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| 1 | SENATE RESOLUTION
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| 2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to | ||||||
| 3 | learn of the death of
United States Army Sergeant Merle Allen | ||||||
| 4 | Dentino, who was killed in action in Vietnam on June 30, 1970; | ||||||
| 5 | and
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| 6 | WHEREAS, Sgt. Merle Dentino was born on October 15, 1948, | ||||||
| 7 | in Peoria; he was a graduate of Spalding Catholic High School | ||||||
| 8 | and attended the University of Illinois in Champaign before | ||||||
| 9 | joining the United States Army in late 1969; and
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| 10 | WHEREAS, Sgt. Merle Dentino was killed in action on June | ||||||
| 11 | 30, 1970 in Vietnam, following an accidental friendly fire | ||||||
| 12 | incident; that same year, he was promoted posthumously to the | ||||||
| 13 | rank of sergeant; he was also awarded the Air Medal, the Army | ||||||
| 14 | Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the | ||||||
| 15 | Vietnam Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Metal, the Combat | ||||||
| 16 | Infantryman Badge, and the Expert Badge with grenade, rifle, | ||||||
| 17 | and automatic rifle bars prior to his death and was awarded the | ||||||
| 18 | Bronze Star with First Oak Leaf Cluster for heroism and the | ||||||
| 19 | Good Conduct Medal posthumously in 1970; and
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| 20 | WHEREAS, After the Army Review Boards Agency received | ||||||
| 21 | United States Representative Aaron Schock's request in 2011 for | ||||||
| 22 | Sgt. Merle Dentino to receive the Purple Heart, his record was | ||||||
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| 1 | again reviewed; the decision was made to award him the medal on | ||||||
| 2 | April 3, 2012, along with the Army Commendation Medal with V | ||||||
| 3 | Device, the Valorous Unit Award, the Vietnam Service Medal with | ||||||
| 4 | 2 Bronze Service Stars, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross | ||||||
| 5 | with Palm Unit Citation, and the Republic of Vietnam Civil | ||||||
| 6 | Actions Honor Medal First Class Unit Citation; he was | ||||||
| 7 | officially awarded the Purple Heart and his other medals on | ||||||
| 8 | July 6, 2012; and
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| 9 | WHEREAS, Sgt. Merle Dentino was the son of the late James | ||||||
| 10 | and the late Ella (Mucciante) Dentino; the brother of Richard | ||||||
| 11 | Dentino, the late Dr. Ronald Dentino, and Teresa Dentino; the | ||||||
| 12 | brother-in-law of Rosemarie Dentino; the uncle of Maria | ||||||
| 13 | Dentino; the uncle of Kathy Dentino; he also had 3 nieces, | ||||||
| 14 | Michelle Dentino May, Diana, and Lisa, and 2 nephews, Scott | ||||||
| 15 | Dentino and Fred Dentino; therefore, be it
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| 16 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL | ||||||
| 17 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | ||||||
| 18 | United States Army Sergeant Merle Allen Dentino, honor him for | ||||||
| 19 | his great bravery and willingness to serve his country, and | ||||||
| 20 | express our heartfelt appreciation for the sacrifices made by | ||||||
| 21 | Sgt. Dentino and all other service members to keep our nation | ||||||
| 22 | safe; and be it further
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| 23 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
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| 1 | presented to the family of Sgt. Merle Dentino as an expression | ||||||
| 2 | of our sympathy.
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