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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
8action during the War in Iraq near the city of Al Hillah on
9March 31, 2003; he was a member of the 101st Airborne Division
10(Air Assault) 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 was a machine gun (SAW) operator
15in his infantry unit that was assigned to a tank unit to
16provide cover; their combined mission was to perform a "feint"
17to draw attention from the main attacking force;
18unfortunately, they came into an ambush situation and were
19completely surrounded; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Specialist Rowe's death was the catalyst that led
21the leader of his unit to get the men to safety, off of their
22assigned tanks, and to find cover; against great odds, the

 

 

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1unit continued to fight for eight hours that day, in spite of
2the fact that information had been offered that there would be
3little resistance by the Republican Guard Soldiers; no other
4lives were lost in the battle, making the mission a success;
5and
 
6    WHEREAS, Specialist Rowe was posthumously awarded many
7medals, including the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart
8Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Medal; he earned many
9other awards and recognitions throughout his military career;
10and
 
11    WHEREAS, Specialist Rowe was born in Rockford on April 14,
121982; he graduated from Hononegah High School in 2000; during
13high school, he worked at DiGiovanni's Restaurant and
14Highlander Supermarket in Roscoe; he attended Rock Valley
15College before enlisting in the United States Army in 2001; he
16planned to continue studying computers after his military
17service; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Specialist Rowe is survived by his paternal
19grandmother, Tennessee Sanders; his mother, Wendy Borowski;
20his stepfather, Rick Borowski; his father, Milton Rowe; his
21stepmother, Debbie Rowe; his sister, Leah (Doug) Yates; his
22brothers, Brent and Kevin Rowe; his stepsisters, Heidi and
23Heather Schultz; his nephews, Devon Yates and Jake and Aiden

 

 

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1Rowe; and his niece, Grace Yates; therefore, be it
 
2    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
3HUNDRED SECOND 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
6Road in 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.