CORRECTED   Feb 28 2018

REFERENCE TITLE: military service; honoring Bruce Williams

State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-third Legislature Second Regular Session 2018

HCR 2040

Introduced by Representatives Descheenie: Alston, Andrade, Benally, Blanc, Bolding, Bowers, Campbell, Cardenas, Carter, Chávez, Clark, Engel, Espinoza, Fernandez, Friese, Gabaldón, Gonzales, Grantham, Hernandez, John, Lawrence, Leach, Livingston, Martinez, Mitchell, Nutt, Payne, Peten, Powers Hannley, Rios, Rivero, Saldate, Salman, Toma, Townsend, Udall, Ugenti-Rita, Senator Peshlakai

 

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 

honoring bruce williams of Diné nation for his military service during world war II.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 

Whereas, Bruce Williams of Diné Nation bravely served this nation through his military service from 1942 to 1945.  His maternal clan is Tsédeeshgizhnii (RockGap) born to the Tódích'íi'nii (Bitter Water) and his maternal grandparents are Tsédeeshgizhni (RockGap) and his paternal grandparents are Ashiihi (Salt Clan); and

Whereas, Bruce's military service began in the Pacific Theater at the Aleutian Islands, where he served in 1942 and 1943 against the Imperial Japanese forces; and

Whereas, following the Pacific confrontation, Bruce Williams volunteered with the European Theater beginning in 1943 under General George S. Patton.  Starting in France, Bruce proceeded to serve in Belgium, in Luxembourg and throughout Germany until the end of the war in 1945; and

Whereas, as a combat soldier, Bruce sustained permanent shrapnel wounds that went unreported due to a fire that housed military records at the archives in St. Louis, Missouri, and as a result he never received his Purple Heart; and

Whereas, Bruce Williams returned from his military service on September 27, 1945; and

Whereas, now 97 years old, Bruce is known as a traditional healer and practitioner across the Navajo Nation and beyond.  He is bilingual and teaches to promote a healthy lifestyle; and

Whereas, Bruce and his late wife, Emily (Diné), lived in Tuba City, Arizona and had 10 children, two of whom are deceased, 14 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and eight great, great-grandchildren.

Therefore

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring:

That the Members of the Legislature recognize Bruce Williams of Diné Nation for his honorable service to the United States armed forces during World War II and his continued healing services to the Navajo Nation.