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| 1 | HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
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| 2 | WHEREAS, It is highly fitting that the Illinois General | ||||||
| 3 | Assembly pays honor and respect to veterans who have served | ||||||
| 4 | their country and the State of Illinois; and
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| 5 | WHEREAS, Private Snell was a member of the 136th Infantry, | ||||||
| 6 | 33rd division of the United States Army; he entered into | ||||||
| 7 | service on April 22, 1942 and was stationed at various camps in | ||||||
| 8 | the United States until he went overseas on July 5, 1943; he | ||||||
| 9 | served in the New Guinea and Philippine campaigns and returned | ||||||
| 10 | to the United States on November 4, 1945; he was honorably | ||||||
| 11 | discharged at Camp Grant on November 24, 1945; and
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| 12 | WHEREAS, On May 6, 1945, the 136th Infantry was met by | ||||||
| 13 | heavy mortar, machine gun, and rifle fire from the flanks and | ||||||
| 14 | from caves on the reverse slope; as it reached the crest of the | ||||||
| 15 | hill, a machine gun on the right flank opened fire and wounded | ||||||
| 16 | four men; Private Snell moved forward alone and destroyed the | ||||||
| 17 | weapon and its crew; he then directed his fellow soldiers in | ||||||
| 18 | destroying three Japanese strong points; although wounded | ||||||
| 19 | himself, he led his fellow soldiers forward, secured the enemy | ||||||
| 20 | positions, captured the hill, and only then allowed himself to | ||||||
| 21 | be evacuated; and
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| 22 | WHEREAS, On June 9, 1946, Private Snell was awarded the | ||||||
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| 1 | Distinguished Service Cross, the army's second highest award | ||||||
| 2 | for conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty; | ||||||
| 3 | along with the cross, he received the Good Conduct Medal, the | ||||||
| 4 | American Campaign Ribbon, the Asiatic-Pacific Ribbon with two | ||||||
| 5 | Bronze Battle Stars, the Philippine Liberation Medal with one | ||||||
| 6 | Bronze Battle Star, and the Purple Heart; and
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| 7 | WHEREAS, Private Snell displayed inspiring leadership, | ||||||
| 8 | indomitable fighting spirit, and heroic effort despite his | ||||||
| 9 | wounds; therefore, be it
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| 10 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
| 11 | HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE | ||||||
| 12 | SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we designate the Utica River | ||||||
| 13 | Bridge as the "Ralph E. Snell Memorial Bridge"; and be it | ||||||
| 14 | further
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| 15 | RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Transportation | ||||||
| 16 | is requested to erect at suitable locations, consistent with | ||||||
| 17 | State and federal regulations, appropriate plaques or signs | ||||||
| 18 | giving notice of the name of the "Ralph E. Snell Memorial | ||||||
| 19 | Bridge"; and be it further
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| 20 | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | ||||||
| 21 | presented to the family of Private Ralph E. Snell and the | ||||||
| 22 | Secretary of the Illinois Department of Transportation.
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