H.R. No. 1143



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Members of the Segura-McDonald Veterans of Foreign 
Wars Post No. 5615 of El Paso are celebrating their organization's 
60th anniversary on April 16, 2005; and
	WHEREAS, Upholding its motto of honoring the dead by helping 
the living, the post has ably served the veterans of the El Paso 
community for six decades; and
	WHEREAS, Founded in 1945, Post No. 5615 was named in honor of 
two exemplary patriots, Staff Sergeant Roque Segura and Master 
Sergeant Felix McDonald, both of whom gave their lives in World War 
II to protect the ideals on which our great nation was founded; and
	WHEREAS, Born in Candelaria in 1917, Staff Sergeant Segura 
attended El Paso schools and enlisted in the National Guard in 1940; 
he was deployed to North Africa in 1943 and was killed, bravely 
advancing in the face of enemy fire during the crossing of the 
Rapido River in Italy on January 22, 1944; highly decorated for his 
meritorious service, Sergeant Segura received a host of medals, 
including the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart, 
posthumously; and
	WHEREAS, Master Sergeant McDonald was born in Mexico and 
fought in three wars, the Mexican Revolution, World War I, and World 
War II; a man of unparalleled courage, he sustained serious 
injuries in France during World War I, for which he received a 
Purple Heart, and he reenlisted 25 years later as an engineer to 
continue serving his country during World War II; tragically killed 
on July 10, 1943, while clearing a minefield in Normandy for 
advancing troops, he was posthumously awarded his second Purple 
Heart, a Legion of Merit, and a presidential citation; and
	WHEREAS, Those individuals who have given of themselves in 
defense of their country are truly deserving of every American's 
admiration and gratitude, and it is indeed fitting at this time to 
pay tribute to the many heroic veterans of VFW Post No. 5615; now, 
therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas 
Legislature hereby congratulate the members of Veterans of Foreign 
Wars Post No. 5615 on their organization's 60th anniversary and 
honor all the men and women who have served in our nation's armed 
forces, especially those who have made the ultimate sacrifice; and, 
be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 
prepared for Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 5615 as an expression 
of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.

                                                                          Chavez

                                                  ______________________________
                                                       Speaker of the House     

	I certify that H.R. No. 1143 was adopted by the House on May 
9, 2005, by a non-record vote.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                     Chief Clerk of the House