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1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, It is appropriate to remember the many sacrifices
3and contributions to the cause of freedom made by the
4outstanding men and women who served in the U.S. Armed Forces;
5and
 
6    WHEREAS, First Lieutenant James F. Claussen was born to
7Ernest and Stella Claussen on Christmas Day in 1921; at the
8time, the family lived on a small farm near Jacob; and
 
9    WHEREAS, 1LT Claussen voluntarily enlisted in the U.S.
10Army in June of 1940 with the goal of becoming a paratrooper;
11he did not meet the Army's size requirements to become a
12paratrooper and redirected his efforts to becoming a pilot;
13and
 
14    WHEREAS, From June of 1943 until his death in March of
151945, 1LT Claussen flew seven combat missions over Sicily,
16France, Holland, and Germany; and
 
17    WHEREAS, On March 24, 1945, 1LT Claussen was killed in
18action while taking part in Operation Varsity; while his three
19year commitment when enlisting had ended, he volunteered to
20fly the day he was killed in action; his C-46 Commando was last
21seen with its left engine on fire heading back across the Rhine

 

 

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1River after successfully dropping all of its paratroopers; and
 
2    WHEREAS, 1LT Claussen was the recipient of the Air Medal,
3the American Defense Service Medal, and the Good Conduct
4Medal; he was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart;
5therefore, be it
 
6    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL
7ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF
8REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that we designate the
9portion of Illinois Route 3 between mile marker 20 and mile
10marker 22, near Rockwood, as the "1LT James F. Claussen
11Memorial Highway"; and be it further
 
12    RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Transportation
13is requested to erect at suitable locations, consistent with
14State and federal regulations, appropriate plaques or signs
15giving notice of the name of "1LT James F. Claussen Memorial
16Highway"; and be it further
 
17    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
18presented to the Secretary of Transportation and the family of
191LT Claussen.