Senate Concurrent Resolution 593

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE SERVICE AND LEGACY OF WORLD WAR II VETERAN HENRY "HOWARD" BENNETT OF SUMRALL, MISSISSIPPI, AND EXTENDING THE CONGRATULATIONS OF THE LEGISLATURE FOR HIS AWARD BY THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT OF THE MEDAL OF A LIBERATED FRANCE, THE LEGION OF HONOUR, FRANCE'S HIGHEST DEGREE OF MERIT, AND FOR HIS UPCOMING KNIGHTHOOD BY PRESIDENT MACRON OF FRANCE, AND EXTEND BEST WISHES ON HIS 100TH BIRTHDAY.

WHEREAS, World War II Veteran Henry "Howard" Bennett of Sumrall was awarded the Medal of a Liberated France at the State Veterans Home in Collins, Mississippi, on October 7th, 2021, presented on behalf of the French government. This medal is awarded to French, foreign nationals, and soldiers of allied armies who served and made a notable contribution to the liberation of France from the German occupation during World War II; and

WHEREAS, Bennett also received an American flag from Mississippi Veterans Affairs which flew over the State Capitol in his honor, awards from American Legion Post 90 in Columbia, of which Bennett is a member, and a new Military Challenge Coin designed to honor Mississippi service members from Congressman Steven Palazzo; and

WHEREAS, Bennett has previously been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, an Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Good Conduct Medal; and

WHEREAS, Bennett will be awarded the Legion of Honour, France's highest degree of merit, in the coming weeks; and

WHEREAS, Bennett will be knighted and receive a Certificate of Knighthood, signed by Emmanuel Macron, President of France; and

WHEREAS, we join the citizens of Lamar and Covington Counties in celebrating the service and legacy of a local World War II Hero and his upcoming 100th Birthday on December 22, 2022; and

WHEREAS, we applaud the sentiments of Keltoum Rowland, France's Honorary Consul to Mississippi, who stated: "I wanted to express my gratitude to Mr. Henry Howard Bennett. He is a hero. These men are our heroes, and France will never forget"; and

WHEREAS, we appreciate Congressman Steven Palazzo's statements while awarding the Medal of a Liberated France to Bennett when he proclaimed, "When we look back and we see all the things that we have...we owe it to one generation. You left everything – your farms, left your family – and you went over there and fought. And to be a nose gunner in a B-24 Liberator? Look, this isn't a ride at Walt Disney, this is the real deal....You got a front-row seat there, and to do that for 30 missions?"; and

WHEREAS, Henry Howard Bennett joined the-then Army Air Corps, the predecessor to the Air Force, at the age of 20, signing up to fight the evils of tyranny during World War II. During his time as a soldier, Bennett was initially trained to be an aircraft engine mechanic before serving as a staff sergeant and nose gunner on a B-24 Liberator bomber, one of the most dangerous and vulnerable positions during battle, given its position at the very front tip of the aircraft. Regarding his position, Bennett jokingly likes to point out that he was always the first to see the action and the first to get out of it; and

WHEREAS, Bennett was part of several battles and campaigns while participating in 30 missions over Europe during his military career from 1943-1945, with perhaps none more memorable than his mission on June 6, 1944, when his B-24 bomber flew low over Omaha Beach during the invasion of Normandy on D-Day. Bennett says that D-Day etched horrible scenes in his memory which he will never forget. Despite the accolades he has received after going from being raised as one of 16 children on his family's farm near Sumrall, to fighting in World War II to liberate Europe, Bennett maintains that he was simply doing his duty. While recalling his time as a nose gunner, Bennett spoke of one mission over Berlin when his plane took a direct hit during a "barrage of anti-aircraft fire," that "sounded like hail on a tin roof." After his plane was hit, it rolled over and plunged "like a rock" before the crew was able to recover the plane, "at treetop level." Bennett said, "By the hand of God, he wasn't ready for me yet"; and

WHEREAS, Bennett's daughter, Sue Long, said at his ceremony receiving the Medal of a Liberated France, "It's a huge honor. We've always been very proud of him"; and

WHEREAS, Bennett's legacy of service to his state and country, along with that of his brother, William Albert "Dee" Bennett, who also bravely served his country in the United States Army during World War II, helped inspire future generations of his family to serve their country, including two nephews: Larry Bennett who served in the United States Army, and Timothy Bennett, who volunteered for service in the United States Marine Corps. Two nephews followed their uncles' lead in serving their country during wartime by both serving during the Vietnam War Era, and a third nephew, Wesley "Laverne" Bass, Jr., served 20 years in the United States Army; and

WHEREAS, Bennett married Gaye Stevens on November 5, 1943, shortly before his deployment to Europe. He was able to return home safely from the war to his wife with whom he has celebrated 74 years of marriage; and

WHEREAS, we thank Henry Howard Bennett and his family, including four children, 11 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, three great-great-grandchildren, and one surviving brother, Rennie Bennett, for his service; and

WHEREAS, Bennett's legacy is a strong and free Mississippi and United States of America, and for this and for his selfless heroic military service flying over Omaha Beach during the invasion of Normandy on D-Day, June 6th, 1944, and for each of the 30 missions he flew over Europe, a grateful Nation and State thank him:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby recognize the service and legacy of World War II Hero Henry Howard Bennett of Sumrall, Mississippi, now residing at the State Veterans Home in Collins, and extend the congratulations of the Legislature to Bennett and his family on the occasion of his receiving the Medal of a Liberated France, the upcoming bestowment of the Legion of Honour, France's highest degree of merit, and the upcoming bestowment of Knighthood for Bennett by President Macron of France, and we extend the best wishes of the Legislature on his upcoming 100th Birthday on December 22, 2022.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Henry Howard Bennett and his family, forwarded to Mississippi's Congressional delegation, and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.