Full Text of HJR0004 102nd General Assembly
HJ0004 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, It is highly fitting that the Illinois General | 3 | | Assembly pays honor and respect to veterans who have served | 4 | | their country and the State of Illinois; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Private Snell was a member of the 136th Infantry, | 6 | | 33rd division of the United States Army; he entered into | 7 | | service on April 22, 1942 and was stationed at various camps in | 8 | | the United States until he went overseas on July 5, 1943; he | 9 | | served in the New Guinea and Philippine campaigns and returned | 10 | | to the United States on November 4, 1945; he was honorably | 11 | | discharged at Camp Grant on November 24, 1945; and
| 12 | | WHEREAS, On May 6, 1945, the 136th Infantry was met by | 13 | | heavy mortar, machine gun, and rifle fire from the flanks and | 14 | | from caves on the reverse slope; as it reached the crest of the | 15 | | hill, a machine gun on the right flank opened fire and wounded | 16 | | four men; Private Snell moved forward alone and destroyed the | 17 | | weapon and its crew; he then directed his fellow soldiers in | 18 | | destroying three Japanese strong points; although wounded | 19 | | himself, he led his fellow soldiers forward, secured the enemy | 20 | | positions, captured the hill, and only then allowed himself to | 21 | | be evacuated; and
| 22 | | WHEREAS, On June 9, 1946, Private Snell was awarded the |
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| 1 | | Distinguished Service Cross, the army's second highest award | 2 | | for conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty; | 3 | | along with the cross, he received the Good Conduct Medal, the | 4 | | American Campaign Ribbon, the Asiatic-Pacific Ribbon with two | 5 | | Bronze Battle Stars, the Philippine Liberation Medal with one | 6 | | Bronze Battle Star, and the Purple Heart; and
| 7 | | WHEREAS, Private Snell displayed inspiring leadership, | 8 | | indomitable fighting spirit, and heroic effort despite his | 9 | | wounds; therefore, be it
| 10 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | 11 | | HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE | 12 | | SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we designate the Utica River | 13 | | Bridge as the "Ralph E. Snell Memorial Bridge"; and be it | 14 | | further
| 15 | | RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Transportation | 16 | | is requested to erect at suitable locations, consistent with | 17 | | State and federal regulations, appropriate plaques or signs | 18 | | giving notice of the name of the "Ralph E. Snell Memorial | 19 | | Bridge"; and be it further
| 20 | | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | 21 | | presented to the family of Private Ralph E. Snell and the | 22 | | Secretary of the Illinois Department of Transportation.
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