaign Medal, the WWII Victory Medal, the Army of Occupation Medal, and the Legion of Merit from the State of Illinois in 2017; he received several Unit Citations, including two Presidential Unit Citations, the French Croix de Guerre with Palm and Fourregere, the Belgian Croix de Guerre with Palm and Fourregere, and the Orange Lanyard from the Netherlands; and

WHEREAS, After the war, Albert Mampre resumed his studies at Pepperdine University and UCLA, where he studied psychology; he pursued post-graduate studies in psychology and social/cultural anthropology at the University of Chicago, where his efforts brought the opportunity to work on a project at International Harvester (IH); he worked in management development and public relations at IH alongside his family psychology practice; and

WHEREAS, Albert Mampre was active in many leadership capacities in the community and at his church; he served as Chairman of the Human Relations Committee in the Evanston School District and spent years leading Junior Achievement programs and mentoring Boy Scouts; he devoted many hours to fundraising for veterans and children's organizations for the last 20 years; he attended events all over the world on behalf of veterans as an in-demand speaker, presenter, and eyewitness to history; he worked with law enforcement and emergency medic response teams and visited the wounded at Walter Reed and Bethesda Naval Hospitals; and

WHEREAS, Albert Mampre reconnected with his fellow Screaming Eagles in 2001, when the men of the 101st Airborne 506th Easy Company were invited to The Oscars for the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers; never one to glorify his own accomplishments, he was still able to articulate the challenging circumstances that the soldiers faced, how they felt, and how lucky they were to return home; and

WHEREAS, Albert Mampre shared love, laughter, an inquisitiveness about the world, and a commitment to family and faith with his wife; in 1948, before they had a family, they took a three-month bicycle tour of Europe, witnessing its recovery from war; they were interested in gardening, music, theater, art, advances in science, and archeological digs; he loved his English setter Keebler, watching Westerns, and eating Baskin-Robbins ice cream and Armenian specialties, including rice pilaf and lahmajun; he loved people and gave much of himself to others; many were fortunate to experience his charisma, wit, humor, charm, and overall kindness; and

WHEREAS, Albert Mampre was preceded in death by his wife of 63 years, Virginia; and his daughter, Elizabeth Celebucki; and

WHEREAS, Albert Mampre is survived by his daughters, Virginia E. Mampre and Susan D. (Glen Wright) Mampre; his granddaughter, Anayis J. Mampre Wright; his brother, Edward Mampre; his son-in-law, Jim Celebucki; and many nieces and nephews and their children; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Albert Leon Mampre and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Albert Mampre as an expression of our deepest sympathy.