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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to honor James Pfafflin for his service to
4his country in the United States Merchant Marine from 1944 to
51948; and
 
6    WHEREAS, During World War II, the ships and men of the
7United States Merchant Marine transported across the oceans of
8the world the vast quantities of war materiel, supplies,
9equipment, and troops needed to fight and win the war; the men
10of the United States Merchant Marine were civilian volunteers
11who nonetheless died proportionally in numbers that rivaled or
12exceeded any branch of the uniformed military; like the United
13States Navy Armed Guard with whom they sailed, the unsung men
14of the United States Merchant Marine made possible the Allied
15victory in World War II; and
 
16    WHEREAS, During World War II, United States Merchant Marine
17ships faced danger from submarines, mines, armed raiders and
18destroyers, aircraft, "kamikaze", and the elements; about
198,300 mariners were killed at sea, 12,000 were wounded, of whom
20at least 1,100 died from their wounds, and 663 men and women
21were taken prisoner; one in 26 mariners serving aboard merchant
22ships in World War II died in the line of duty, suffering a
23greater percentage of war-related deaths than all other United

 

 

HR1032- 2 -LRB098 21019 GRL 58715 r

1States services; casualties were kept secret during the war to
2keep information about their success from the enemy; and
 
3    WHEREAS, James Pfafflin's first voyage with the United
4States Merchant Marine was on a ship that left out of San
5Francisco; the ships brought barrels of gasoline to small
6islands in the Pacific that couldn't store it, allowing planes
7that landed on the island to fuel up; the ships also brought
8blankets, food, and other supplies to people on the islands;
9and
 
10    WHEREAS, James Pfafflin serves as a model of hard work,
11integrity, and dedication for the people of the State of
12Illinois; therefore, be it
 
13    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
14NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
15we honor James Pfafflin for his service to his country in the
16United States Merchant Marine; and be it further
 
17    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
18presented to James Pfafflin as a symbol of our esteem and
19respect.