HR1508

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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 congratulate Joseph Nimee of 
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Spring Valley on the occasion of being named a Chevalier of the 
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Legion of Honor by the President of the French Republic; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The Legion of Honor was created by Napoleon in 
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1802 to acknowledge services rendered to the nation of France 
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by persons of great merit; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Joseph Nimee volunteered for the United States 
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Army draft in 1944; after attending  basic training at Camp 
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Blanding in Florida, where he was trained to serve with an 
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infantry division in the Pacific theater; in a surprise turn of 
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events, he was assigned to the 36th Infantry Division, which 
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had landed in Southern France, as a replacement; he was then 
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assigned to the 143rd Regiment in the Voges Mountains west of 
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the city of Colmar; the 143rd Regiment was assigned the task of 
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liberating a small village outside Colmar named Bennwihr and 
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safeguarding the French citizens who resided there; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Once in Bennwihr, Joseph Nimee was assigned the 
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task of laying phone wire from his company's command post on 
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the edge of Bennwihr to the 3rd Platoon's command post in the 
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center of the town; after the wire was cut, Mr. Nimee, along 
 


 






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with other soldiers in his regiment, were sent to investigate; 
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while traveling to the center of the town, Mr. Nimee and his 
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fellow soldiers began to take heavy fire; after two soldiers 
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were hit with enemy fire, Mr. Nimee, at great risk to his own 
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life, ran back from out of cover and retrieved both soldiers; 
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he then proceeded to once again run from cover to provide cover 
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fire for his remaining comrades, who were able to make it to 
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safety; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Before arriving at the center of Bennwihr, Joseph 
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Nimee and his regiment were once again put in danger by an 
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artillery attack; with the town being re-occupied by the enemy, 
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the group's objective switched to protecting the citizens of 
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Bennwihr; taking cover in the basement of a building, they 
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found citizens hiding from the fighting and protected them for 
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the night; while taking cover, a German soldier threw a hand 
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grenade in the basement, killing a citizen and several others; 
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Mr. Nimee, severely wounded, was mistaken for dead by the 
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enemy; and

 
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    WHEREAS, After laying in the basement for two days, 
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severely wounded, Joseph Nimee was found by a French civilian, 
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who summoned German doctors to his aid; he then spent three 
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months in a hospital in Germany, followed by three months in a 
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prison camp at Stalag 7A in Moosberg, Germany before being 
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liberated by General Patton's forces in April of 1945; once 
 


 






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back in the United States, he spent three years in Army 
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hospitals recovering from his wounds; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In recognition of his heroic actions in Bennwihr, 
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Joseph Nimee was awarded the Bronze Star; he also awarded the 
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Purple Heart for the injuries he suffered and the POW Medal for 
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his time at Stalag 7A; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The members of this body, along with the citizens 
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of the State of Illinois, are proud that Joseph Nimee has been 
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honored by the nation of France in such an honorable and 
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deserving manner; 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 Joseph Nimee of Spring Valley on the occasion of 
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being named a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor and wish him 
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continued success and happiness in his future endeavors; and be 
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it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to Joseph Nimee as a symbol of our great esteem and 
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respect.