H.R. No. 915
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The family and friends of U.S. Army Specialist
Travis Allen Babbitt of Sabinal suffered an immeasurable loss with
the death of this courageous soldier in Iraq on November 9, 2004, at
the age of 24; and
WHEREAS, Born on March 4, 1980, in Lebanon, Missouri, Mr.
Babbitt graduated from Uvalde High School in 1998; he married Anita
Ortiz on October 15, 1999, and became the devoted father of three
children; and
WHEREAS, Specialist Babbitt had initially served in the army
for four years before reenlisting for six more years, intending to
make the army his career; he was deployed to Iraq in March 2004 and,
after a brief visit home in September, returned on October 11; and
WHEREAS, Assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment,
1st Cavalry Division, Specialist Babbitt was killed when his patrol
was attacked by enemy forces in Baghdad; despite being mortally
wounded, this brave young Texan managed to return fire before
collapsing, saving the lives of his fellow soldiers in the process;
and
WHEREAS, A PBS Frontline episode titled "A Company of
Soldiers" documented the activities of Specialist Babbitt's unit,
Dog Company, and revealed the deep sadness that the members of his
company felt at the news of his death; although his passing has
brought great sorrow to his family, friends, and fellow soldiers,
his heroism will always be remembered; and
WHEREAS, Our state and nation are fortunate to have young men
and women whose love for their country inspires them to military
service, yet the tragic death of this exemplary young man is a
sobering reminder of the cost of war; Americans owe a profound debt
to our nation's servicemen and servicewomen, whose valiant efforts
and enormous sacrifices are deserving of their fellow citizens'
deepest respect and gratitude; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Specialist Travis
Allen Babbitt, United States Army, and extend profound sympathy to
the members of his family: to his wife, Anita; to his children,
Unique, Serenity, and Diego; to his mother, Kathy Hernandez, and
her husband, Barney; to his sister, Crystal Lambert; to his two
nieces; and to his other relatives and friends; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the members of his family and that when the Texas House
of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of U.S.
Army Specialist Travis Allen Babbitt.
Gallego
Craddick Geren Menendez
Allen of Harris Giddings Merritt
Allen of Dallas Gonzales Miller
Alonzo Gonzalez Toureilles Moreno of Harris
Anchia Goodman Moreno of El Paso
Anderson Goolsby Morrison
Bailey Griggs Mowery
Baxter Grusendorf Naishtat
Berman Guillen Nixon
Blake Haggerty Noriega
Bohac Hamilton Oliveira
Bonnen Hamric Olivo
Branch Hardcastle Orr
Brown of Kaufman Harper-Brown Otto
Brown of Brazos Hartnett Paxton
Burnam Hegar Pena
Callegari Herrero Phillips
Campbell Hilderbran Pickett
Casteel Hill Pitts
Castro Hochberg Puente
Chavez Hodge Quintanilla
Chisum Homer Raymond
Coleman Hope Reyna
Cook of Navarro Hopson Riddle
Cook of Colorado Howard Ritter
Corte Hughes Rodriguez
Crabb Hunter Rose
Crownover Hupp Seaman
Davis of Harris Isett Smith of Tarrant
Davis of Dallas Jackson Smith of Harris
Dawson Jones of Lubbock Smithee
Delisi Jones of Dallas Solis
Denny Keel Solomons
Deshotel Keffer of Dallas Strama
Driver Keffer of Eastland Straus
Dukes King of Parker Swinford
Dunnam King of Zavala Talton
Dutton Kolkhorst Taylor
Edwards Krusee Thompson
Eiland Kuempel Truitt
Eissler Laney Turner
Elkins Laubenberg Uresti
Escobar Leibowitz Van Arsdale
Farabee Luna Veasey
Farrar Madden Villarreal
Flores Martinez Vo
Flynn Martinez Fischer West
Frost McCall Wong
Gallego McClendon Woolley
Gattis McReynolds Zedler
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 915 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on April 14, 2005.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House