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TO HONOR EIBA H. BEGEMANN OF SALUDA, WORLD WAR II ARMY VETERAN, FOR HIS FAITHFUL MILITARY SERVICE DURING WORLD WAR II AND TO WISH HIM WELL AS HE RETURNS TO NORMANDY TO COMMEMORATE THE SEVENTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF D-DAY.
Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, on behalf of all South Carolinians, acknowledge with deep appreciation the great sacrifice that the men and women of the United States Armed Forces make for the ideals of freedom and justice, which are so richly enjoyed in this nation; and
Whereas, Saluda's Eiba H. Begemann, World War II Army veteran of D-Day, stands high among those servicemen and women so honored by their country; and
Whereas, at age eighteen, Eiba joined the Army and was assigned to the 16th Infantry Regiment. On June 6, 1944, he went into combat on Omaha Beach. He then fought in Belgium and into Germany. Eiba was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart; and
Whereas, on Monday, June 2, 2014, Eiba H. Begemann and twenty-one other World War II veterans, eighteen of them South Carolina residents, returned to Normandy for the seventieth anniversary of D-Day. Joined by millions of veterans, families, and history enthusiasts from around the world, they will participate in the commemoration of that unforgettable day in history; and
Whereas, more than five million people are expected to flock to the rural beaches of northern France and nearby towns with familiar names: St. Mere Eglise, Saint-Lo, Caen. Among the dignitaries planning to attend the ceremonies are Queen Elizabeth of England and U.S. President Barack Obama; and
Whereas, on June 6, 1944, the D-Day landings occurred on five beaches, Omaha, Utah, Sword, Gold, and Juno, over a fifty-mile stretch of the Normandy coastline. It was the largest seaborne invasion in history. An estimated 2,500 Americans died in Operation Overlord, as the invasion was code-named, and more than 1,900 from the other Allied nations were killed. Three weeks later, more than 850,000 men, 148,000 vehicles, and 570,000 tons of supplies had been delivered across the beaches, forming a historic force that ultimately conquered in the long conflict; and
Whereas, during this seventieth-anniversary visit, Eiba Begemann and his fellow veterans will visit the invasion beaches and the war-torn inland towns, attend the ceremonies, and end with a triumphant visit to Paris. They will be accompanied by a reporter for The State newspaper and a documentary film crew funded by the South Carolina ETV Endowment; and
Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives counts it a great privilege to salute Eiba Begemann and wish him well as he visits the significant sites associated with D-Day during the seventieth-anniversary commemoration of that historic event, and the members with one voice offer their grateful thanks to Almighty God for the service and sacrifice of this heroic son of liberty. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, honor Eiba H. Begemann of Saluda, World War II Army veteran, for his faithful military service during World War II and wish him well as he returns to Normandy to commemorate the seventieth anniversary of D-Day.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be provided to Eiba H. Begemann.
This web page was last updated on June 5, 2014 at 3:16 PM