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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Jay T. Kimbrough rendered exemplary service to this |
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country as a member of the United States Marine Corps during the |
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Vietnam War, and in honor of the 3,416 Texans who died in that |
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conflict, he is leading a ceremonial procession down Congress |
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Avenue in Austin on October 15, 2011; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Dallas in 1947, Jay Kimbrough grew up in the |
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South Oak Cliff area; he accumulated enough credits to graduate |
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from high school a semester early and enlisted in the Marine Corps |
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in January 1966; after completing boot camp in San Diego, he arrived |
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in Vietnam in August 1966 and was assigned to Company A, 1st |
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Battalion, 3rd Marines; and |
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WHEREAS, On May 10, 1967, during Operation UNION 1, Lance |
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Corporal Kimbrough's platoon was sent to reinforce members of the |
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5th Marines who were heavily engaged with a large force of Viet Cong |
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and North Vietnamese Army troops; the helicopter Corporal Kimbrough |
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was riding in was shot down, and he was severely wounded; he and his |
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fellow survivors remained under intense small arms and automatic |
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weapons fire and were unable to move; and |
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WHEREAS, The platoon sergeant, Jimmie L. West, determined the |
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location of the helicopter and moved out through heavy enemy fire |
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until he reached Corporal Kimbrough and the other survivors; |
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Sergeant West then covered them on the way back, delivering |
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suppressive fire as he brought them to safety; and |
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WHEREAS, Corporal Kimbrough was flown to the hospital ship, |
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USS Sanctuary, for treatment, while Operation UNION 1 continued; on |
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May 12, Company D, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines engaged a huge North |
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Vietnamese Army force and suffered high casualties, including |
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Cloyde Pinson, Jr., one of Jay Kimbrough's closest friends from |
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Dallas; and |
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WHEREAS, Corporal Kimbrough was medically evacuated to the |
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Corpus Christi Naval Air Station Hospital and was a patient there |
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for his remaining eight months in service; and |
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WHEREAS, Among the decorations conferred on Mr. Kimbrough are |
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the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the |
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Vietnam Campaign Medal, two Presidential Unit Citations, the |
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Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, the Purple Heart, and the |
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Rifle Sharpshooter; and |
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WHEREAS, Discharged from the Marine Corps on February 23, |
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1968, Corporal Kimbrough returned to his hometown, where he |
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attended Southern Methodist University with the help of the GI |
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Bill; after graduating with a bachelor's degree in business |
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administration, he earned a juris doctorate from South Texas |
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College of Law; he subsequently served in the United States Navy |
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Judge Advocate General's Corps from 1978 to 1984, attaining the |
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rank of lieutenant commander; he has since continued his dedication |
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to public service through his notable work for the State of Texas; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Jay Kimbrough, like many Vietnam War veterans, met |
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with resistance and ingratitude for his military service after |
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returning to the United States; he has devoted much of his life to |
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ensuring that the courage and patriotism of his friend Cloyde |
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Pinson and the many other fallen Texas heroes are not forgotten by |
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future generations; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Jay T. Kimbrough for his distinguished |
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military service and commend him for his ongoing efforts to |
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commemorate those Texans who made the ultimate sacrifice in |
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Vietnam; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That Mr. Kimbrough be presented with the flags |
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flown over the Texas Capitol on October 15, 2011, as an expression |
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of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |