R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, The Distinguished Flying Cross was established to 1-2 honor gallant and intrepid service by a member of the United States 1-3 Army during aerial flight, and through the extraordinary 1-4 performance of his duties during World War II, Herbert F. Frels of 1-5 Cuero became a most deserving recipient of this prestigious honor; 1-6 and 1-7 WHEREAS, On June 13, 1944, Second Lieutenant Frels took off 1-8 from Spinola, Italy, piloting his B-24 Liberator, "Georgia Peach," 1-9 on a bomb run over a ball bearing factory in Munich, Germany; the 1-10 22-year-old pilot and his crew of nine were shot down and crashed 1-11 behind enemy lines; and 1-12 WHEREAS, Second Lieutenant Frels's courage in protecting his 1-13 crew members, without concern for his own safety, was an 1-14 inspiration to those around him and exemplified the utmost 1-15 dedication to his country and his fellow servicemen; and 1-16 WHEREAS, Wounded by shrapnel and burned in the fiery crash of 1-17 his aircraft, this remarkable young hero spent two months in a 1-18 hospital and 11 months in a prisoner of war camp in Barth, Germany, 1-19 until its liberation by Allied troops, and he was also awarded the 1-20 Prisoner of War Medal in recognition of this harrowing experience; 1-21 and 1-22 WHEREAS, Today, this patriotic American dedicates his time 1-23 and energy to veterans' groups and organizations in his community; 1-24 Mr. Frels was instrumental in creating the Cuero Veterans of 2-1 Foreign Wars, serving as the post's first commander from 1967 to 2-2 1969, and he was named to the All-State Commander's Team in 1967, 2-3 leading to his selection as District 24 commander in 1970; and 2-4 WHEREAS, A longtime Cuero school board trustee, Mr. Frels has 2-5 twice guided that panel as president, and he has ably chaired the 2-6 DeWitt County Appraisal District Board of Directors as well; and 2-7 WHEREAS, Throughout all his endeavors, Mr. Frels has enjoyed 2-8 the love and support of his family, which includes his wife, Helen, 2-9 and the couple's three children, Finley, John, and Lori; and 2-10 WHEREAS, Americans owe a great debt of gratitude to the 2-11 valiant men and women who served our nation during World War II, 2-12 and it is indeed appropriate for the members of this chamber to 2-13 pause for a moment to pay tribute to one of the many brave Texans 2-14 who served this noble and patriotic cause; now, therefore, be it 2-15 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas 2-16 Legislature hereby congratulate Herbert F. Frels on his receipt of 2-17 the Distinguished Flying Cross for his meritorious service during 2-18 World War II, and express to him our deepest admiration for the 2-19 heroism he displayed as a member of the U.S. armed forces; and, be 2-20 it further 2-21 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 2-22 prepared for Mr. Frels as an expression of highest regard by the 2-23 Texas House of Representatives. Morrison Laney Glaze Moreno of El Paso Alexander Goodman Morrison Allen Goolsby Mowery Alvarado Gray Naishtat Averitt Green Najera Bailey Greenberg Nixon Berman Grusendorf Noriega Bonnen Gutierrez Oliveira Bosse Haggerty Olivo Brimer Hamric Palmer Brown of Kaufman Hardcastle Pickett Brown of Brazos Hartnett Pitts Burnam Hawley Puente Capelo Heflin Ramsay Carter Hilbert Rangel Chavez Hilderbran Reyna of Bexar Chisum Hill Reyna of Dallas Christian Hinojosa Ritter Clark Hochberg Sadler Coleman Hodge Salinas Cook Homer Seaman Corte Hope Shields Counts Howard Siebert Crabb Hunter Smith Craddick Hupp Smithee Crownover Isett Solis of Cameron Cuellar Janek Solis of Bexar Culberson Jones of Brazos Solomons Danburg Jones of Lubbock Staples Davis of Harris Jones of Dallas Swinford Davis of Dallas Junell Talton Delisi Keel Telford Denny Keffer Thompson Deshotel King of Parker Tillery Driver King of Uvalde Truitt Dukes Krusee Turner of Coleman Dunnam Kuempel Turner of Harris Dutton Lengefeld Uher Edwards Lewis of Tarrant Uresti Ehrhardt Lewis of Orange Van de Putte Eiland Longoria Walker Elkins Luna West Ellis McCall Williams Farabee McClendon Wilson Farrar McReynolds Wise Flores Madden Wohlgemuth Gallego Marchant Wolens Garcia Maxey Woolley George Merritt Yarbrough Giddings Moreno of Harris Zbranek _______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 461 was adopted by the House on March 31, 1999, by a non-record vote. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House