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91_HR0300
LRB9106584CBcbC
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, Felix J. Kirkpatrick, Jr., of Chicago died on
3 February 28, 1999 at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn due to
4 injuries received in an automobile accident; and
5 WHEREAS, He was born in Fort Worth, Texas, on July 18,
6 1915, the son of Felix and Maudell Kirkpatrick; he moved to
7 Chicago with his family at an early age; and
8 WHEREAS, He graduated from Englewood High School and
9 enrolled at the Armour Institute of Technology, where he was
10 one of only three African-American students, to receive
11 training in electrical engineering; he entered West Point
12 Academy and always ranked in the upper third of his class; he
13 left the Academy when his sponsor left office; and
14 WHEREAS, He returned to Chicago where he became
15 interested in flying; he was licensed as a pilot under the
16 Civilian Pilot Training Program and worked as an airway
17 traffic controller for the Civil Aeronautics Authority; and
18 WHEREAS, He entered the United States Army Air Corps and
19 trained at Tuskegee Army Air Field in Tuskegee, Alabama; he
20 was a flight leader of the 302nd fighter squadron; during his
21 military career, he flew 70 long range escort missions and
22 was credited with downing one enemy aircraft; he was awarded
23 the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters and the
24 Distinguished Flying Cross; after the war, he remained in
25 service, first as a Flight Leader at Godman Field, Kentucky
26 and later as Assistant Base Operations Officer at Lockbourne
27 Air Force Base, Columbus, Ohio; he retired from the Air Force
28 in 1949, with the rank of Major; and
29 WHEREAS, He went on to become a sales representative with
30 Pabst Brewing Company in Saint Louis and later the director
31 of veterans programs for the Chicago Department of Human
-2- LRB9106584CBcbC
1 Resources, retiring in 1987; and
2 WHEREAS, He was past president of the Chicago chapter of
3 the Tuskegee Airmen and spoke to school children in the
4 Chicago area, Minnesota, and Virginia about his experiences
5 in World War II; and
6 WHEREAS, Survivors include his sons, Felix III and Perry;
7 his daughter, Jewel; and three grandchildren; and
8 WHEREAS, He will be inducted into the Illinois Aviation
9 Hall of Fame on Saturday, May 15, 1999, at Frasca Field in
10 Champaign, Illinois; therefore, be it
11 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
12 NINETY-FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
13 we join in paying tribute to Felix J. Kirkpatrick, Jr., as he
14 is inducted into the Illinois Aviation Hall of Fame and offer
15 our sincere appreciation for his outstanding service to
16 aviation; and be it further
17 RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
18 presented to his family.