78R1062 MMS-D

By:  Delisi                                                       H.R. No. 16 



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Over the course of two distinguished careers--as a 
soldier and as a man of letters--T. R. Fehrenbach has rendered 
enormous service to his country and to his native state; and
	WHEREAS, The son of a pioneer South Texas family, Mr. 
Fehrenbach was born in San Benito, Texas, in 1925; he attended 
schools in Texas and California and subsequently enrolled in 
Princeton University, where he graduated magna cum laude in 1947; 
and
	WHEREAS, Mr. Fehrenbach saw combat during World War II and 
again in the Korean War, rising from the rank of platoon sergeant to 
that of company commander and battalion staff officer of the 72nd 
Tank Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division; after retiring from active 
service with the rank of lieutenant colonel, he continued to serve 
in the Army Reserve as a major with an armor regiment; and
	WHEREAS, Since the publication of his first book in 1961, Mr. 
Fehrenbach has gained widespread renown as a historian, 
commentator, and author; he is known especially for his books Lone 
Star:  A History of Texas and the Texans, which served as the basis 
of a PBS miniseries, and This Kind of War, a classic military 
account of the Korean War and required reading for all U.S. troops 
stationed in South Korea; his works also include Fire and Blood, a 
history of Mexico; Comanches:  The Destruction of a People; Texas:  
A Salute from Above; The Battle of Anzio; and U.S. Marines in 
Action; and
	WHEREAS, Altogether, this eminent Texan has published 18 
nonfiction books and had his works translated into 10 different 
languages, in addition to being assigned in university courses and 
designated as club selections; moreover, he has contributed to such 
periodicals as Atlantic Monthly, Texas Monthly, Saturday Evening 
Post, and The New Republic, as well as numerous foreign newspapers 
and magazines; he currently serves as a Sunday editorial columnist 
for the San AntonioExpress-News; and
	WHEREAS, A trustee of the State History Museum Foundation, 
Mr. Fehrenbach is also a former chair and three-term member of the 
Texas Historical Commission (THC), which has made him a 
commissioner emeritus; moreover, he has served on the Texas 2000 
Commission and chaired the Texas Antiquities Committee; and
	WHEREAS, In recognition of his extensive achievements, Mr. 
Fehrenbach has been named a fellow of the Texas State Historical 
Association, a member of the Philosophical Society of Texas, and a 
Knight of San Jacinto, the highest tribute conferred by the Sons of 
the Republic of Texas; in addition, the THC has created the T. R. 
Fehrenbach Book Award in his honor to encourage and celebrate 
scholarly work in Texas history; on May 22, 2002, Mr. Fehrenbach 
received commendation for his work in military history at a special 
awards ceremony at the Pentagon, and that evening he served as 
reviewing official for a Twilight Tattoo at the Ellipse on the 
grounds of the White House; and
	WHEREAS, After an outstanding career in the armed services of 
his country, T. R. Fehrenbach has established himself as one of the 
most highly regarded historians of Texas and the American military, 
and it is a pleasure to recognize his tremendous contributions to 
this nation and the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 78th Texas 
Legislature hereby honor T. R. Fehrenbach for his exceptional 
lifetime achievements and extend to him its deep appreciation for 
his extensive efforts to preserve and interpret the heritage of 
this state; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 
prepared for Mr. Fehrenbach as an expression of high regard by the 
Texas House of Representatives.