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HR0796 |
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LRB095 14197 KXB 40065 r |
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| HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of |
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| Representatives are pleased to honor Louis L. Freeman, the |
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| first African-American Chief Pilot for Southwest Airlines and |
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| all other major carriers; and
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| WHEREAS, Not only is Louis L. Freeman the first |
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| African-American Chief Pilot for any major carrier, he entered |
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| history as head of the Southwest Airlines flight crew that |
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| transported the body of deceased civil rights icon Rosa Parks |
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| in 2005; and
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| WHEREAS, Louis Freeman is the chief-pilot for Southwest |
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| Airlines, one of America's most highly regarded companies; the |
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| airline is famous for its commitment to superb service and it |
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| is an honor that Louis Freeman was awarded both the airline's |
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| Winning Spirit Award and the President's Award; and
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| WHEREAS, Mr. Freeman is a man of firsts, with his list |
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| beginning in high school when he and his brother were the first |
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| students to integrate Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas, |
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| Texas; Mr. Freeman was his high school and college R.O.T.C. |
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| Corps Commander; at East Texas State University he attained the |
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| rank of Colonel, receiving numerous awards and medals; and
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HR0796 |
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LRB095 14197 KXB 40065 r |
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| WHEREAS, Louis Freeman was a top East Texas State |
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| University graduate in 1974, and was also the first |
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| African-American to attend Air Force Pilot Training; he was |
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| assigned to Mather Air Force Base, where he flew T43s and |
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| became the first second lieutenant to become a squadron |
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| scheduler and one of the first to become an instructor pilot |
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| and supervisor of flying; and
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| WHEREAS, Mr. Freeman was also honored as Squadron Pilot of |
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| the Year for the 454th Flight Training Squadron; he left the |
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| United States Air Force with the rank of captain; at Southwest |
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| Airlines, Mr. Freeman inaugurated a Chicago pilot crew base |
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| with 150 pilots that grew to more than 1,000 pilots, and a |
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| staff of four assistant chief pilots; he resolves issues and |
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| concerns with governmental partners, ensures pilots meet the |
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| company objectives, effectively manages the crew base budget, |
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| and helps determine company policy; therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE |
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| NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we |
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| congratulate Louis Freeman on being a man of firsts and commend |
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| him for his hard work and dedication to his career; and be it |
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| further
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| RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be |
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| presented to Louis L. Freeman as a symbol of our esteem and |