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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are pleased to congratulate Edward A. Bilotti
4 of Midlothian on the occasion of being awarded a Bronze Star,
5 Purple Heart, and Combat Infantryman's Badge in April of 2008
6 for his service in the U.S. Army during World War II; and
 
7     WHEREAS, Edward A. Bilotti was born in Blue Island on
8 November 22, 1925; he attended St. Benedict Grammar School and
9 Blue Island Community High School; in 1941, he and his family
10 moved to Midlothian; he worked with his father in his father's
11 shoe repair shop until he went into the United States Army; and
 
12     WHEREAS, Edward A. Bilotti was drafted into the U.S. Army
13 on April 18, 1944; he was placed into the famous 10th Mountain
14 Division, 87th Regiment, Company B; after going through basic
15 training at Camp Joseph T. Robinson near Little Rock, Arkansas,
16 he joined the 10th Division at Camp Swift near Austin, Texas,
17 where he participated in mountain training; and
 
18     WHEREAS, In December of 1944, Edward A. Bilotti and the
19 10th Mountain Division left Newport News, Virginia aboard the
20 ocean liner West Point and embarked for Italy; upon arrival in
21 Naples, Italy, Mr. Bilotti and his division took an Italian
22 ship to Leghorn, where they got into trucks and traveled up and

 

 

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1 down the hills of Italy; and
 
2     WHEREAS, On April 17, 1945, during a period of heavy
3 fighting against the Germans in the Le Coste area, Edward A.
4 Bilotti was severely wounded after a mortar round hit a tree;
5 after suffering shrapnel wounds in his back, shoulder, head,
6 and legs, he was taken to a station hospital behind the front
7 lines and treated; the fighting that occurred on that day would
8 be known as the division's bloodiest day, with 290 soldiers
9 killed in action and 1,059 wounded; Mr. Bilotti received the
10 Purple Heart for the wounds that he suffered during action in
11 Italy; and
 
12     WHEREAS, After receiving his injuries, Edward A. Bilotti
13 sailed home aboard the hospital ship Thistle and docked in
14 Charleston, South Carolina; he then traveled to Topeka, Kansas
15 for rehabilitation, then to Fort Custer, Michigan for
16 convalescence; after recovering from his wounds, he was
17 discharged from the U.S. Army; and
 
18     WHEREAS, After his discharge, Edward A. Bilotti and his
19 brother Al opened a shoe store; after splitting apart, Mr.
20 Bilotti opened a shoe repair shop in Palos Heights, operating
21 the shop until he sold it in 1995; today, he still keeps active
22 at a group at St. Christopher Parish called the Coffee House,
23 which meets with handicapped adults in the Midlothian area once

 

 

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1 a month to socialize; and
 
2     WHEREAS, Edward A. Bilotti has been a lifetime member of
3 the Disabled American Veterans Association; and
 
4     WHEREAS, Edward A. Bilotti married Catherine Kendall on May
5 7, 1949 at St. Christopher Church; together, they have three
6 children, Richard, Margaret, and Diane, and two grandchildren,
7 Patrick and Gina; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Edward A. Bilotti serves as a model of patriotism,
9 integrity, and courage for the people of the State of Illinois;
10 therefore, be it
 
11     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
12 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
13 congratulate Edward A. Bilotti of Midlothian on the occasion of
14 being awarded a Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Combat
15 Infantryman's Badge in April of 2008 for his service in the
16 U.S. Army during World War II and wish him many happy and
17 healthy years to come; and be it further
 
18     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
19 presented to Edward A. Bilotti as a symbol of our esteem and
20 respect.