HR1354 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1354 LRB094 20844 HSS 59166 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives have learned of the retirement of John K. Thomson of Princeton, Illinois, a boiler house operator and valuable and dedicated employee of the PolyOne Corporation, Specialty Resins Group, after nearly 40 years of service; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Thomson was born in Princeton, Illinois, on June 30, 1944, to John Howard and Lucille Ethel Thomson; he is the brother of Shirley Anne Olin; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Thomson attended Princeton High School and enlisted in the United States Navy on July 28, 1962; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Thomson served his country bravely aboard the USS Independence; in the fall of 1962, the Independence and her sailors participated in the United States naval blockade of Cuba in what is known as the "Cuban Missile Crisis", a major confrontation between the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) over Soviet-supplied missile installations in Cuba, regarded by many as the world's closest approach to total nuclear war; he later served with the Independence in the South China Sea during the Vietnam War; and

WHEREAS, The Independence and her embarked Air Wing 7 received the award of the Navy Unit Commendation for exceptionally meritorious service from June 5 to November 21, 1965; they participated in the first major series of coordinated strikes against vital enemy supply lines north of the Hanoi-Haiphong complex, their aircraft successfully evading the first massive surface-to-air missile barrage in aviation history while hitting assigned targets, and executing, with daring and precision, the first successful attack on an enemy surface-to-air missile installation; the carrier launched more than 7,000 sorties in sustaining an exceptional pace of day and night strike operations against military and logistic supply facilities in North Vietnam; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Thomson was honorably discharged from the United States Navy in August of 1966; he married Carol Ann Walsh on May 7, 1966; he is the father of Paula Ann Lough, James Patrick Thomson, and Michael Shawn Thomson, and the grandfather of Trevor James Thomson, Lauren Elizabeth Thomson, Ellie McKeefery Thomson, Nicholas Hunter Lough, Matthew John Thomson, and Nathan Forrester Lough; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Thomson married Sandra Lynn Hoover on September 11, 1987; they enjoy traveling, home improvement projects, spending time with their many children and grandchildren, and the company of their dog, Max; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Thomson is a railroad enthusiast; his father, John Howard Thomson, worked for many years for the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad as a telegraph operator, and his grandfather, Abraham Lincoln Thomson, also worked as a railroad telegraph operator and was awarded a gold watch from the St. Paul and Duluth Railroad for heroic action taken to save hundreds of lives during a tragic brush fire south of Hinckley, Minnesota, on September 1, 1894; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Thomson is an avid reader, student of current affairs, and a man of many hobbies, including internet research, beer and wine making, ham radio, and gardening; and

WHEREAS, His close friends and family members are justifiably proud of his many accomplishments, service to his country, and personal integrity; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate John K. Thomson on his retirement; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Mr. Thomson as an expression of our extreme respect and esteem.