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LRB093 14374 KEF 19990 r
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, On November 7, 2003, Leo High School served as
3 the site of a special Veterans Memorial Observance that was
4 planned by the high school, the Leo Alumni Association, the
5 Veteran's Leadership Program, American Legion Giles Post
6 Number 87, and the Chicago Commission on Human Relations; and
7 WHEREAS, Leo High School erected a memorial in 1965 to
8 the many Leo men who died serving the United States in World
9 War II, Korea, and Vietnam, including John Fardy who was
10 posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his
11 heroic sacrifice during World War II and John Houlihan (Leo
12 1941) who served in the Marine Corps along with Dick
13 Prendergast and twenty fellow classmates from the Class of
14 1943; and
15 WHEREAS, On November 11, 1942, a small group of Marines
16 known as Carlson's Raiders fought at Guadalcanal, the first
17 beachhead of United States engagement in World War II; and
18 WHEREAS, Joe Auman and Larry Spillan, who were members of
19 Carlson's Raiders, were both killed in the Raid on Makin
20 Atoll and thereby became the first Leo men to make the
21 supreme sacrifice during World War II; and
22 WHEREAS, Joe Auman was posthumously awarded the Navy
23 Cross for extraordinary heroism when, with utter disregard
24 for his own personal safety, he manned a machine gun,
25 steadfastly remaining at his exposed position while his
26 company was faced with overwhelming enemy fire, and continued
27 to fire his gun until killed by the enemy; he gallantly gave
28 up his life in the defense of his country; and
29 WHEREAS, Hours later Larry Spillan, who played end on the
30 1940 Catholic Championship Football Team, was killed in the
31 same battle; and
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1 WHEREAS, The Leo tradition of heroism continued through
2 the service of highly decorated Vietnam Veterans Jim Farrell
3 (Leo 1961), Jack Farnan (Leo 1963), Jim Furlong (Leo 1965),
4 General George Muellner, USAF (ret.), and the late Thomas
5 Stack (Leo 1961); and
6 WHEREAS, The Lions of today continue to walk down the
7 road of service, including Mario Bullock, who was appointed
8 to the United States Military Academy at West Point, and Eric
9 Lee, who served as a Marine and Chicago Police hero;
10 therefore, be it
11 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
12 NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
13 we congratulate Leo High School for its Veterans Memorial
14 Observance, and we commend the alumni, students, and faculty
15 of Leo High School for their courage and commitment to our
16 nation; and be it further
17 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
18 presented to Leo High School President Robert W. Foster as a
19 token of our respect and esteem and with sincere wishes for
20 its continued success.