Full Text of HR0487 101st General Assembly
HR0487 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, Lt. Col. Iceal "Gene" Hambleton, a Rossville | 3 | | native and 1936 graduate of Wenona High School, served his | 4 | | country in the U.S. Air Force for 30 years; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Lt. Col. Hambleton served in both World War II and | 6 | | the Korean War but is best known for his 12-day struggle to | 7 | | avoid capture by the North Vietnamese in 1972 after his | 8 | | reconnaissance plane was shot down north of the DMZ; and
| 9 | | WHEREAS, The effort to rescue Lt. Col. Hambleton, who had | 10 | | been injured during the bailout from his stricken plane, was | 11 | | chronicled in a book and later a movie, BAT 21, in which he was | 12 | | portrayed by Gene Hackman; and | 13 | | WHEREAS, Knowing his communications were being monitored | 14 | | by the North Vietnamese, Lt. Col. Hambleton, who was an avid | 15 | | golfer, used references to golf courses in the U.S. to | 16 | | communicate with those who were attempting to rescue him and to | 17 | | keep his pursuers confused; and
| 18 | | WHEREAS, Lt. Col. Hambleton retired from the military in | 19 | | 1973 and spent his retirement in Tucson, Arizona, close to a | 20 | | golf course, a sport which literally saved his life; and
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, Lt. Col. Hambleton was awarded the Silver Star, | 2 | | the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, the Meritorious | 3 | | Service Medal, and the Purple Heart; he passed away on | 4 | | September 19, 2004; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, 1st South Street in the City of Wenona is named in | 6 | | his honor as "I.E. 'Gene' Hambleton Street"; therefore, be it
| 7 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | 8 | | HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 9 | | we recognize the life and service of Lt. Col. Iceal "Gene" | 10 | | Hambleton; and be it further
| 11 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 12 | | presented to the family of Lt. Col. Hambleton as a symbol of | 13 | | our respect and esteem.
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