Bill Text: IL HR0508 | 2009-2010 | 96th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Congratulates Ira Weinstein of Glencoe on the occasion of his 90th birthday.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2009-06-30 - Resolution Adopted [HR0508 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2009-HR0508-Introduced.html

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HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
Representatives are pleased to congratulate Ira Weinstein of
Glencoe on the occasion of his 90th birthday on June 10, 2009;
and
WHEREAS, Ira Weinstein was born in 1919 in Chicago; during
high school, his talent for print communication found
expression in the school newspaper; and
WHEREAS, After high school, Ira Weinstein began a promising
career in advertising at Goldblatt's department stores, a
career which was interrupted by America's entry into World War
II; he signed up for officer's school and trained in Texas and
Colorado to become an officer in the Army Air Corps, rising to
the rank of Lieutenant Colonel; just before completing his
training as a bombardier-navigator and transferring to
overseas duty in 1942, he married Norma Randall, beginning a
wonderful marriage that would last until her passing in 1995;
and
WHEREAS, After his training, Ira Weinstein joined the 702nd
Squadron of the 445th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force out of
Tibbenham, England; he took part in 2 dozen missions as a pilot
of a B-24 Liberator; in trying to close out his quota of

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missions in order to go home to his new bride, he traded his
pass for the Jewish High Holidays and took part in one last
mission; unfortunately, his last mission was the ill-fated
Kassel mission on September 27, 1944, known as the greatest
single loss of men and material in the European air war; left
without fighter cover, Mr. Weinstein's plane was shot down;
after successfully escaping from the plane, he evaded Gestapo
search patrols for 6 days until his hunger and fatigue overtook
him and he gave himself up at a nearby town; and
WHEREAS, Following his capture, Ira Weinstein was held in
Stalag Luft I in Barth, Germany, enduring difficult conditions
as winter set in and his captors provided less and less food
and shelter to their captives; he remained there until the
camp's liberation on May 11, 1945; for his heroism during the
war, he was awarded the Purple Heart, the Air Medal, the POW
Medal, a Presidential Citation, the American Campaign and
European Campaign Medals, the WWII Victory Medal, and the
French Croix de Guerre; and
WHEREAS, After the war, Ira Weinstein returned to Chicago
and took over a small advertising firm, growing Schram
Advertising Co. into a nationally known direct marketing firm;
he soon moved to Glencoe to raise his daughters, Laura and
Terri; after his retirement, he married Mary Gandleman; and

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WHEREAS, Ira Weinstein is well known in his community as an
expert gardener; his greenhouse has been a neighborhood
landmark with blooms surpassed only by the nearby Botanical
Gardens; and
WHEREAS, Ira Weinstein has been active with numerous
community organizations; he was a founding member of
Congregation Solel; he has been a benefactor and supporter of
the Women's American ORT and a contributor toward the building
of the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C.; he has also been
active with the 8th Air Force Historical Society and has been
active in the building of the Kassel Mission Memorial project;
and
WHEREAS, Ira Weinstein has served as a model of hard work,
integrity, and dedication for the people of the State of
Illinois; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
congratulate Ira Weinstein on the occasion of his 90th birthday
and wish him many happy and healthy years to come; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
presented to Ira Weinstein as a symbol of our esteem and

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respect.