Title
Special recognition honoring the service and sacrifice of the Servicemembers of World War I.
Body
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
WHEREAS, on June 28, 1914, after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the world became engaged in one of the most violent and severe conflicts in human history; and
WHEREAS, the United States declared war on Germany and its Central Powers allies on April 6, 1917, and Illinois became part of the vast conflict that would mark America's emergence as a global superpower; and
WHEREAS, the United States sent 4,734,991 brave soldiers, sailors, and Marines to Europe, of which 116,516 paid the ultimate sacrifice while fighting for their country; and
WHEREAS, more than 351,000 Illinois men served in the Army, Navy and Marines during World War I, and 5,000 died while deployed on foreign soil; and
WHEREAS, Lake County saw many of its sons, brothers, and fathers travel to Europe to fight in the War and many never returned; and
WHEREAS, World War I ended on November 11, 1918.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RECOGNIZED, by this Lake County Board, that it hereby recognizes the 100th Anniversary as November 11, 2018, in honor of the service members who were deployed to fight in the Great War, and
BE IT FURTHER RECOGNIZED, that the Lake County Board deems Fiscal Year 2019 to be a solemn commemoration of the Centennial of World War I.
DATED, at Waukegan, LAKE COUNTY, ILLINOIS, on February 12, 2019.