State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

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91_HR0187

 
                                               LRB9106479CBcb

 1                          HOUSE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, Russell E. Dunham of  Jerseyville  received  the
 3    Congressional  Medal  of  Honor for his actions when he was a
 4    Technical  Sergeant  with  the  United   States   Army   near
 5    Kayserberg,  France,  on January 8, 1945 during World War II;
 6    and

 7        WHEREAS, T/Sgt. Dunham received the medal for conspicuous
 8    gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of  his  life
 9    and beyond the call of duty; and

10        WHEREAS, T/Sgt. Dunham singlehandedly assaulted 3 machine
11    guns; wearing a white robe made of a mattress cover, carrying
12    12  carbine magazines, and with a dozen hand grenades snagged
13    in his belt, he advanced in the  attack  under  fire  from  2
14    machine  guns  and  supporting riflemen; when he was 10 yards
15    from the gun, he was wounded but he arose and  continued  his
16    one man assault; and

17        WHEREAS,  A  grenade  landed beside him, but he kicked it
18    away and it exploded 5 yards away; he  shot  and  killed  the
19    machine  gunner  and  assistant  gunner;  he hurled grenades,
20    destroying guns and their crews; then  fired  down  into  the
21    supporting   foxholes   with  his  carbine,  dispatching  and
22    dispersing the enemy riflemen; and

23        WHEREAS,  T/Sgt.  Dunham  ended  up  killing  9  Germans,
24    wounding 7, and capturing 2; he fired  about  175  rounds  of
25    carbine ammunition and 11 grenades; and

26        WHEREAS,  T/Sgt.  Dunham's  extraordinary heroism, at the
27    risk of his life are in keeping with the  highest  traditions
28    of the military service; and

29        WHEREAS,  The  State  of Illinois is proud of people like
30    Russell E. Dunham, who risked his life in the service of  his
31    country; therefore, be it
 
                            -2-                LRB9106479CBcb
 1        RESOLVED,   BY   THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES  OF  THE
 2    NINETY-FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,  that
 3    we   congratulate   Russell   E.   Dunham  in  receiving  the
 4    Congressional Medal of Honor; that we  commend  him  for  his
 5    valor  and courage; and that we wish him all the best of luck
 6    in the future; and be it further

 7        RESOLVED, That a suitable  copy  of  this  resolution  be
 8    presented  to  Russell  E.  Dunham  as  an  expression of our
 9    esteem.

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