HJ991: Commending Evelyn Chaychuk Kowalchuk.

WHEREAS, Evelyn Chaychuk Kowalchuk of the small community of Huddleston in Bedford County is commended for her outstanding service to her country during World War II; and

WHEREAS, after graduating from nursing school in 1941, Evelyn Kowalchuk defied her mother’s wishes and joined the United States Army Air Corps, and in October of 1942 began her medical and military training; and

WHEREAS, Evelyn Kowalchuk’s nursing training began in New Jersey at base hospitals, and she eventually ended up in North Carolina where a posting for an air evacuation nursing position caught her eye; and

WHEREAS, after eight weeks of training, Evelyn Kowalchuk, along with 24 other flight nurses, was sent to England as part of the United States Army Air Corps’ 818th Medical Evacuation Transport Squadron; and

WHEREAS, providing comfort and needed medical assistance, Evelyn Kowalchuk and the other brave women of the squadron flew on modified C-46 and C-47 airplanes that would fly to the beaches and then return with wounded soldiers to the hospitals; and

WHEREAS, demonstrating great courage and fortitude, Evelyn Kowalchuk treated badly injured soldiers while the planes that were transporting them were often under fire; if it became too dark to fly back, the planes would have to stay in the battle zone, where Evelyn Kowalchuk and the other nurses and soldiers would have to take cover, including one night in a foxhole; and

WHEREAS, after the war, Evelyn Kowalchuk went on to marry her beloved husband, the late Andrew Kowalchuk, and they had two wonderful children, the late Ivan, who died while in the United States Marine Corps, and Peter; and

WHEREAS, committed to helping others, Evelyn Kowalchuk received a master’s degree in nursing and continued her nursing career as a public health nurse and school nurse until her retirement; and

WHEREAS, in the mid 1990s, Evelyn Kowalchuk began speaking publicly about her wartime experiences; she was honored at the D-Day Memorial dedication in Bedford and received the prestigious French Legion of Honor Medal for her services during World War II; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly commend an admired nurse and outstanding Virginian, Evelyn Chaychuk Kowalchuk; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Evelyn Chaychuk Kowalchuk as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect and admiration for her service to her country.

WHEREAS, Evelyn Chaychuk Kowalchuk of the small community of Huddleston in Bedford County is commended for her outstanding service to her country during World War II; and

WHEREAS, after graduating from nursing school in 1941, Evelyn Kowalchuk defied her mother’s wishes and joined the United States Army Air Corps, and in October of 1942 began her medical and military training; and

WHEREAS, Evelyn Kowalchuk’s nursing training began in New Jersey at base hospitals, and she eventually ended up in North Carolina where a posting for an air evacuation nursing position caught her eye; and

WHEREAS, after eight weeks of training, Evelyn Kowalchuk, along with 24 other flight nurses, was sent to England as part of the U.S. Army Air Corps’ 818th Medical Evacuation Transport Squadron; and

WHEREAS, providing comfort and needed medical assistance, Evelyn Kowalchuk and the other brave women of the squadron flew on modified C-46 and C-47 airplanes that would fly to the beaches and then return with wounded soldiers to the hospitals; and

WHEREAS, demonstrating great courage and fortitude, Evelyn Kowalchuk treated badly injured soldiers while the planes that were transporting them were often under fire; if it became too dark to fly back, the planes would have to stay in the battle zone, where Evelyn Kowalchuk and the other nurses and soldiers would have to take cover, including one night in a foxhole; and

WHEREAS, after the war, Evelyn Kowalchuk went on to marry her beloved husband, the late Andrew Kowalchuk, and they had two wonderful children, the late Ivan, who died while in the U.S. Marine Corps, and Peter; and

WHEREAS, committed to helping others, Evelyn Kowalchuk received a master’s degree in nursing and continued her nursing career as a public health nurse and school nurse until her retirement; and

WHEREAS, in the mid 1990s, Evelyn Kowalchuk began speaking publicly about her wartime experiences; she was honored at the D-Day Memorial dedication in Bedford and received the prestigious French Legion of Honor Medal for her services during World War II; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly commend an admired nurse and outstanding Virginian, Evelyn Chaychuk Kowalchuk; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Evelyn Chaychuk Kowalchuk as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect and admiration for her service to her country.