HR1054 LRB096 21750 GRL 39515 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are saddened by the death of United States
4 Marine Corps Captain Matthew Charles Hays Freeman of Richmond
5 Hill, Georgia, who gave his life for his country in Kapisa
6 Province, Afghanistan on August 7, 2009; and
 
7     WHEREAS, Captain Matthew Freeman was born on January 19,
8 1980 in Lake Forest; after graduating from the U.S. Naval
9 Academy in 2002, he was commissioned as an officer with the
10 United States Marine Corps as a pilot; he was assigned to
11 Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, Third
12 Marine Expeditionary Force in Okinawa, Japan; he then
13 volunteered for deployment to Afghanistan with ETT 4-5, 3rd
14 Brigade 201st, RCAC-C Fwd, where he helped train the Afghan
15 military on the ground while performing supporting combat
16 operations; and
 
17     WHEREAS, During one such combat operation, Captain Matthew
18 Freeman was on a rooftop directing close-air support when he
19 was tragically killed; he was posthumously awarded the Purple
20 Heart and the Bronze Star for his valor and service to our
21 nation; and
 
22     WHEREAS, Captain Matthew Freeman is survived by his father,

 

 

HR1054 - 2 - LRB096 21750 GRL 39515 r

1 Mark Hays, and his stepmother, Paula Hays; his mother, Lisa
2 Freeman, and his stepfather, Gary Freeman; his wife, Theresa
3 Hess Freeman, who currently serves as an Air Force flight
4 surgeon in Okinawa, Japan; and his two sisters and one brother;
5 and
 
6     WHEREAS, Captain Matthew Freeman's patriotism and courage
7 will be remembered fondly by his loving family, his fellow
8 soldiers, and the citizens of our grateful nation; therefore,
9 be it
 
10     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
11 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
12 mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of United
13 States Marine Corps Captain Matthew Charles Hays Freeman; and
14 be it further
 
15     RESOLVED, That we honor the memory of Captain Matthew
16 Freeman and his willingness to serve our country, which led to
17 him making the ultimate sacrifice; and be it further
 
18     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
19 presented to the family of Captain Matthew Freeman as an
20 expression of our sympathy.