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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Retired U.S. Navy commander Charles Stackhouse is |
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celebrating his 69th birthday on March 13, 2009, and this occasion |
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provides a welcome opportunity to pay tribute to this heroic |
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veteran of our armed forces; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Wisconsin in 1940 and raised in Ohio, |
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Charlie Stackhouse entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1957 and |
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played for the Navy football team while completing his studies as a |
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midshipman; after graduating from flight training, he joined the |
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VA-76 squadron and was a carrier jet pilot aboard the USS Enterprise |
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and the USS Bonhomme Richard; and |
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WHEREAS, Commander Stackhouse completed 130 combat missions |
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in the course of his career, but a fateful flight on April 25, 1967, |
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changed the course of his life; while engaged in aerial combat over |
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North Vietnam, his plane was shot down, and he was captured by the |
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enemy; a prisoner of war for nearly six years, this courageous |
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officer was able to endure the hardships of confinement thanks to |
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his spiritual faith, his patriotic ideals, and the support of his |
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fellow prisoners; and |
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WHEREAS, After gaining his freedom, Commander Stackhouse |
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continued his naval service and furthered his education by |
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graduating from the MBA program at Southern Methodist University |
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and the U.S. Navy Legal School, in addition to completing other |
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courses of study; he distinguished himself in several senior |
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managerial positions and ultimately retired from the Navy in 1996; |
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during his years in uniform, he earned numerous decorations, |
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including the Silver Star, the Distinguished Service Medal, 2 |
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Purple Hearts, 10 Air Medals, and the Legion of Merit and the Bronze |
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Star, both with "V" designations; and |
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WHEREAS, Commander Stackhouse and his wife, Wilma, reside in |
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East Texas, where they enjoy spending time on their farm with their |
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horses, Sadie and Cinnamon, their dogs, Callie, Annie, and Buddie, |
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and their cat, Tiger; Mr. Stackhouse frequently makes speeches in |
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Texas and around the country in which he recounts his experiences |
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and the lessons he learned in the course of his valiant service; and |
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WHEREAS, An admirable American who bravely served his country |
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and persevered in the face of extreme difficulty, Charles |
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Stackhouse has fulfilled the highest expectations of the United |
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States armed forces, and it is a pleasure to extend birthday |
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greetings to him and to commend him for his outstanding military |
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career; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Charles Stackhouse on the occasion of his |
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69th birthday and extend to him best wishes for continued |
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happiness; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Commander Stackhouse as an expression of high regard |
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by the Texas House of Representatives. |