Florida Senate - 2015 (NP) SR 882 By Senator Montford 3-01064-15 2015882__ 1 Senate Resolution 2 A resolution honoring Chester Lee Davis, Sr., in 3 memoriam, for his patriotic service to the United 4 States during World War II. 5 6 WHEREAS, Chester Lee Davis, Sr., was born on November 25, 7 1923, in Quincy, and passed away in 1981 at the age of 57, and 8 WHEREAS, on June 25, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt 9 issued an executive order to establish the Fair Employment 10 Practices Commission, opening the doors for the first African 11 Americans to enlist in the United States Marine Corps, and 12 WHEREAS, in 1943, Chester Lee Davis, Sr., was accepted into 13 the Marine Corps among its first African-American recruits, 14 completing his basic training at Montford Point in North 15 Carolina, and 16 WHEREAS, Chester Lee Davis, Sr., bravely fought in World 17 War II to defend his country, despite the fact that it did not 18 yet offer basic civil rights for African Americans, and 19 WHEREAS, on November 23, 2011, President Barack Obama 20 signed a resolution to posthumously award the Congressional Gold 21 Medal, the highest civilian award from the United States 22 Congress for distinguished contributions, to the members of the 23 Montford Point Marines, and 24 WHEREAS, a veterans monument was dedicated on November 10, 25 2013, in Gadsden County, with a replica of the Congressional 26 Gold Medal to honor and recognize Chester Lee Davis, Sr., for 27 his service to the nation, NOW, THEREFORE, 28 29 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida: 30 31 That Chester Lee Davis, Sr., is honored, in memoriam, for 32 his selfless and patriotic contributions and service to the 33 United States during World War II. 34 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution, with 35 the Seal of the Senate affixed, be presented to his son, Chester 36 Davis, Jr., as a tangible token of the sentiments of the Florida 37 Senate.