H.R. No. 308 R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, Having lived a full and active life spanning three 1-2 quarters of a century, James Benton Grace of Houston can take great 1-3 pleasure and satisfaction in counting his many blessings, among 1-4 them a large circle of loving and devoted friends who join in 1-5 wishing this distinguished gentleman a happy 75th birthday; and 1-6 WHEREAS, Born on February 28, 1920, in Nashville, Tennessee, 1-7 this patriotic individual attended St. Ambrose College in 1-8 Davenport, Iowa, until January 1942, when he interrupted his 1-9 studies to come to the aid of his country shortly after its entry 1-10 into World War II; and 1-11 WHEREAS, Joining the U.S. Army Air Corps as a pilot cadet in 1-12 April of that year, he soon distinguished himself as a military 1-13 aviator, and in July 1943 he gained the distinction of becoming the 1-14 first pilot to fly the four-engine B-24 Bomber; and 1-15 WHEREAS, After a brief stint with the 15th Air Force in Italy 1-16 in the spring of 1944, he was transferred to the 8th Air Force and 1-17 stationed in Great Britain and flew numerous missions over Germany 1-18 and France until August 1944; and 1-19 WHEREAS, He was honorably discharged from the military in 1-20 April 1945, and while enjoying the first few months of civilian 1-21 life in Los Angeles, he met an agent for the Scindia Steam 1-22 Navigation Company, Ltd., of India, who promptly offered Mr. Grace 1-23 a job as a civil service pilot for the company's airline; and 1-24 WHEREAS, In the ensuing years Mr. Grace's civilian career 2-1 took him to many exotic locales around the world, but in 1965 he 2-2 returned to Nashville, where he assumed the care of his widowed 2-3 mother; the following year, he and his mother moved to Guadalajara, 2-4 Mexico, where they spent 16 happy years together; and 2-5 WHEREAS, After their relocation to Houston in 1982, 2-6 Mr. Grace continued to care for his beloved mother until her death 2-7 in March 1993, at the age of 97; in Houston, he also found a 2-8 nurturing circle of friends and a cause to which he gave himself 2-9 with unflagging dedication and energy; and 2-10 WHEREAS, An active member of the Houston Gay and Lesbian 2-11 Political Caucus, he has been a volunteer at the city's AIDS 2-12 Foundation since 1987; he also serves as a member of the board of 2-13 the recently formed Houston Gay Veterans; and 2-14 WHEREAS, A warm and compassionate individual, Mr. Grace has 2-15 had the good fortune to live a rich and rewarding life, a life of 2-16 selfless service to his country and to his fellowman that has been 2-17 enriched in turn by the love and affection of devoted friends and 2-18 family and that is indeed worthy of special recognition; now, 2-19 therefore, be it 2-20 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas 2-21 Legislature hereby congratulate James B. Grace of Houston on the 2-22 occasion of his 75th birthday and extend to him best wishes for 2-23 many more years of continued health and happiness; and, be it 2-24 further 2-25 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 2-26 prepared for Mr. Grace as an expression of high esteem by the Texas 2-27 House of Representatives.