SR0020 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0020 LRB094 06524 HSS 36612 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois learned with regret of the death of Guy H. Bodor of Aurora on December 20, 2004; and

WHEREAS, He was born on February 18, 1922, to Louis and Hedwig (Reginnitter) Bodor; he married Bobbi Collatz in 1949; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Bodor valiantly served his country in the United States Navy, enlisting in 1940; he attended boot camp at Great Lakes Naval Training Station followed by Aviation Radio School in San Diego, California; he survived the attack on Pearl Harbor while serving aboard the USS San Francisco; and

WHEREAS, He spent 56 months in the Pacific theatre participating in the Wake Island relief expedition, the attack on the Marshall and Gilbert Islands, air action off Bougainville, the SALAMAAU-LAE Raid, the Battle of Cape Esperance, and the Battle of Guadalcanal; in 1943 he was assigned to bombing squadron VB-140 based at the Russell Islands for the new Georgia-Bougainville-New Ireland campaigns; and

WHEREAS, In 1944 he was assigned to patrol bombing squadron VPB-123 and participated in the Okinawa invasion to end the war; he was decorated many times, including earning a Purple Heart for injuries sustained in the Battle of Guadalcanal; his unit received the first Presidential Unit Citation for that action; he was also awarded the Naval Air medal, the Navy Good Conduct medal, the WWII Victory medal, the American Defense medal, the Asiatic Pacific Campaign medal, the American Campaign - Pacific Operations medal, and the Naval Reserve Faithful Service medal; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Bodor continued his service after World War II in the Naval Reserves and was called to active duty in 1961; while in the reserves, he received a commission and attained the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 4, serving a total of 40 years until his retirement in 1982; and

WHEREAS, In 1946, Guy joined IBM and spent the next 41 years working as a customer products service manager; during retirement, he was active in the community at SciTech, Golden Kiwanis, and New England Congregational Church; he was a member of the Illinois Commandery of the Naval Order of the United States and served as president of the Aurora Navy League; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Bodor was honored at the Annual Pearl Harbor Day Luncheon sponsored by the Aurora Navy League Council on December 6, 2004, and at the Annual Meeting/Program of the Illinois Commandery, Naval Order of the United States on December 7, 2004; he was featured in George Rawlinson's book "Fox Valley Veterans"; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Guy H. Bodor has been deeply felt by many, especially his wife of 55 years, Bobbi (Collatz) Bodor; his children, Suzanne (Bruce) Saunders, Aaron (Tash Robb) Bodor, and Jeanne (Andrew) Larson; his grandchildren, Logan Saunders, Seth and Marete Larson, and Rowan Bodor; his brother-in-law, Fred Collatz, and wife, Anna; and his many nieces and nephews; he was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Richard, Robert, and James; and his sister Margaret, in infancy; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Guy H. Bodor, and we extend our deepest sympathy to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Mr. Bodor as an expression of our sincerest condolences.