|
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
WHEREAS, The Torres family of Dallas has made a significant |
|
contribution to the defense of our nation by sending six brothers to |
|
serve in the United States armed forces, with their combined tenure |
|
in uniform totaling 56 years; and |
|
WHEREAS, These patriotic Texans were born to Vincent and |
|
Manuela Torres, who had met in Texas after immigrating to the United |
|
States from Mexico during their youth; after initially living in |
|
Malakoff, the couple and their children moved to Oak Cliff in 1940, |
|
and the children were students at Crozier Technical High School and |
|
other local schools; and |
|
WHEREAS, In 1944, Rodolfo Torres, the eldest son, turned 18 |
|
and began the family's tradition of military service when he became |
|
a member of the U.S. Army; he fought in the Philippines during the |
|
closing years of World War II and was a member of the Texas National |
|
Guard from 1947 to 1981; and |
|
WHEREAS, Marcos Ruelas Torres followed his older brother into |
|
the army in 1948; he was among the U.S. forces to take part in the |
|
Korean War, suffering both a bullet wound to his hand and frostbite |
|
during desperate winter fighting against Chinese and North Korean |
|
troops, but he survived his combat experiences and returned home in |
|
1951; and |
|
WHEREAS, The next family member to take up arms was Alejandro |
|
Torres, who was a member of the U.S. Navy from 1951 to 1955 and was |
|
assigned to a submarine base in Hawaii for much of his tenure; even |
|
before Alejandro concluded his service, Vicente Torres, Jr., |
|
entered the army and was stationed at Fort Lewis in Washington |
|
during a two-year term of duty that began in 1953; and |
|
WHEREAS, Jose Torres chose to fulfill his military commitment |
|
in the U.S. Air Force from 1958 to 1963 and spent part of that time |
|
at Webb Air Force Base in Big Spring; the last of the brothers to |
|
enter the armed forces was Arturo Torres; while in the army from |
|
1963 to 1969, he fought in Vietnam, marking the third war that a |
|
family member had participated in; and |
|
WHEREAS, These courageous individuals ably carried out their |
|
military duties, and three of the brothers received medals for |
|
their actions; moreover, several of the family members became |
|
active in the American G.I. Forum, which helped to champion the |
|
rights of Hispanic American servicemen; though Rodolfo Torres |
|
passed away in 2009, the rest of the brothers continue to live in |
|
Texas and are staunch advocates of military service, often |
|
encouraging young Latinos to consider enlisting; and |
|
WHEREAS, The members of this remarkable family have |
|
established a notable record of service in behalf of their fellow |
|
citizens, and their sacrifices and contributions are indeed |
|
deserving of recognition; now, therefore, be it |
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
|
Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby pay tribute to Rodolfo, |
|
Marcos, Alejandro, Vicente, Jose, and Arturo Torres for their |
|
valiant service in the armed forces of the United States of America; |
|
and, be it further |
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
prepared for the family as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
|
House of Representatives. |