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79R17696 KO-D

By:  Gonzalez Toureilles                                          H.R. No. 1843



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Felix Longoria, a soldier from Three Rivers, gave 
his life during World War II while fighting for the liberties of all 
Americans, and in his death, this Texas hero became a galvanizing 
force for the Mexican American civil rights movement; and
	WHEREAS, Private Longoria grew up in a segregated society, 
one in which those of Mexican descent faced numerous restrictions 
as second-class citizens; he knew equality as an American for only a 
brief time in his life, during his service in the United States 
Army; and
	WHEREAS, Drafted on November 11, 1944, Private Longoria was 
25 when he entered the military, leaving behind a wife and a 
four-year-old daughter; he died on June 15, 1945, killed by a 
Japanese sniper while serving on a voluntary scouting patrol in the 
Cagayan Valley, Luzon, Philippines; and
	WHEREAS, When Private Longoria's remains were returned to the 
States, his widow, Beatriz Longoria, and her sister contacted Dr. 
Hector Garcia, a Corpus Christi physician; the previous year, Dr. 
Garcia had organized the American G.I. Forum to help Latino 
veterans secure the benefits and medical treatment owed them by 
law; and
	WHEREAS, Dr. Garcia sent a request via telegram to 17 
government officials; he also called a meeting of the Corpus 
Christi chapter of the forum to discuss a course of action; during 
the meeting, which drew an attendance of more than 1,000 people, a 
telegram arrived from the state's junior senator, Lyndon B. 
Johnson, saying that he had arranged for Private Longoria to be 
buried in Arlington National Cemetery; and
	WHEREAS, Private Longoria was buried at Arlington on February 
16, 1949; joining his family at the ceremony were Senator Johnson 
and Lady Bird Johnson, Congressman John Lyle, and General Harry H. 
Vaughan, a military aide to President Harry Truman; and
	WHEREAS, Through his pride in his country and his readiness 
to go above and beyond his duty, Felix Longoria typified thousands 
of Latino servicemen, and the shameful treatment initially accorded 
him in death encouraged the American G.I. Forum to expand the scope 
of its efforts and gave forceful impetus to the Mexican American 
civil rights movement; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas 
Legislature hereby pay special tribute to the memory of Private 
Felix Longoria for his selfless devotion to his country and the 
cause of liberty and honor.