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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, December 20, 2009, marks the 20th anniversary of the |
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launch of Operation Just Cause in Panama, and the members of the |
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401st Military Police Company, 720th Military Police Battalion, who |
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served in that campaign are most deserving of special tribute; and |
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WHEREAS, The 401st deployed to Panama in August 1989 to begin |
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a four-month rotation; while there, its duties included conducting |
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jungle patrols and Quick Reaction Force Operations, manning |
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security posts, providing law enforcement, and mounting heavily |
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armed defensive perimeters around the Southern Command |
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headquarters and the American high school in Panama City; and |
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WHEREAS, Conditions in Panama in 1989 were tense, and they |
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became increasingly stressed over the course of the company's |
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deployment; in May 1989, the National Assembly, under the influence |
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of General Manuel Noriega, annulled the result of that month's |
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presidential election; the following October, a coup attempt |
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against the government failed and its participants were executed; |
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to maintain his power, General Noriega relied more and more on a |
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paramilitary force whose lawlessness threatened the lives of U.S. |
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military personnel and foreign nationals; and |
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WHEREAS, Shortly before the 401st was due to return to Fort |
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Hood, President George H. W. Bush decided to remove General Noriega |
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by force; Operation Just Cause was set to begin in the early morning |
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hours of December 20, 1989, with the seizure of strategic |
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installations; before action commenced, the 401st moved out, fully |
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combat loaded, tasked with securing key highways, roads, and |
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facilities and with neutralizing Panamanian Defense Force patrols |
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in its area of operations; and |
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WHEREAS, On the first day of Just Cause, the 401st achieved |
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all of its objectives, including the taking of two locks on the |
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Panama Canal and the capture of one of two bridges over the canal on |
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the Pacific side; the seizure of that bridge was crucial to the |
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movement of U.S. mechanized infantry units that were charged with |
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assaulting targets in Panama City; and |
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WHEREAS, Probably the first military police company to |
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experience hostile fire during Just Cause, the 401st was also the |
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only MP unit to suffer the death of one of its members; Private |
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First Class Scott L. Roth, a machine gunner with the First Platoon, |
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was killed on December 20 during a firefight with a PDF patrol; and |
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WHEREAS, During the next several weeks, the company conducted |
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house-to-house searches, patrolled with repatriated Panamanian |
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police officers, assisted with the establishment of several police |
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stations, provided convoy escorts and security at Tocumen and |
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Torrijos airports, and escorted both prisoners and numerous |
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visiting VIPs; and |
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WHEREAS, The primary objectives of Just Cause were quickly |
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achieved; Guillermo Endara, whose electoral victory had been |
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annulled the previous spring, was inaugurated as president at a |
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U.S. military base immediately before the commencement of the |
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American invasion, and General Noriega surrendered on January 3, |
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1990; three days later, the 401st returned to Fort Hood; and |
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WHEREAS, Collectively, the members of this company were |
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awarded three Purple Hearts, one of them posthumously, together |
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with two Bronze Stars and several Army Commendation Medals; for its |
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overall actions, the company received the Valorous Unit Award; and |
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WHEREAS, The members of the 401st MP Company played an |
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instrumental role in restoring democratic governance in the |
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Republic of Panama, and all who served during that operation can |
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take pride in a job well done; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby recognize December 20, |
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2009, as a Day of Remembrance in honor of the members of the 401st |
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Military Police Company who took part in Operation Just Cause and |
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extend to those courageous individuals sincere appreciation for |
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their service and sacrifice in this country's behalf; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the 401st Military Police Company as an expression of |
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high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |
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Davis of Harris |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 66 was adopted by the House on July 2, |
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2009, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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