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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, It is highly fitting that the Illinois General
3Assembly pays honor and respect to the truly great individuals
4who have served our country and, in doing so, have gone above
5and beyond the call of duty to make the ultimate sacrifice for
6our nation; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Specialist Brandon Jacob Rowe was killed in action
8during the War in Iraq near the city of Al Hillah on March 31,
92003; he was a member of the 101st Airborne Division (Air
10Assault) of the United States Army and was based at Fort
11Campbell, Kentucky; he was the first Infantryman of the 101st
12to be killed in combat in Operation Iraqi Freedom and the first
13from the Northern Illinois Area to be killed in that war; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Specialist Rowe's last act of kindness was toward
15one of his "brothers," the Medic serving with his unit; when
16Specialist Rowe saw that his friend was uncomfortable where he
17was seated on the tank, he offered to change places with him,
18thereby putting himself in the front of the tank; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Specialist Rowe's death was the catalyst that led
20the leader of his unit to get the men to safety, off of their
21assigned tanks, and to find cover; against great odds, the unit
22continued to fight for eight hours that day, in spite of the

 

 

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1fact that information had been offered that there would be
2little resistance by the Republican Guard Soldiers; no other
3lives were lost in the battle, making the mission a success;
4and
 
5    WHEREAS, Specialist Rowe was posthumously awarded many
6medals, including the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart
7Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Medal; he earned many
8other awards and recognitions throughout his military career;
9and
 
10    WHEREAS, Specialist Rowe was born in Rockford on April 14,
111982; he graduated from Hononegah High School in 2000; during
12high school, he worked at DiGiovanni's Restaurant and
13Highlander Supermarket in Roscoe; he attended Rock Valley
14College before enlisting in the United States Army in 2001; he
15planned to continue studying computers after his military
16service; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Specialist Rowe is survived by his maternal
18grandfather, George Scheidegger; his paternal grandmother,
19Tennessee Sanders; his mother, Wendy Borowski; his stepfather,
20Rick Borowski; his father, Milton Rowe; his stepmother, Debbie
21Rowe; his sister, Leah Yates; his brothers, Brent and Kevin
22Rowe; his stepsisters, Heidi and Heather Schultz; his nephews,
23Devon Yates and Jake and Aiden Rowe; and his niece, Grace

 

 

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1Yates; therefore, be it
 
2    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
3HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
4SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we designate the section of
5Illinois Route 251 from Bridge Street in Roscoe to Rockton Road
6in Roscoe as the Specialist Brandon Jacob Rowe Memorial
7Highway; and be it further
 
8    RESOLVED, That the Illinois Tollway is requested to erect
9at suitable locations, consistent with State and federal
10regulations, appropriate plaques or signs giving notice of the
11name of "Specialist Brandon Jacob Rowe Memorial Highway"; and
12be it further
 
13    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
14presented to the family of Specialist Brandon Jacob Rowe and
15the Secretary of the Department of Transportation.