Full Text of HR0564 101st General Assembly
HR0564 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | 3 | | Representatives wish to congratulate retired U.S. Air Force | 4 | | Master Sgt. Edwin Eugene "Gene" Neeley on being awarded the
| 5 | | French Legion of Honor, the highest award bestowed by the | 6 | | French government, on September 27,
2019 for his role in | 7 | | liberating France during World War II; and
| 8 | | WHEREAS, Gene Neeley was raised in Mackinaw and pumped gas | 9 | | before being drafted into the
United States Armed Forces after | 10 | | the bombing of Pearl Harbor; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, Gene Neeley began his service in 1943 as a member | 12 | | of the 5th
Army, 2nd Replacement Depot; he took part in the | 13 | | Naples-Foggia, Rome-Amo, Southern
France, Rhineland, and | 14 | | Central Europe Campaigns; and
| 15 | | WHEREAS, In addition to the Legion of Honor, Gene Neeley | 16 | | has received the European-African Middle
Eastern Campaign | 17 | | Ribbon with one Silver Battle Star, four Overseas Service Bars, | 18 | | the Good
Conduct Medal, and the WWII Victory Medal; and | 19 | | WHEREAS, After ending his service in the Army Air Corps in | 20 | | late 1945, Gene Neeley returned to
Mackinaw; in 1946, he helped | 21 | | found the Illinois Air National Guard's 169th Fighter
Squadron, |
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| 1 | | which was called up three times and is now known as the 182nd | 2 | | Airlift Wing; and | 3 | | WHEREAS, Gene Neeley rose to the rank of master sergeant in | 4 | | the Air National Guard; he retired
from the Air Force in 1962 | 5 | | with full benefits and remained in the reserve until 1984; and | 6 | | WHEREAS, Since 2013, Gene Neeley has been actively involved | 7 | | with the Greater Peoria Honor
Flight, which seeks to honor all | 8 | | United States veterans with a free flight to Washington, D.C. | 9 | | to
see war memorials and other attractions; and
| 10 | | WHEREAS, Gene Neeley was happily married for 66 years to | 11 | | Mary Cooper of Tremont prior to
her death in 2012, and they | 12 | | raised one daughter together; therefore, be it
| 13 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | 14 | | HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 15 | | we congratulate retired U.S. Air
Force Master Sgt. Edwin Eugene | 16 | | "Gene" Neeley on being awarded the French Legion of Honor
and | 17 | | for his many years of service to both the United States and to | 18 | | other veterans; and be it further
| 19 | | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | 20 | | presented to Gene Neeley and the Illinois
Air National Guard.
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