IN THE COUNTY LEGISLATURE OF JACKSON COUNTY, MISSOURI
Title
A RESOLUTION congratulating McKinley Wooden on his 100th birthday celebration.
Intro
RESOLUTION #10709, March 6, 1995 INTRODUCED BY John C. Graham and Dixie M. Flynn, County Legislators
Body
WHEREAS, McKinley Wooden, a resident of John Knox Village in Lee's Summit, Missouri, turned 100 years old on March 2, 1995; and,
WHEREAS, his parents named him after William McKinley, then governor of Ohio, who one year later became the President of the United States; and,
WHEREAS, at age 10 he began to work on farms and his formal education ended in eighth grade; and,
WHEREAS, in 1917, the United States entered World War I and Mr. Wooden enlisted in Battery D, 129th Field Artillery, 35th Division; and,
WHEREAS, this 200-soldier artillery battery served under Harry S. Truman who appointed Mr. Wooden chief mechanic, caring for the battery's four French 75mm 1897-model field guns; and,
WHEREAS, upon deployment to France, the unit participated in the battles of St. Mihiel and the Meuse-Argonne; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Wooden is the last known living member of Battery D; and,
WHEREAS, a letter dated September 15, 1918 from Capt. Truman to his future wife, Bess, described Mr. Wooden as the "straightest, stiffest soldier" in his unit; and,
WHEREAS, on Saturday, March 4, Mr. Wooden was honored at a party at John Knox Village where he received a Special Recognition Award from the Harry S. Truman Public Service Award Committee; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Wooden recently joined Margaret Truman Daniel and Clark Clifford to videotape a "Biography" installment about President Truman for the Arts and Entertainment cable TV network; therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the County Legislature of Jackson County, Missouri, that the Legislature congratulates McKinley Wooden on the occasion of his 100th birthday.
Attorney Effective Date: This Resolution shall be effective immediately upon its passage by a ma...
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