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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Frank
4Woodruff Buckles, the longest surviving United States veteran
5of World War I, who passed away on February 27, 2011, at the
6age of 110; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Frank Buckles was born on February 1, 1901; at the
8age of 16, he witnessed the European theatre of World War I,
9serving as a Corporal in the United States Army; as an
10ambulance driver in France and Germany, he evacuated wounded
11soldiers from the horrific battlefield; and
 
12    WHEREAS, After World War I, Frank Buckles traveled widely,
13working for steamship companies; he was on business in Manila
14when the Philippines were occupied after the attack on Pearl
15Harbor in December of 1941; he was imprisoned by occupying
16forces and lost more than 50 pounds before being liberated by
17an American airborne unit in February of 1945; and
 
18    WHEREAS, For his service during World War I, Frank Buckles
19received the World War I Victory Medal and qualified for four
20Overseas Service Bars; in 1941, he retroactively qualified for
21the Army of Occupation of Germany Medal due to his post-war
22service in Europe in 1919; in 1999, Buckles was further honored

 

 

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1by the French Government and was awarded France's Legion
2d'Honneur; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Frank Buckles was laid to rest with full military
4honors at Arlington National Cemetery; his funeral was attended
5by President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Frank Buckles represents the generation of
7Americans that served and sacrificed during World War I, "The
8World to End All Wars", and was the last veteran among the more
9than 4.7 million Americans who had served in the armed forces
10of the Allied nations from April 6, 1917, when the United
11States entered World War I, to November 11, 1918, the date of
12the armistice; and
 
13    WHEREAS, 116,516 Americans serving in the armed forces gave
14their lives during World War I; therefore, be it
 
15    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
16NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
17we mourn, along with his family, friends, and the rest of a
18grateful nation, the passing of Frank Woodruff Buckles, and
19honor the lives of all who served during World War I; and be it
20further
 
21    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be

 

 

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1presented to Frank Woodruff Buckles' daughter, Susannah
2Flanagan, as a symbol of our sincere sympathy and respect.