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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The 100th birthday of an esteemed Texan is truly |
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cause for celebration, and World War II veteran Burnie Sutter of |
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Frisco is reaching that impressive milestone on April 7, 2021; and |
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WHEREAS, Born near Muscatine, Iowa, in 1921, to Louis and |
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Oszetta Sutter, Burnett Sutter grew up on his family's farm with a |
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brother, Keith, and when he was 11, he quit school to help run the |
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farm after his father passed away; in March 1943, he married Rozetta |
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Royster, and three days later, he was inducted into the U.S. Army; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, In June 1944, Mr. Sutter came ashore at Utah beach |
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during the invasion of Normandy as a member of the 90th Infantry |
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Division, known as the "Tough Ombres"; as the division fought its |
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way across Europe as part of General George Patton's Third Army, he |
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took part in many fierce combat engagements as a machine gunner in |
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the 358th M Company, including the battles at Seves Island, the |
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Moselle River crossing, and the Falaise Pocket, where his machine |
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gun was stationed in the middle of the road as German Panzer tanks |
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were trying to escape back into Germany; and |
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WHEREAS, In April 1945, Mr. Sutter was one of the first 50 |
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American soldiers to enter Czechoslovakia in the middle of the |
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night, a maneuver that effectively cut the Nazi empire in two, and |
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on April 23, 1945, he took part in the liberation of the infamous |
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Flossenburg concentration camp; he was discharged on October 30, |
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1945; and |
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WHEREAS, After the war, Mr. Sutter settled in Moline, |
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Illinois, with his wife and their infant daughter, Sandra, and he |
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joined his brother-in-law in the family tire sales and recap |
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business; in retirement, he and his wife enjoyed traveling |
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together, and he also played a leading role in the building of a new |
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church in his community; he remains proud of his valiant service in |
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World War II, and for many years he never missed a reunion of the |
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90th Infantry Division; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, Mr. Sutter lives in Frisco, where he is |
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surrounded by his family, including his daughter, Sandra, and her |
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husband, Bill, as well as his three grandchildren and eight |
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great-grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the course of a century, Burnie Sutter has not |
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only bravely served his nation but has met the challenges and |
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opportunities of a long life with grace and fortitude, and on his |
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special day, he is blessed with the deep respect and lasting |
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affection of a host of loved ones; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Burnie Sutter on the joyous |
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occasion of his 100th birthday and extend to him sincere best wishes |
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for continued happiness; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Sutter as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |