Roanoke 8th Air Force Fellowship

14103278D

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 157

Offered January 15, 2014

                                                                               Celebrating the life of William Bruce Overstreet, Jr.

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Patrons-- Head, Adams, Albo, Anderson, Austin, BaCote, Bell, Richard P., Bell, Robert B., Berg, Brink, Bulova, Byron, Campbell, Carr, Chafin, Cline, Cole, Comstock, Cox, Dance, Davis, DeSteph, Edmunds, Fariss, Farrell, Filler-Corn, Fowler, Futrell, Garrett, Gilbert, Greason, Habeeb, Helsel, Herring, Hester, Hodges, Hope, Howell, A.T., Howell, W.J., Hugo, Ingram, James, Joannou, Jones, Keam, Kilgore, Knight, Kory, Krupicka, Landes, LaRock, Leftwich, LeMunyon, Lingamfelter, Lopez, Loupassi, Marshall, D.W., Marshall, R.G., Mason, Massie, McClellan, McQuinn, Miller, Minchew, Morefield, Morris, Morrissey, O'Bannon, O'Quinn, Orrock, Peace, Plum, Pogge, Poindexter, Ramadan, Ransone, Rasoul, Robinson, Rush, Rust, Scott, Sickles, Simon, Spruill, Stolle, Surovell, Taylor, Torian, Toscano, Tyler, Villanueva, Ward, Ware, Watts, Webert, Wilt, Wright, Yancey and Yost

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WHEREAS, William Bruce Overstreet, Jr., a decorated war hero and an active member of the Roanoke community, died on December 29, 2013; and

 

WHEREAS, a native of Clifton Forge, William Overstreet joined many of the other young men of his generation in service to his country during World War II; and

 

WHEREAS, William Overstreet became a fighter pilot with the United States Army Air Force 357th Fighter Group; he earned hundreds of medals, flying countless heroic missions throughout the war; and

 

WHEREAS, William Overstreet’s most famous flight led him beneath the arches of the Eiffel Tower in pursuit of an enemy fighter; his gallant aerial feat inspired and emboldened members of the French Resistance on the ground, many of whom would later recall Overstreet’s years of bravery; and

 

WHEREAS, after the war, William Overstreet went on to teach at a gunnery school at Pinellas Army Airfield and worked at Charleston Aviation in West Virginia; he returned to the Commonwealth in 1950 and began a career as a certified public accountant in his own practice; and

 

WHEREAS, a humble and generous man, William Overstreet believed in the importance of helping others and worked to better the community through a variety of civic and service organizations, both locally and nationally; and

 

WHEREAS, in 2009, William Overstreet graciously accepted one of his greatest awards, the Legion of Honor from France, in recognition of his unique contributions to the liberation of France in World War II; and

 

WHEREAS, predeceased by his wife, Nita, William Overstreet is survived by numerous family members, friends, and fellow servicemen; now, therefore, be it

 

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of William Bruce Overstreet, Jr., a courageous veteran and a respected member of the Roanoke community; and, be it

 

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of William Bruce Overstreet, Jr., as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for his memory.