SLS 17RS-86 ORIGINAL
2017 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 90
BY SENATOR PERRY
CONDOLENCES. Expresses the condolences of the Louisiana Senate upon the death of
U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant Austin Dallie Bennett.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To extend the sincere condolences of the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana to the family
3 of United States Air Force Master Sergeant Austin Dallie Bennett upon his death
4 while in the service of his country.
5 WHEREAS, Master Sergeant Bennett was a resident of Roseland, Louisiana, when
6 he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force at the conclusion of World War II and began a
7 distinguished military career; and
8 WHEREAS, MSG. Bennett held high level positions and his many responsibilities
9 took him around the world where he learned much of the unique cultures and people that
10 were very different from the rural farms and people of Tangipahoa Parish; and
11 WHEREAS, MSG. Bennett trained hard and mastered the duties and responsibilities
12 of the missile command that was part of the highly technical, newest branch of the armed
13 forces; and
14 WHEREAS, he assumed the duties of a senior noncommissioned officer with the
15 390th Missile Maintenance Squadron of the Strategic Air Command, at Davis-Mothan Air
16 Force Base located near Tucson, Arizona; and
17 WHEREAS, MSG. Bennett, used the air base as a center for control of operations
18 to maintain a new fleet of missiles that would ensure the safety of the United States and the
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SLS 17RS-86 ORIGINAL
1 rest of the free world; and
2 WHEREAS, it was in pursuit of completing this mission that MSG. Bennett was
3 flying out of McChord Air Force Base in Washington State on June 3, 1963, to work on the
4 extensive and growing missile system at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska, when fate
5 entered his life; and
6 WHEREAS, MSG. Bennett and one hundred other passengers onboard the DC-7
7 aircraft went down over the Gulf of Alaska approximately sixty miles northwest of Queen
8 Charlotte Islands and no remains were ever recovered; and
9 WHEREAS, MSG. Bennett left behind a wife, Marian, and five small children,
10 Charles, Barbara, Carol, Donald, and Steven, to remember him, mourn him, and suffer his
11 absence; and
12 WHEREAS, MSG. Bennett's awards and decorations included the Army
13 Commendation Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal 4th Award, the Air Force Longevity
14 Service Award Ribbon 2nd Award, the World War II Victory Medal, the National Defense
15 Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal with two Bronze Service Stars, the United Nations
16 Service Medal, and the Presidential Unit Citation of the Republic of Korea and the World
17 War II Honorable Service Lapel Button.
18 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
19 does hereby extend its deepest condolences to the family of U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant
20 Austin D. Bennett for their loss and his sacrifice during the two wars he fought on behalf of
21 his country.
22 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
23 family of U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant Austin D. Bennett.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Heyward Jeffers.
DIGEST
SR 90 Original 2017 Regular Session Perry
Expresses condolences upon the death of U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant Austin D. Bennett.
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