H.R. No. 234
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The family and friends of Lance Corporal Kyle Dwayne
Crowley, of the United States Marine Corps, suffered an
immeasurable loss with the death of this beloved young man in Iraq
on April 6, 2004, at the age of 18; and
WHEREAS, Corporal Crowley, who fulfilled a longtime ambition
when he joined the corps in July 2003, was a member of the 2nd
Battalion, 4th Marines, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine
Expeditionary Force; he sustained mortal injuries when he and a
group of fellow Marines were caught in an ambush in Ramadi, west of
Baghdad, about seven weeks after he arrived in the country; and
WHEREAS, Despite the dangerous nature of his mission,
Corporal Crowley was intensely proud of his work and was committed
to discharging his responsibilities to the best of his ability;
promoted to lance corporal shortly before departing for Iraq, he
had qualified to drive a Humvee and had been appointed a fire team
leader; and
WHEREAS, Kyle Crowley was born on May 13, 1985, and grew up in
Hayward and San Ramon, California; he attended California High
School in San Ramon for three years and graduated from Del Amigo
High School in June 2003; unshakeable in his resolve to become a
Marine, he worked in the local recruiting office while in high
school and volunteered for physical training on the weekends to
prepare for the rigors of boot camp; and
WHEREAS, In his leisure time, he loved to wrestle, fish, and
hunt, as well as to learn new skills, such as carpentry; remembered
by all who knew him for his confidence and enthusiasm, his eagerness
to help others, and his zest for life, Kyle Crowley infused the
world around him with laughter and joy; and
WHEREAS, Corporal Crowley's military awards include the
National Defense Service Medal, the Purple Heart, and the Global
War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; students at California High
School have commemorated their friend's passing with a moment of
silence and a signed memorial, and more than 100 members of the San
Ramon community gathered in the town's central park on the evening
of April 9, 2004, for a candlelight vigil in his honor; Corporal
Crowley has been laid to rest in Golden Gate National Cemetery in
San Bruno, California; and
WHEREAS, Americans owe a profound debt to their military
personnel, who are called on to bear enormous, often unimaginable
burdens; the efforts and sacrifices of these men and women in this
nation's behalf are deserving of our deepest respect and gratitude;
and
WHEREAS, Through his unfaltering devotion to duty, honor, and
his country, Corporal Crowley embodied the highest ideals of the
armed services, and the blessing of his life will be forever
cherished by those who were privileged to share in his great love
and friendship; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 78th Texas
Legislature, 4th Called Session, hereby pay special tribute to the
life of Lance Corporal Kyle Dwayne Crowley and extend sincere
sympathy to the members of his family: to his mother and
stepfather, Chris and Jeff Smiley; to his father and stepmother,
Mark and Mary Crowley; to his sister; and to all those who join in
mourning his passing; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Lance
Corporal Kyle Dwayne Crowley.
Brown of Kaufman
Craddick Geren Mercer
Allen Giddings Merritt
Alonzo Goodman Miller
Bailey Goolsby Moreno of Harris
Baxter Griggs Moreno of El Paso
Berman Grusendorf Morrison
Bohac Guillen Mowery
Bonnen Gutierrez Naishtat
Branch Haggerty Nixon
Brown of Kaufman Hamilton Noriega
Brown of Brazos Hamric Oliveira
Burnam Hardcastle Olivo
Callegari Harper-Brown Paxton
Campbell Hartnett Pena
Canales Heflin Phillips
Capelo Hegar Pickett
Casteel Hilderbran Pitts
Castro Hill Puente
Chavez Hochberg Quintanilla
Chisum Hodge Raymond
Christian Homer Reyna
Coleman Hope Riddle
Cook of Navarro Hopson Ritter
Cook of Colorado Howard Rodriguez
Corte Hughes Rose
Crabb Hunter Seaman
Crownover Hupp Smith of Tarrant
Davis of Harris Isett Smith of Harris
Davis of Dallas Jones of Lubbock Smithee
Dawson Jones of Bexar Solis
Delisi Jones of Dallas Solomons
Denny Keel Stick
Deshotel Keffer of Dallas Swinford
Driver Keffer of Eastland Talton
Dukes King Taylor
Dunnam Kolkhorst Telford
Dutton Krusee Thompson
Edwards Kuempel Truitt
Eiland Laney Turner
Eissler Laubenberg Uresti
Elkins Lewis Van Arsdale
Ellis Luna Villarreal
Escobar Mabry West
Farabee Madden Wilson
Farrar Marchant Wise
Flores Martinez Fischer Wohlgemuth
Flynn McCall Wolens
Gallego McClendon Wong
Garza McReynolds Woolley
Gattis Menendez Zedler
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 234 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on May 11, 2004.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House