House Resolution 301 is a commemorative resolution honoring Sergeant First Class Theodore Alexander Katsoolias, a U.S. Army soldier from Illinois who served with the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division during the Korean War. The resolution recounts the Chinese Communist counteroffensive in late November 1950, the difficult withdrawal of his unit near the Chongchon River, and Katsoolias’s disappearance during the retreat to Kujang. It notes that he was never reported as a prisoner of war and that his remains have not been recovered.
The resolution also recognizes that Katsoolias is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific and references the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Heroes Way Designation Program. Under that program, Route 59 in West Chicago, from Route 38 to Route 64, has been designated as the SFC Theodore A. Katsoolias Memorial Highway. The House resolution commends that designation and directs that a suitable copy be presented to his family.
Impact
HR0301 does not amend the Illinois Compiled Statutes or create new legal duties; it is a ceremonial House resolution. Its practical effect is to formally honor SFC Katsoolias and publicly support the existing highway memorial designation made through the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Heroes Way Designation Program. The resolution affects no regulated parties directly, but it reinforces the state’s commemorative recognition of a fallen service member and the named highway segment in West Chicago.
Sentiment
The available context suggests unanimous or strongly favorable sentiment toward the resolution. Because there are no recorded committee transcripts or votes in the provided material, the bill’s tone must be inferred from its language, which is entirely laudatory and memorializing. The resolution reflects respect for military service, remembrance of a missing soldier, and support for honoring Illinois veterans through highway naming.
Contention
No notable opposition or controversy is evident in the provided record. The resolution is noncontroversial in nature and appears to be a tribute rather than a policy measure. Any potential points of discussion would likely be limited to the appropriateness of the memorial designation or the specific highway segment chosen, but no such objections are shown in the bill text, votes, or committee materials.