RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Henry J. "Hank" Rutkowski, Sr., a widely admired member of the Archer Heights community, will celebrate the joyful occasion of his 90th Birthday on November 2, 2015; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of this event by Alderman Edward M. Burke; and
WHEREAS, A member of our nation's "Greatest Generation," Henry J. "Hank" Rutkowski, Sr., is a decorated of World War II hero and a former prisoner of war; and
WHEREAS, On December 6, 2014, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Alderman Edward M. Burke dedicated a street sign in honor of Henry J. "Hank" Rutkowski, Sr., outside St. Bruno's Church, where he is an usher; and
WHEREAS, The ceremony was held to commemorate the 70th anniversary of when Henry J. "Hank" Rutkowski, Sr., and his crew were forced to bail out of their B-17 Flying Fortress over Holland when the plane was shot down during a bombing mission; and
WHEREAS, Henry J. "Hank" Rutkowski, Sr., was captured by German soldiers and spent the remainder of the war as a prisoner in Barth, Germany; and
WHEREAS, Following the war, Henry J. "Hank" Rutkowski, Sr., married the former Vikki Yanukenas, who passed away in 1987; and
WHEREAS, During their long and fruitful marriage, the couple were blessed with three children, Henry, Jr., Chriss and Rick; and
WHEREAS, The much-respected patriarch of his family, Henry J. "Hank" Rutkowski, Sr., is the grandfather of eight, the great-grandfather of sixteen and the great-great grandfather of one; and
WHEREAS, Prior to his retirement in 1993, Henry J. "Hank" Rutkowski, Sr., worked for forty years for Schulze & Birch located at 1133 West 35th Street; and
WHEREAS, Each year, without fail, Henry J. "Hank" Rutkowski, Sr., has attended Mass to pay tribute to the memory of the brave and valiant crew of his plane, the Blanco Diablo; and
WHEREAS, Henry J. "Hank" Rutkowski, Sr., is a valued member of Ted Stempien VFW Post on Archer Avenue and is a supporter of the Wounded Warrior Project; and
WHEREAS, A ...
Click here for full text