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2015 SESSION

15105010D
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 858
Offered February 18, 2015
Celebrating the life of Glenwood Elmo Hankins.
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Patrons-- Marshall, D.W., Adams and Poindexter; Senator: Stanley
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WHEREAS, Glenwood Elmo Hankins, a respected World War II veteran and an active member of the Martinsville community who honored the service and sacrifice of his fellow veterans, died on February 7, 2015; and

WHEREAS, a native of Pittsylvania County, Glenwood Hankins graduated from Martinsville High School in 1940 and enlisted in the Virginia National Guard in 1941; he was assigned to Company H, 116th Infantry Regiment of the 29th Infantry Division; and

WHEREAS, joining many of the other young men of his generation in service to his country during World War II, Glenwood Hankins deployed to England for advanced training; he attained the rank of staff sergeant and was placed in command of two 81mm mortar squads; and

WHEREAS, on June 6, 1944, Glenwood Hankins participated in the D-Day invasion of Normandy, France, a turning point of the war and one of the defining moments of the 20th century; he participated in several other campaigns in Europe, earning a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart; and

WHEREAS, after the war, Glenwood Hankins returned to Martinsville and served the community as a postal worker for many years; he married the love of his life, Bernice, in 1949, and the couple proudly raised three children; and

WHEREAS, Glenwood Hankins was one of the last surviving D-Day veterans in the Martinsville area, and he had served as the national commander of the 29th Infantry Division during remembrance ceremonies for the D-Day invasion in 2004; he had also attended anniversary ceremonies in France and received the Legion of Honor from France in 2009; and

WHEREAS, Glenwood Hankins will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his wife of 65 years, Bernice; children, Susan, Jane, and Alan, and their families; and numerous other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of Glenwood Elmo Hankins, a decorated veteran who honored the service and sacrifice of his fellow soldiers and was a respected member of the Martinsville community; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Glenwood Elmo Hankins as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for his memory.