HR0935 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0935 LRB099 17636 MST 42714 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of Private First Class Florentino John Santana in Vietnam on September 18, 1966; and

WHEREAS, During the summer of 1966, the North Vietnamese Army's (NVA) 324B Division had infiltrated south of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) with the clear intention of setting up a major presence in northern Quang Tri Province; the NVA 341st Division was positioned within and north of the DMZ and prepared to support the 324B Division and/or exploit opportunities arising from the 324B's operations; and

WHEREAS, The Commanding General of the Third Marine Amphibious Force, the senior United States commander in northern South Vietnam, initiated Operation HASTINGS aimed at discouraging the 324B Division and forcing it back into the DMZ (at the time, U.S. forces could not enter into the DMZ - it was an NVA sanctuary); heavy fighting continued through July of 1966, particularly around the "Rockpile" between Khe Sanh and Camp Carroll. HASTINGS ended, and a series of recon-in-force operations - termed Operation PRAIRIE - began on August 3, 1966; and

WHEREAS, Operation DECKHOUSE IV was conducted by the 7th Fleet's Special Landing Force Bravo (Battalion Landing Team 1/26) as an adjunct to Operation PRAIRIE; BLT 1/26's area was about 8 miles northeast of Dong Ha, and the operation began with an amphibious landing and a heliborne landing some six miles inland west of Highway 1; at about 1:30pm on September 15, 1966, a reconnaissance team made contact with an NVA company; that contact was the first in what became 10 days of heavy fighting for BLT 1/26's Marines and sailors; although DECKHOUSE IV officially ended on the 18th, BLT 1/26 stayed in support of PRAIRIE until the 25th; the operation claimed at least 200 NVA killed at a cost of 37 Marines and sailors killed in action and another 167 wounded; Pfc. Santana was among those killed in action; and

WHEREAS, Pfc. Santana was born in Mission Hidalgo County, Texas on June 20, 1947 to Mr. and Mrs. Baldemar Santana; he had 2 sisters, Mary and Alma; he attended Elgin High School and joined the United States Marines in August of 1965; he and his wife, Donna Lou Dewis, had one daughter, Pauline Katherine; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of Private First Class Florentino John Santana in Vietnam on September 18, 1966; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Pfc. Santana as an expression of our esteem and respect.