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91_HR0145
LRB9106344CBcb
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of this Body were saddened to learn
3 of the death of Felix Kirkpatrick, Jr. of Chicago, a World
4 War II veteran and former Tuskegee Airman, on February 28,
5 1999; and
6 WHEREAS, He was born in Fort Worth, Texas, and moved to
7 Chicago; he graduated from Englewood High School in 1933; and
8 WHEREAS, He was one of three African-American students at
9 the Armour Institute of Technology, now the Illinois
10 Institute of Technology, and was trained as an electrical
11 engineer; he entered West Point, but racism at the
12 institution forced him to drop out; and
13 WHEREAS, Returning to Chicago, he became a licensed pilot
14 under the Civilian Pilot Training Program; he entered the
15 Army Air Force in 1942 and trained at Tuskegee Army Airfield
16 in Alabama; he received his wings and later became flight
17 leader of the 302nd Squadron; and
18 WHEREAS, During his military career, he flew 70
19 long-range escort missions and downed one enemy aircraft; he
20 was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and received the
21 Air Medal with Five Oak Leaf Clusters; he retired from the
22 Air Force in 1949, with the rank of major; and
23 WHEREAS, Mr. Kirkpatrick worked as a sales representative
24 for the Pabst Brewing Company and later worked for the City
25 of Chicago as administrator of the Englewood Community
26 Service Center; and
27 WHEREAS, He remained active with the Tuskegee Airmen and
28 was its president in the 1980s; he also was treasurer of the
29 Cronies Club and a member of the Washington Park Toastmasters
30 Club; and
-2- LRB9106344CBcb
1 WHEREAS, His passing will be deeply felt by his family
2 and friends, especially his sons, Felix III and Perry; his
3 daughter, Jewel; and three grandchildren; therefore, be it
4 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
5 NINETY-FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
6 we note with sorrow and regret the death of Felix
7 Kirkpatrick, Jr. and extend our sincere condolences to his
8 family and friends; and be it further
9 RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
10 presented to the family of Felix Kirkpatrick, Jr.