RESOLUTION CONGRATULATING MARGARET BERNAL
WHEREAS, Margaret Bernal participated in the 99th Honor Flight Chicago on October 27, 2021 for her service in World War II; and
WHEREAS, The Honorable Marty Quinn, Alderman ofthe 13th Ward, has apprised the members of the chamber of this remarkable woman's auspicious event; and
WHEREAS, Margaret Thomas grew up at 42nd & St. Louis in the Brighton Park Neighborhood of Chicago, the middle of five sisters. After high school, she began working at American Can Company. All this time, she had been looking for a change. At the end of 1944, Army recruiters were on a busy street corner near her job and young Marge filled out the application. The recruiters told her "the Army needs women to work in factories." A few days later, she was on a train headed to Ohio for Basic Training; and
WHEREAS, Marge found out that Basic Training meant tight quarters - sharing wooden barracks with thirteen other girls, only a footlocker for all personal belongings, 5am wake-up calls, and eating everything on your plate. She learned to march, and climb over hurdles and walls. She developed many close friendships with the other girls in her unit; and
WHEREAS, After Basic Training, Marge was headed to Boiling Field in Washington D.C. She was a messenger clerk collecting important envelopes that had to be delivered to senior officers at the Capitol or the Pentagon. Boiling Field was a training field for pilots and Marge made many friends. She worked part-time in the Officers Club and would often get a coveted ride home from pilots going to Midway; she would sometimes have to sit on a barrel, lie on the floor or in a gun turret; and
WHEREAS, Marge's attention to detail got her a supervisor positon in the mailroom. She was eventually promoted to Sergeant and awarded a Good Conduct Medal; and
WHEREAS, Fate intervened one day when Marge looked in on a sick friend, Phil Bernal. Unbeknownst to Marge, Phil was also from Chicago; he came from 48th & Marshfield in the Back ofthe Yards Neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, On September 2, 1945 the announcement came over the radio that World War II had ended. Marge completed her tour of duty and did so without any regrets because she loved her time in the Army. She did not re-enlist because she missed her sisters and decided to go home; and
WHEREAS, Back in Chicago, Marge opted for the G.I. Bill and enrolled in millinery school to learn to make women's hats. Marge did not count on her lasting friendship with Phil Bermal. He kept asking her out and eventually proposed. Marge happily accepted; and
WHEREAS, Phil and Marge were married in 1949 at St. Agnes Church surrounded by family and friends. Together, they had four children: Phillip, Roy, Daniel and Mary Ann. They made their home in the West Lawn Neighborhood and St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish; and
WHEREAS, After her children were grown, Marge worked at a credit union. Remembering her own time in the service, she volunteered at the USO at Midway Airport. Marge now has seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren; now therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and members of the City of Chicago City Council, gathered together this seventeenth Day of November, 2021, do hereby honor Mrs. Margaret Bernal for her service in the United States Army during World War II and extend our very best wishes.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Margaret Bernal.
Alderman, 13th Ward