81R621 JGH-D

By: Hilderbran H.R. No. 37

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, Family, friends, and fellow veterans will forever treasure their memories of retired Brigadier General William Corinth Bacon of Comfort, who died on March 8, 2008, at the age of 88; and

WHEREAS, The son of Dr. W. T. Bacon and Sally Maxie Bacon, William Bacon gave up opportunities to play professional baseball and to attend West Point in order to join the United States Army Flying Cadet Program in September 1940; after training as a pilot at Kelly Field in Texas and receiving his commission as a second lieutenant, he was assigned to the 15th Observation Squadron at Fort Sill, Oklahoma; in 1942, he joined the 344th Squadron of the 98th Bomb Group and began training for combat in World War II; and

WHEREAS, This brave officer saw action in the Middle East and Europe, flying 40 combat missions as a bomber pilot and earning acclaim for his skill and tenacity in the cockpit; on one mission, he lost the hydraulic systems and rudder control on his aircraft but kept his plane aloft and shot down an enemy fighter on his way back to base, where he landed safely with no loss of life to his crew; and

WHEREAS, Following the war, General Bacon attended the Air War College in 1947 and then became commander of the 6th Bombardment Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base; he subsequently served as chief of the plans and programs branch for the director of plans and operations at Air Force headquarters; throughout the 1950s, he held a number of positions in Asia and the United States and returned to Davis-Monthan AFB in 1958 as commander of the 303rd Bombardment Wing; in the 1960s, he was the commander of the 12th and the 22nd Strategic Aerospace Divisions; and

WHEREAS, During the course of his military career, General Bacon's gallantry under fire and his dedication to duty earned him an impressive list of commendations, including the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, the Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Air Force Commendation Medal; and

WHEREAS, After his retirement from military service, General Bacon raised cattle for 30 years on his Arrow-B Ranch in Welfare; he became a licensed veterinarian and an expert horseman as well as a welcome and generous neighbor to many in the Hill Country; and

WHEREAS, In the 1990s, General Bacon founded the Hill Country Veterans Council in order to keep the Kerrville Veterans Administration Hospital from being closed, and he served as the organization's president for three years; the council worked tirelessly to achieve their goal and ultimately were successful in keeping the facility open; and

WHEREAS, General Bill Bacon was both a tough military commander and a warmhearted friend, known for his acts of kindness and his salty sense of humor; his dedication to his country, his community, and to those who served in the U.S. armed forces commands deep respect, and the admirable example of his life will long be remembered; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Brigadier General William Corinth Bacon and offer sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his wife, Helen Bacon; to his daughters, Kay Aubrey and Kari Bowers; to his sons, William S. Bacon and David G. Bacon; to his grandchildren, Renee Pifer Farris, Margret Bacon Hunter, William Bacon, Clint Bowers, and Lindsey Bowers Williams; to his great-grandchildren, Lexis Pifer Farris, Abigail Bacon, Beau Bacon, Shelby Lipe, Rachel Hunter, and Rylee Nicole Williams; and to his other relatives and friends; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of William Corinth Bacon.