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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives wish to recognize Brigadier General Paul W. 
4Tibbets Jr., who provided 29 years of faithful service in the 
5United States Air Force during a perilous time, giving 
6security to the citizens of the United States; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Brigadier General Tibbets was born in Quincy in 
81915, and he graduated from Western Military Academy in Alton 
9in 1933; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Brigadier General Tibbets entered the United 
11States Army Air Corps on February 25, 1937, graduating from 
12pilot school in 1938; and
 
13    WHEREAS, In 1942, Brigadier General Tibbets was commander 
14of the 340th Bomb Squadron, 97th Bomb Group and flew 25 combat 
15missions in B-17s, including the first American Flying 
16Fortress raid against occupied Europe; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Brigadier General Tibbets led the first heavy 
18bombardment mission in support of the invasion of North Africa 
19in November 1942 and flew General Mark Clark to rendezvous 
20with French forces prior to the invasion; on the night of the 
21invasion, he flew General Dwight D. Eisenhower to Gibraltar 
 
 
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1and flew General Clark to Algiers, where he took command of the 
2invasion forces; and
 
3    WHEREAS, In 1944, Brigadier General Tibbets was assigned 
4to the atomic bomb project as the officer in charge of 
5developing an organization to deploy it; he flew the first 
6mission against enemy forces, dropping the bomb on Hiroshima 
7in 1945; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Brigadier General Tibbets graduated from the Air 
9Command and Staff School in 1947 and the Air War College in 
101955; he retired in 1966 after 29 years of faithful service, 
11during which he provided security to every citizen of the 
12United States and brought peace to the world during a perilous 
13time; therefore, be it
 
14    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
15HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
16we recognize the lasting and significant contributions of 
17Brigadier General Paul W. Tibbets Jr. to the United States Air 
18Force and the State of Illinois.