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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 Army
4Specialist Samuel T. Watts, who gave his life for his country
5while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan on
6May 19, 2012; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Army Specialist Watts was born on August 14, 1991,
8in Elmhurst to Thomas and Susan Watts; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Even as a little boy, Army Specialist Watts hoped
10to serve his country as a soldier; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Army Specialist Watts attended elementary and
12middle school at St. John Lutheran School in Wheaton, where he
13also attended church with his family and graduated from Wheaton
14North High School in 2010; he enlisted in the United States
15Army in the spring of 2010, while still in high school,
16completing his basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia, in July
172010 and joining the 508th Infantry Regiment in October 2010;
18and
 
19    WHEREAS, Amy Specialist Watts was a member of Wheaton North
20freshman football and volleyball teams, was an avid BMX rider,
21attended the fire science and paramedic program at the

 

 

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1Technology Center of DuPage in Addison, and earned a
2prestigious award for his patriotism at Wheaton North's senior
3honors assembly; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Army Specialist Watts trained as an infantryman
5and paratrooper at Fort Benning, Georgia, and was deployed to
6Afghanistan on February 25, 2012, with the 82nd Airborne
7Division; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Army Specialist Watts served his country with
9pride as a member of the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute
10Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne
11Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; and
 
12    WHEREAS, The 82nd Airborne Division of the United States
13Army is an elite modular airborne infantry division that was
14constituted in the National Army as the 82nd Division on August
155th, 1917, and was organized on August 25th, 1917, at Camp
16Gordon, Georgia; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Army Specialist Watts was on foot patrol in the
18Zharay district of Kandahar province of Afghanistan on April
1925, 2012, when an improvised explosive device detonated,
20inflicting devastating wounds upon him; and
 
21    WHEREAS, On May 16th, 2012, Army Specialist Watts was

 

 

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1awarded the prestigious Purple Heart in a bedside ceremony, and
2his father, Thomas, was proud to have had the honor and
3privilege of pinning the medal on his son; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Army Specialist Watts was the recipient of the
5Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, Army Good
6Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan
7Campaign Medal with Bronze Service Star, Global War on
8Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service
9Ribbon, NATO Medal, Combat Infantryman's Badge, Expert
10Marksman Badge, and Parachutist Badge; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Army Specialist Watts was included as one of the
12fallen heroes honored at the DuPage County Memorial Day
13Ceremony on Sunday, May 27th, 2012; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Friends and family will always remember Army
15Specialist Watts as wanting to serve his country and help
16others and for his generous spirit; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Friends describe Army Specialist Watts as loyal,
18kind, noble, a fierce friend, funny, a truly genuine person,
19the world's greatest, a fighter, a true hero, an adventurous,
20fun-loving, and truly fearless person, and a guy you wanted on
21your team; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Amy Specialist Watts planned to become a fire
2fighter/paramedic when he returned from Afghanistan; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Army Specialist Watts will be fiercely missed by
4his loving sisters, Sarah and Abigail; his loyal brother,
5Andrew; his adoring parents, Thomas and Susan; and his caring
6grandparents, Ruth Watts and Paul J. Keehn; therefore, be it
 
7    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
8NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
9we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of
10Army Specialist Samuel T. Watts; and be it further
 
11    RESOLVED, That we honor the memory of Army Specialist
12Watts, his patriotism, and his willingness to serve his
13country, which led him to making the ultimate sacrifice; and be
14it further
 
15    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
16presented to the family of Army Specialist Watts as a symbol of
17our sincere sympathy.