HJ0116 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0116 LRB096 21926 GRL 39979 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Korean War began on June 25, 1950 and raged for 3 bloody years; 1.5 million United States soldiers, including thousands from the State of Illinois, answered the call to arms during the war; and

WHEREAS, 54,246 United States citizens, including 1,754 Illinois residents, lost their lives while fighting in Korea; and

WHEREAS, A total of 103,284 United States soldiers were wounded during the fighting in Korea, with 7,140 soldiers taken prisoner and 8,177 soldiers listed as missing in action; and

WHEREAS, A total of 131 Medals of Honor were given to United States soldiers fighting in Korea for acts of exceptional bravery and courage, with 93 Medals of Honor given posthumously; 8 Medals of Honor were given to soldiers from Illinois, with 6 given posthumously; and

WHEREAS, The service and sacrifice of United States soldiers during the Korean War is equal to the service and sacrifice of United States soldiers in any of our nation's wars throughout our history; and

WHEREAS, The number of living Korean War veterans continues to dwindle each year, depriving those deceased warriors the opportunity to share their experiences and to accept the thanks for their service from a grateful nation; and

WHEREAS, The Korean War is often referred to as "The Forgotten War" because it fell between the conclusion of World War II and the beginning of the Vietnam War, and because the shaky truce that ended open hostilities in 1953 left the conflict without official closure; and

WHEREAS, The 60th anniversary of the start of the Korean War occurs on June 25, 2010; and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois is commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Korean War by supplying information each month about the State's involvement in the conflict, starting in June 2010 and running through July 2013, to the State's newspapers, radio, and TV stations; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs, the Illinois Korean Memorial Association, and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, along with the Illinois Press Association and the Illinois Broadcasters Association, are sponsoring "Illinois Remembers the Forgotten War" to ensure that "The Forgotten War" is no longer forgotten in Illinois; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we designate the date of June 25, 2010 as Korean War Remembrance Day in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage all Illinois residents to remember and appreciate the brave men and women who served honorably and paid the ultimate price defending our freedom during the Korean War to ensure that this generation, and those to follow, never forget these heroes and the values for which they fought.