OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
CITY OF CHICAGO
RAHM EMANUEL
MAYOR
November 18,2015
TO THE HONORABLE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO
Ladies and Gentlemen:
1 transmit herewith, together with Alderman Brookins, a congratulatory resolution concerning Tuskegee Airman John Lyle.
Your favorable consideration of this resolution will be appreciated.
Mayor
Very truly yours,
H resolution
adopted by 7]lf3 (Pitt/ GoUVlCll
ofthe Qity of Qkicago, Illinois
ALDERMAN HOWARD B. BROOKINS
presented by MAYOR RAHM EMANUEL Qn NOVEMBER 18, 2015
GY6QS' Today, we honor a great and distinguished man, paying tribute to Mr. John Lyle as he celebrates his ninety-fifth birthday. It is a profound privilege to share our sentiments regarding Mr. Lyle's incredibly fulfilling life and the great sacrifices he has made; and
WHEREAS, Scripture teaches "that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord." Mr. Lyle's steps surely reveal the divine order. A decorated veteran of World War II, he served as a member of the elite group of black fighter pilots dubbed the Tuskegee Airmen, after their training ground at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama; and
WHEREAS, As one of Tuskegee's revered "Red-Tails," Mr. Lyle fought courageously under the particularly difficult circumstances of the racially charged period from 1943 to 1945, piloting 26 combat missions out of Italy's Ramitelli Airfield, and shooting down a German Messerschmitt on March 31, 1945; and
WHEREAS, History records the Tuskegee Airmen as one of the most successful fighter squadrons America has ever produced. In 2007, Mr. Lyle and his fellow fighters received the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor bestowed by Congress; and
WHEREAS, After leaving the military, Mr. Lyle continued to serve the public as a police officer for the Chicago Park District, and then transitioned to a successful career in business; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Lyle is a self-taught sailor, who, at the age of 95, still wins Wednesday night club races - on occasion single-handedly, with no crew. "Captain Jack" holds a United States Coast Guard Six-Pack Captains License, he has studied navigation in local waters and Celestial Navigation at Adler Planetarium, and he was named the Chicago Yachting Association's "Yachtsperson of the Year" in 2011; and
WHEREAS, In addition to being an expert sailor and pilot, Mr. Lyle is a master chess player, an avid reader, and a contemporary philosopher; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, assembled this eighteenth day of November, 2015, applaud Mr. John Lyle's amazing accomplishments and wish him a very Happy Birthday; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be prepared and presented to Mr. Lyle and his loving family as a token of our respect and admiration.
