H*4340 Resolution, By Norman, Agnew, Alexander, Allen, Allison, Anderson, 
Anthony, Atwater, Bales, Ballentine, Bannister, Barfield, Battle, Bedingfield, 
Bikas, Bingham, Bowen, Bowers, Brady, Branham, Brannon, Brantley, G.A. Brown, 
H.B. Brown, R.L. Brown, Butler Garrick, Chumley, Clemmons, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, 
Cole, Cooper, Corbin, Crawford, Crosby, Daning, Delleney, Dillard, Edge, 
Erickson, Forrester, Frye, Funderburk, Gambrell, Gilliard, Govan, Hamilton, 
Hardwick, Harrell, Harrison, Hart, Hayes, Hearn, Henderson, Herbkersman, Hiott, 
Hixon, Hodges, Horne, Hosey, Howard, Huggins, Jefferson, Johnson, King, Knight, 
Limehouse, Loftis, Long, Lowe, Lucas, Mack, McCoy, McEachern, McLeod, Merrill, 
Mitchell, D.C. Moss, V.S. Moss, Munnerlyn, Murphy, Nanney, J.H. Neal, J.M. Neal, 
Neilson, Ott, Owens, Parker, Parks, Patrick, Pinson, Pitts, Pope, Quinn, 
Rutherford, Ryan, Sabb, Sandifer, Sellers, Simrill, Skelton, G.M. Smith, 
G.R. Smith, J.E. Smith, J.R. Smith, Sottile, Spires, Stavrinakis, Stringer, 
Tallon, Taylor, Thayer, Toole, Tribble, Vick, Viers, Weeks, Whipper, White, 
Whitmire, Williams, Willis and Young
 A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR WORLD WAR II VETERAN FREDERICK
 "FRED" SLEEMAN OF YORK COUNTY, AND TO EXPRESS THE APPRECIATION OF A GRATEFUL
 STATE AND NATION FOR HIS SERVICE TO HIS COUNTRY.

   06/02/11  House  Introduced and adopted (House Journal-page 6)

TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR WORLD WAR II VETERAN FREDERICK "FRED" SLEEMAN OF YORK COUNTY, AND TO EXPRESS THE APPRECIATION OF A GRATEFUL STATE AND NATION FOR HIS SERVICE TO HIS COUNTRY.

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives are pleased to recognize the sacrifice of World War II veteran Frederick "Fred" Sleeman from Tega Cay; and

Whereas, in 1943, almost a year after his unsuccessful attempt to enlist in the United States Marines, Fred Sleeman, who had moved to the United States from Wales with his family at the age of two, was drafted into the United States Army, fulfilling his strong desire to help defend America's liberties; and

Whereas, he was eventually stationed in England with the infantry, and on June 8, 1944, he boarded a ship to cross the English Channel with thousands of other Allied troops to take part in the invasion of Normandy on the French coast. At some point in the initial fracas, he picked up a rifle and effectively joined the rifle company; and

Whereas, for ninety-six days he was engaged in combat with the Nazi forces until his mortar position was hit by an enemy mortar on September 11, 1944, killing everyone around him; and

Whereas, with a badly wounded leg, Fred Sleeman managed to drag himself across an open farm yard under enemy fire to a farmhouse where an American soldier reached out an arm to drag him inside to safety; and

Whereas, the hole in his thigh and several small holes in his arm were bandaged, and he was evacuated to a field hospital in Paris where, despite operations, his leg would not heal. He would later be awarded a Purple Heart; and

Whereas, although he was shipped to a hospital in England, he was first reported missing. Subsequently his parents received a letter informing them that he had been killed in action, but a resolute uncle located him in the English hospital; and

Whereas, doctors talked of amputating his left leg and said he would never walk again. But with dogged determination he started rehabilitation in England and began walking with a crutch, which he discarded, forging ahead through painful but promising recovery; and

Whereas, Mr. Sleeman was resolved to return to duty and though ready to return to combat, a slight limp from his injury slowed his step, and he was reassigned to a clerical job at a railroad transportation office. Six months later he was sent back to the United States and discharged from the military September 7, 1945; and

Whereas, almost four years later, he married his beloved wife, Ruth, whom the injured veteran, with shrapnel still in his leg, had met at a dance. He and Ruth raised a fine family of five daughters in New Jersey where he spent the next forty years designing commercial exhibits; and

Whereas, in 1989, the couple moved to Tega Cay, where they enjoy friends and family visits, including time with their six loving grandchildren and their great-grandchild, and where Fred Sleeman is a dedicated member of the Tega Cay Veterans Association; and

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives are grateful for the legacy of duty, honor, and country that Fred Sleeman has built, and salute him for his sacrificial service to his nation. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor World War II veteran Frederick "Fred" Sleeman of York County, and express the appreciation of a grateful State and nation for his service to his country.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be provided to Frederick "Fred" Sleeman.