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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The city of San Antonio lost a distinguished citizen |
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with the death of General Robert Tralles Herres on July 24, 2008, at |
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the age of 75; and |
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WHEREAS, Robert Herres was born in Denver in 1932 to F. |
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Willard and Edna Herres; after graduating from the U.S. Naval |
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Academy in 1954, he entered the U.S. Air Force; and |
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WHEREAS, This outstanding officer's early career in the Air |
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Force included assignments as a fighter pilot, an air electronics |
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maintenance officer, a flying instructor, and a technical |
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intelligence analyst; and |
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WHEREAS, After graduating from the Aerospace Research Pilot |
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School, General Herres was assigned to the Manned Orbiting |
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Laboratory as a crew member in 1967; he went on to command the 449th |
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Bombardment Wing, the 310th Strategic Wing, the Air Force |
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Communications Command, and the 8th Air Force of the Strategic Air |
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Command; and |
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WHEREAS, General Herres became commander of the North |
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American Aerospace Defense Command and the U.S. Air Force Space |
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Command in 1984, and the following year he became the first |
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commander-in-chief of the U.S. Space Command; in 1987, he became |
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vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the second-ranking |
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officer in the U.S. military, a position he held until his |
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retirement in 1990; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the course of his exemplary military career, |
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General Herres earned the Bronze Star, the Defense Distinguished |
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Service Medal, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit |
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with oak leaf cluster, and many other commendations; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1990, General Herres went to work for USAA in San |
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Antonio, becoming chair and CEO of the company in 1993, and he |
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expanded coverage to encompass enlisted men and women before |
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retiring in 2002; he benefited many worthy organizations with his |
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leadership as well, serving on the national boards of the Boy Scouts |
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of America, Junior Achievement, and the U.S. Naval Academy |
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Foundation; he led the annual campaign for the United Way of San |
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Antonio and Bexar County, and he also served on the boards of VRTX |
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Technologies, Trinity University, and Austin Presbyterian Seminary |
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and was an elder at First Presbyterian Church; and |
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WHEREAS, Robert Herres dedicated his life to the service of |
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his fellow citizens, and memories of this remarkable man will live |
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forever in the hearts of all those who were privileged to know him; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of General Robert T. |
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Herres and extend sincere condolences to the members of his family, |
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whom he deeply loved: to his wife of 51 years, Shirley Herres; to |
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his children, Julie Latenser, Michael Herres, and Jennifer Babeon; |
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to his 10 grandchildren; and to his other relatives and friends; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Robert T. |
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Herres. |