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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois General Assembly stand
3united in our strong support of all military personnel who have
4served and call on all Illinoisans to show support to all those
5who wear the uniform; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Forty-two years ago, World War II veteran Jesse
7Crow watched as soldiers returned to DeSoto from tours of duty
8in Vietnam; Mr. Crow fought in Europe as a member of the United
9States Army's 101st Airborne Division; and
 
10    WHEREAS, It is believed by many veterans that after World
11War II, other wars are ignored or forgotten; Jesse Crow
12observed and recognized this and dedicated his time to making
13sure that none of DeSoto's veterans are ever forgotten; and
 
14    WHEREAS, In 2001, Jesse Crow began planning to build a
15memorial in the community; the memorial was built almost
16entirely with private donations; Mr. Crow designed the 6
171/2-foot tall black granite monument, which sits on a
18triangular island of land bordered by Illinois Route 149 and
19Pine and Lincoln Streets; and
 
20    WHEREAS, The monument is engraved with the emblems of all
21the branches of the military and is flanked by matching black

 

 

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1granite benches; it bears the names of all DeSoto's past and
2future veterans, regardless of whether they served in a time of
3war or peace; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Jesse Crow stated, "It is one thing to read
5history in the pages of a book, but when you see a monument
6carved in stone, it's forever"; and
 
7    WHEREAS, It is important that we urge communities across
8the State to consider appropriate expressions of support and
9recognition for veterans living in their midst; therefore, be
10it
 
11    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
12NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
13SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we designate the portion of
14Illinois Route 149 East from U.S. Route 51 to the Jackson
15County Line as the "Veterans Memorial Highway"; and be it
16further
 
17    RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Transportation
18is requested to erect at suitable locations, consistent with
19State and federal regulations, appropriate plaques or signs
20giving notice of the name of the "Veterans Memorial Highway";
21and be it further
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
2presented to the Village of DeSoto.