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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Vietnam veteran Herschel Luckinbill led efforts
3to bring the Vietnam Moving Wall back to Aurora for the first
4time in 24 years; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Herschel Luckinbill is known for accompanying
6World War II veterans on Honor Flights to Washington D.C. and
7leading numerous other veterans' activities; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Herschel Luckinbill, who served on the first
9American ship to receive gunfire during the Vietnam War, has
10said that having the wall come to Aurora means everything for
11the local veterans; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Herschel Luckinbill led the efforts to bring the
13wall to Aurora as a way to honor his fallen shipmates; and
 
14    WHEREAS, The Moving Wall is engraved with the names of
1558,282 who perished in the Vietnam War or are still unaccounted
16for (Prisoners of War and Missing in Action); the 254-foot wall
17is a 3/5 size mobile replica of the Washington D.C. Vietnam
18Veterans Memorial; and
 
19    WHEREAS, The Moving Wall was conceived and built by three
20California-based Vietnam vets who wished to publicly share the

 

 

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1emotional power and experience that one of them felt during the
21982 dedication of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Herschel Luckinbill arranged for the Moving Wall
4to be on display at the West Aurora High School practice soccer
5fields from November 7 to November 11, 2013; and
 
6    WHEREAS, The Moving Wall was escorted into the West Aurora
7High School soccer facilities by more than 200 motorcycle
8riding veterans and volunteers on November 7, 2013; the opening
9ceremonies for the Moving Wall began on November 8, 2013 at 10
10A.M.; and
 
11    WHEREAS, A ceremony was held at the Moving Wall on November
129, 2013 to recognize and honor families who have lost loved
13ones in war; a non-denominational healing service was held on
14November 10, 2013 at the Moving Wall; and
 
15    WHEREAS, The Aurora Veterans Day Parade made a stop at the
16Moving Wall during its route on November 11, 2013; a wreath
17laying ceremony for all branches of the military was held at
18the Moving Wall before the closing ceremonies at dusk on
19November 11, 2013; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Two recipients of the Medal of Honor were present
21and spoke during the Moving Wall ceremonies; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Volunteers filled a nearby field with over 2000
2American flags, deemed the "healing field"; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Numerous veterans visited the Moving Wall in
4remembrance of fallen colleagues and friends and were
5noticeably emotional during the 5-day event; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Between 100,000 and 200,000 people visited the
7Moving Wall during the 5-day memorial; more than 1,000
8volunteers worked 45 different shifts to make the event
9possible; therefore, be it
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
11NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
12we honor Herschel Luckinbill for his service to our country and
13recognize his continued work to recognize the service and
14sacrifices of Illinois veterans; and be it further
 
15    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
16presented to Herschel Luckinbill as an expression of our esteem
17and respect.