H*4343 Resolution, By Clary, Alexander, Allison, Anderson, Anthony, Arrington, 
Atkinson, Atwater, Bales, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bedingfield, Bennett, 
Bernstein, Blackwell, Bowers, Bradley, Brown, Burns, Caskey, Chumley, Clemmons, 
Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Cogswell, Cole, Collins, Crawford, Crosby, Daning, Davis, 
Delleney, Dillard, Douglas, Duckworth, Elliott, Erickson, Felder, Finlay, 
Forrest, Forrester, Fry, Funderburk, Gagnon, Gilliard, Govan, Hamilton, Hardee, 
Hart, Hayes, Henderson, Henegan, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hill, Hiott, Hixon, Hosey, 
Howard, Huggins, Jefferson, Johnson, Jordan, King, Kirby, Knight, Loftis, Long, 
Lowe, Lucas, Mack, Magnuson, Martin, McCoy, McCravy, McEachern, McKnight, 
Mitchell, D.C. Moss, V.S. Moss, Murphy, B. Newton, W. Newton, Norrell, Ott, 
Parks, Pitts, Pope, Putnam, Ridgeway, M. Rivers, S. Rivers, Robinson-Simpson, 
Rutherford, Ryhal, Sandifer, Simrill, G.M. Smith, G.R. Smith, J.E. Smith, 
Sottile, Spires, Stavrinakis, Stringer, Tallon, Taylor, Thayer, Thigpen, Toole, 
Weeks, West, Wheeler, Whipper, White, Whitmire, Williams, Willis, Young and Yow
 A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO CONGRATULATE COLONEL BEVERLY "BEN" SKARDON OF CLEMSON ON
 THE OCCASION OF HIS ONE HUNDREDTH BIRTHDAY AND TO WISH HIM A JOYOUS BIRTHDAY
 CELEBRATION AND MUCH HAPPINESS.

   06/06/17  House  Introduced and adopted

TO CONGRATULATE COLONEL BEVERLY "BEN" SKARDON OF CLEMSON ON THE OCCASION OF HIS ONE HUNDREDTH BIRTHDAY AND TO WISH HIM A JOYOUS BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION AND MUCH HAPPINESS.

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives are delighted to learn that Colonel Beverly "Ben" Skardon will celebrate his one hundredth birthday on July 14, 2017; and

Whereas, Ben and his family moved to South Carolina when he was eight. His father, an Episcopal minister, impressed upon his children the virtues of honor and sacrifice; and

Whereas, after graduating from Clemson College, now Clemson University, he was called to active duty in 1939, fulfilling a childhood dream of serving in the Army and was stationed in the Philippines; and

Whereas, Skardon was captured by the Japanese in 1942 and was subjected to marching mile after agonizing mile on the infamous Bataan Death March, suffering harsh treatment from guards and enduring reoccurring bouts with malaria; and

Whereas, after being freed in 1945, Skardon returned to his alma mater and began teaching English courses, with his love of literature and life serving as an inspiration to everyone who entered into his classroom; and

Whereas, in honor of those who did not make it home, Ben participates in the Bataan Memorial Death March, surrounded by "Ben's Brigade," as the only survivor of the real Bataan Death March, marching eight and a half miles through the unforgiving New Mexico desert on his tenth march at the young age of ninety nine; and

Whereas, grateful for his service to his country and his impact as an educator, the House of Representatives is proud to honor Ben at the celebration of his one hundredth birthday and congratulate him on reaching this important life milestone. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, congratulate Colonel Beverly "Ben" Skardon on the occasion of his one hundredth birthday and wish him a joyous birthday celebration and much happiness.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Colonel Beverly "Ben" Skardon.