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1 | HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
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2 | WHEREAS, It is highly fitting that the Illinois General
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3 | Assembly pays honor and respect to the truly great individuals
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4 | who have served our country and, in doing so, have made the
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5 | ultimate sacrifice for our nation; and | ||||||
6 | WHEREAS, SP4 William Eugene Campbell was born to Ida Marie | ||||||
7 | and
Kenneth Campbell on October 24, 1948; he was one of eight
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8 | children along with his brother, Bob Campbell, and his six | ||||||
9 | sisters,
Sandy Painter, Betty Evans, Judy Buchanan, Joyce | ||||||
10 | Borchers,
Janet Barker, and Jeanne Taylor; and | ||||||
11 | WHEREAS, SP4 Campbell graduated in June of 1968 from
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12 | Gibson City High School at a trying time for many young men due
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13 | to the heavy involvement of the United States in the Vietnam
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14 | War; and | ||||||
15 | WHEREAS, Like many others facing the draft, SP4 Campbell
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16 | was called to serve in the U.S. Army on August 12, 1968; and | ||||||
17 | WHEREAS, Just under a year into his service on August 2,
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18 | 1969, SP4 Campbell was killed in action, the first and only
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19 | casualty from Gibson City; and | ||||||
20 | WHEREAS, SP4 Campbell received several recognitions for |
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1 | his actions in Vietnam, including the Silver Star, which
was | ||||||
2 | presented to his mother Ida, for the time he "distinguished
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3 | himself as a leader in Company B, First Airborne Battalion, | ||||||
4 | 501st Infantry, 101st Airborne Division, USARV, during a | ||||||
5 | search and clear operation near the
city of Tam Ky, Republic of | ||||||
6 | Vietnam"; and | ||||||
7 | WHEREAS, In addition to his Silver Star, SP4 Campbell
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8 | received the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Good Conduct
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9 | Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service
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10 | Medal with one Bronze Service Star, the Vietnam Campaign | ||||||
11 | Ribbon, and the Combat Infantryman
Badge; and | ||||||
12 | WHEREAS, SP4 Campbell's heroism and willingness to
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13 | sacrifice his own well-being was an inspiration to his entire
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14 | platoon; his bravery and devotion to duty and his fellow
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15 | soldiers were in keeping with the highest traditions of | ||||||
16 | military service; and | ||||||
17 | WHEREAS, SP4 Campbell's actions reflect positively on
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18 | himself, his family, his unit, and the U.S. Army; therefore, | ||||||
19 | be
it | ||||||
20 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
21 | HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE | ||||||
22 | SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we designate Illinois Route 47 |
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1 | as it travels through Gibson City as the "Vietnam Veteran SP4 | ||||||
2 | William Eugene Campbell Memorial Highway"; and be it further | ||||||
3 | RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Transportation | ||||||
4 | is requested to erect, at suitable locations consistent with
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5 | State and federal regulations, appropriate plaques or signs
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6 | giving notice of the name of the "SP4 William Eugene Campbell | ||||||
7 | Memorial Highway"; and be it further | ||||||
8 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
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9 | presented to the family of SP4 Campbell, the Mayor of Gibson
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10 | City, and the Secretary of Transportation.
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