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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Words cannot adequately express the heartache felt |
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at the loss of United States Army Sergeant Samuel E. Kelsey of |
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Troup, who died in Iraq on December 13, 2007, at the age of 24; and |
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WHEREAS, A combat engineer, Sergeant Kelsey was assigned to |
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the 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, |
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3rd Infantry Division, and based at Fort Stewart, Georgia; he was |
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mortally wounded in Tunnis as he was trying to rescue another member |
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of his unit who had been felled by an explosion; and |
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WHEREAS, Sam Kelsey was born on June 28, 1983, and attended |
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elementary and junior high school in Winona before moving to Troup, |
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where he graduated from high school in 2001; his youth was filled |
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with such activities as Little League and fishing and was spent |
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among a wide circle of friends whom he considered family; and |
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WHEREAS, This courageous Texan joined the army in March 2003; |
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he was stationed for a time at Fort Leonard Wood and saw duty in |
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Korea before being posted to Fort Stewart in March 2007; the |
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following October, he was deployed on his second tour in Iraq; and |
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WHEREAS, From the time he was a boy, Sam Kelsey won the hearts |
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of all who knew him; his sunny, irrepressible nature as well as his |
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gift for friendship and his genuine concern for others have left his |
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loved ones with a rich legacy of cherished memories; as a soldier, |
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his pride in serving his country and his determination to protect |
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those under his command have also left a lasting impression; on |
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December 23, 2007, at the instigation of his commanding officer, |
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Patrol Base Kelsey was named in his honor; and |
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WHEREAS, Charged with a difficult mission, Sergeant Kelsey |
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responded with unfaltering courage, and his service and sacrifice |
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are deserving of honor by every American; 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 Sergeant Samuel E. |
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Kelsey and extend sincere sympathy to his mother, Denina Kelsey, |
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and to his other relatives and friends; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the members of his family and that when the Texas House |
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of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Sergeant |
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Samuel E. Kelsey. |