By Uher                                                H.R. No. 483
         77R7753 GMW-D                           
                                 R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives is pleased to
 1-2     honor David L. "Tex" Hill of San Antonio for his myriad
 1-3     achievements and dedicated and distinguished service to our nation;
 1-4     and
 1-5           WHEREAS, The son of American missionaries, this esteemed
 1-6     gentleman was born in Kwangju, Korea, but was raised in Texas;
 1-7     after graduating from Austin College in Sherman in 1938, Mr. Hill
 1-8     enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was commissioned as an aviation cadet
 1-9     at Pensacola NAS, fulfilling a lifelong dream of becoming an
1-10     aviator by earning his wings in 1939; and
1-11           WHEREAS, He served for three years in the Navy flying torpedo
1-12     planes off the USS Saratoga and divebombers off the USS Ranger, and
1-13     in 1941 he was discharged so that he could join the American
1-14     Volunteer Group (AVG); as a flight leader and then commander of the
1-15     AVG's 2nd Squadron, the "Panda Bears," Mr. Hill fought in Burma,
1-16     China, and Thailand during World War II and was credited with
1-17     12-1/4 aerial victories; the AVG was made famous in the 1942 film
1-18     Flying Tigers, in which Mr. Hill was portrayed by none other than
1-19     John Wayne; and
1-20           WHEREAS, The AVG disbanded in 1942, and Mr. Hill joined the
1-21     Army Air Force as a major, commanding the 75th Fighter Squadron; he
1-22     then led the 23rd Fighter Group over China, and on November 25,
1-23     1943, led a force of eight P-51 Mustangs, eight P-38s, and 14 B-25
1-24     Mitchells on a surprise raid of the Japanese airfield on Formosa, a
 2-1     mission in which he gained notoriety by becoming the first Mustang
 2-2     pilot to down a Japanese Oscar; and
 2-3           WHEREAS, Credited with 18-1/4 aerial victories and more than
 2-4     20 probable victories, Mr. Hill spent the remainder of World War II
 2-5     as commander of the 412th Fighter Group; he left the Army Air Force
 2-6     in 1945 and joined the Texas Air National Guard, for which he
 2-7     commanded the 58th Fighter Wing and became the youngest brigadier
 2-8     general in the history of the ANG at the age of 31; and
 2-9           WHEREAS, In 1947 this exceptional individual resigned his
2-10     commission and journeyed to Africa to trap gorillas for the movie
2-11     Mighty Joe Young, and afterward he returned to Texas and signed on
2-12     with the Air Force Reserve's 433rd Tactical Airlift Wing at Kelly
2-13     Air Force Base; Mr. Hill retired in 1968, ending a stellar career
2-14     that saw him fly more than 3,500 hours, including more than 150
2-15     combat sorties over Burma, Indochina, and China; and
2-16           WHEREAS, An avid sportsman and gourmet cook, he remains
2-17     active with such organizations as the Flying Tigers Association,
2-18     the Order of the Daedalians, and the American Fighter Aces; he is
2-19     also a devoted husband, and he and his wife, Mazie, have shared 58
2-20     years of wonderful memories together; and
2-21           WHEREAS, David L. "Tex" Hill is truly an American hero and a
2-22     living legend among the fighter pilot fraternity, and it is truly a
2-23     privilege to pay tribute to this remarkable gentleman at this time;
2-24     now, therefore, be it
2-25           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas
2-26     Legislature hereby commend David L. "Tex" Hill for his many
2-27     significant accomplishments and extend to him sincere appreciation
 3-1     for his exemplary service to our state and nation; and, be it
 3-2     further
 3-3           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
 3-4     prepared for Mr. Hill as an expression of high regard by the Texas
 3-5     House of Representatives.