Senate Resolution No. 2629

BY: Senator BRESLIN

HONORING James A. Dandles upon the occasion of his
designation as recipient of the inaugural Henry
Johnson Award for Distinguished Community Service by
the Albany District 369th Veterans Association on
June 5, 2017

WHEREAS, It is incumbent upon the people of the State of New York to
recognize and acknowledge those within our midst who have made
significant contributions to the quality of life therein; and

WHEREAS, From time to time this Legislative Body takes note of
certain extraordinary individuals it wishes to recognize for their
valued contributions to the success and progress of society and publicly
acknowledge their endeavors which have enhanced the basic humanity among
us all; and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor James A.
Dandles upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of the
inaugural Henry Johnson Award for Distinguished Community Service by the
Albany District 369th Veterans Association on Monday, June 5, 2017; and

WHEREAS, Born in Waynesboro, Mississippi, on November 29, 1945,
James A. Dandles was drafted into the United States Army on November
18, 1965; during the Vietnam War, he served as a Sergeant of Bravo
Company, 4th Platoon, 3rd Battalion, 22nd Infantry, 25th Division and
was honorably discharged on November 10, 1967; and

WHEREAS, Following his military service, James A. Dandles attended
Russell Sage College, where he graduated with an Associate degree in
Applied Science; in 1968, he began working for Niagara Mohawk Power
Company, and later became a Division Warehouse Supervisor; and

WHEREAS, In 1989, James A. Dandles was elected President of the
Albany District 369th Veterans Association, a vital organization which
seeks to honor and perpetuate the memory and legacy of World War I hero,
Sergeant Henry Johnson, an Albany, New York native; and

WHEREAS, During the early 1970s and 1980s, the Albany District 369th
Veterans Association had a particular interest in obtaining proper
recognition for Henry Johnson; a City Hall petition was created by the
organization to rename Northern Boulevard to become Sergeant Henry
Johnson Boulevard; and

WHEREAS, In November of 1991, under the able leadership of James A.
Dandles, a monument was erected in Albany's Washington Park along with
one on Livingston Avenue on behalf of Sergeant Henry Johnson; and

WHEREAS, In addition, a section of Northern Boulevard was honorably
renamed Henry Johnson Boulevard, and in 1992, a youth academy in South
Kortright, New York, was named Sergeant Henry Johnson Youth Leadership
Academy; and

WHEREAS, A tireless advocate for Sergeant Henry Johnson, James A.
Dandles was instrumental in this brave soldier being posthumously
awarded the Purple Heart in 1996, by President Bill Clinton; he was also
awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the United States Army's second
highest award in February of 2003; and

WHEREAS, In December of 2004, the Albany, New York, postal facility
at 747 Broadway was renamed the United States Postal Service Henry
Johnson Annex; the City of Albany also dedicated the Henry Johnson
Charter School at 30 Watervliet Avenue; and

WHEREAS, With a steadfast and unwavering commitment to the legacy of
Henry Johnson, James A. Dandles was also instrumental in his being
posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on June 2, 2015, by President
Barack Obama; and

WHEREAS, Furthermore, on December 11, 2015, the Albany High School
JROTC renamed itself the Sergeant Henry Johnson Battalion, and on
February 24, 2016, the Sam Stratton Veterans Hospital renamed its new
wing of the Veterans Administration Hospital's Auditorium in honor of
Henry Johnson; and

WHEREAS, It has always been the objective of this Legislative Body
to honor and support those individuals who have displayed their
commitment to the betterment of their communities, and it is the intent
of this Legislative Body to inscribe upon its records, this tribute to
James A. Dandles, that future generations may know and appreciate his
admirable character, his many benevolent deeds, and the respect and
esteem in which he is held by his peers; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor James A. Dandles upon the occasion of his designation as recipient
of the inaugural Henry Johnson Award for Distinguished Community Service
by the Albany District 369th Veterans Association on June 5, 2017; and
be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to James A. Dandles.