The State House Tourism and Recreational Development Committee has passed two resolutions authored by Representative Jim Struzzi.
House Resolution 687 would designate May 20, 2020, as Jimmy Stewart Day, and House Resolution 688 would honor May 20, 2020, as the 25th anniversary of the Jimmy Stewart Museum.
Jimmy Stewart Day recognizes not only Stewart’s legendary Hollywood career, but his equally distinguished military career. He was a bomber squadron commander in Europe during World War II, having enlisted as a private and eventually rising to the rank of colonel. In 1959, as a member of the Air Force Reserve, Stewart was promoted to brigadier general. It was in that capacity that he flew one more mission, as an observer over Vietnam in 1966.
Stewart was the recipient of the Air Medal, the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross. In 1985, he was awarded the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
The Jimmy Stewart Museum opened in 1995 on the third floor of the Indiana Public Library in downtown Indiana. Stewart personally selected mementos from some of his movies to display in the museum.
Jimmy Stewart’s 112th birthday is coming up on May 20th. Struzzi says that while Covid-129 remains the primary focus at the state Capitol, the resolutions are a great opportunity to “bring some good news to Pennsylvanians.”
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