HR0422 LRB094 12320 CSA 46251 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, On May 7, 2005, on her 90th birthday, Rachel
3 Fairbanks Sweitzer of Wilmette was awarded one of France's most
4 distinguished awards, the National Order of the Legion of
5 Honor, for her service as a nurse in the Normandy invasion; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Mr. Richard Barbeyron, the French consul general
7 in Chicago, presented Mrs. Sweitzer with the award; the same
8 award was given to astronaut Neil Armstrong and former
9 Secretary of the State Colin Powell; and
 
10     WHEREAS, The National Order of the Legion of Honor, created
11 by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, recognizes feats of military
12 valor and distinguished achievements in the arts, teaching,
13 agriculture, trade, and industry; and
 
14     WHEREAS, Mrs. Sweitzer, who grew up in Fairwater,
15 Wisconsin, graduated from St. Agnes School of Nursing in Fond
16 du Lac in 1935; she worked for Hines VA Hospital near Maywood
17 and was "loaned" to the military; she was assigned to a
18 surgical unit under Gen. George Patton's 3rd Army during World
19 War II; after being moved to several U.S. locations, she was
20 transported to England and spent months traveling from one
21 battle site to another with a surgical unit; in some cases, a
22 truck served as an operating room; another truck followed with
23 provisions; it was during this time that she met her husband,
24 Caesar Sweitzer, a doctor serving in another unit; her military
25 stint ended after the war in February of 1946; therefore, be it
 
26     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
27 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
28 we honor Rachel Fairbanks Sweitzer for her valuable
29 contributions to her country and congratulate her on the
30 distinction of being awarded the National Order of the Legion
31 of Honor; and be it further
 

 

 

HR0422 - 2 - LRB094 12320 CSA 46251 r

1     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
2 presented to Rachel Fairbanks Sweitzer as an expression of our
3 utmost admiration and esteem.