| 12 | | - | Whereas, Wally Mattison, whose illustrious service on behalf of his nation and |
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| 13 | | - | hometown is highly noteworthy, and he is greatly admired in Bennington, and |
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| 14 | | - | Whereas, he was born on September 5, 1924 in Bennington, growing up in a large |
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| 15 | | - | family with seven siblings, and |
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| 16 | | - | Whereas, in 1943, during the height of World War II, teenager Wally Mattison was |
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| 17 | | - | inducted into the U.S. Army, and |
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| 18 | | - | Whereas, in March 1944, upon completion of light machine-gunner training, he was |
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| 19 | | - | deployed to the European Theater of Operations and assigned to the 29th Infantry |
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| 20 | | - | Division, landing in France shortly after D-Day and serving as a frontline participant in |
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| 21 | | - | the Normandy Campaign, and |
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| 22 | | - | Whereas, on September 12, 1944, Wally Mattison sustained a bullet wound to his |
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| 23 | | - | lower back and was awarded both a Purple Heart and later the French Medal of Honor— |
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| 24 | | - | that nation’s highest civil and military decoration, and |
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| 25 | | - | Whereas, near the conclusion of hostilities in Europe, he served in Germany, behind |
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| 26 | | - | enemy lines, and was assigned the duty of checking houses for weapons and soldiers, and |
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| 27 | | - | Whereas, following his honorable military discharge, Wally Mattison returned home |
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| 28 | | - | to Bennington, embarking on a distinguished 40-year career as a member of the |
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| 29 | | - | Bennington Police Department, rising to the rank of captain, and retiring as the |
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| 30 | | - | department’s much respected acting chief, and |
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| 31 | | - | Whereas, in September 2024, a festive celebration, including his children, |
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| 32 | | - | grandchildren, and great-grandchildren; co-workers; and many friends, was held at the |
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| 33 | | - | Bennington Elks Club on the occasion of his 100th birthday, and |
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| 34 | | - | Whereas, at the event, the Bennington Sheriff announced the establishment of an |
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| 35 | | - | annual $1,000 scholarship in Wally Mattison’s honor to be awarded to a deserving |
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| 36 | | - | recipient aspiring to a law enforcement career, now therefore be it |
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| 10 | + | HouseconcurrentresolutioncongratulatingformerBenningtonActingPoliceChiefWallyMattisononhiscentennial |
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| 11 | + | birthday |
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| 12 | + | Whereas,WallyMattison,whoseillustriousserviceonbehalfofhisnationandhometownishighlynoteworthy,and |
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| 13 | + | heisgreatlyadmiredinBennington,and |
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| 14 | + | Whereas,hewasbornonSeptember5,1924inBennington,growingupinalargefamilywithsevensiblings, and |
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| 15 | + | Whereas,in1943,duringtheheightofWorldWarII,teenagerWallyMattisonwasinductedintotheU.S.Army, and |
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| 16 | + | Whereas,inMarch1944,uponcompletionoflightmachine-gunnertraining,hewasdeployedtotheEuropeanTheater |
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| 17 | + | ofOperationsandassignedtothe29thInfantryDivision,landinginFranceshortlyafterD-Dayandservingasafrontline |
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| 18 | + | participantintheNormandyCampaign, and |
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| 19 | + | Whereas,onSeptember12,1944,WallyMattisonsustainedabulletwoundtohislowerbackandwasawardedbotha |
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| 20 | + | PurpleHeartandlatertheFrenchMedalofHonor—thatnation’shighestcivilandmilitarydecoration, and |
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| 21 | + | Whereas,neartheconclusionofhostilitiesinEurope,heservedinGermany,behindenemylines,andwasassigned |
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| 22 | + | thedutyofcheckinghousesforweaponsandsoldiers, and |
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| 23 | + | Whereas,followinghishonorablemilitarydischarge,WallyMattisonreturnedhometoBennington,embarkingona |
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| 24 | + | distinguished40-yearcareerasamemberoftheBenningtonPoliceDepartment,risingtotherankofcaptain,andretiring |
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| 25 | + | asthedepartment’smuchrespectedactingchief, and |
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| 26 | + | Whereas,inSeptember2024,afestivecelebration,includinghischildren,grandchildren,andgreat-grandchildren;co- |
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| 27 | + | workers;andmanyfriends,washeldattheBenningtonElksClubontheoccasionofhis100thbirthday,and |
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| 28 | + | Whereas,attheevent,theBenningtonSheriffannouncedtheestablishmentofanannual$1,000scholarshipinWally |
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| 29 | + | Mattison’shonortobeawardedtoadeservingrecipientaspiringtoalawenforcementcareer,now therefore be it |
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