| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, The family and friends of U.S. Army Sergeant |
|
|
Fernando De La Rosa suffered an immeasurable loss with the death of |
|
|
this valiant soldier on October 27, 2009, at the age of 24; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry |
|
|
Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division based at Fort |
|
|
Lewis, Washington, Sergeant De La Rosa was killed when his vehicle |
|
|
was struck by an improvised explosive device in the Arghandab |
|
|
Valley in Afghanistan; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Fernando De La Rosa was born in McAllen on June 21, |
|
|
1985, to Rolando and Rosa De La Rosa and was raised in Alamo; |
|
|
shortly after graduating from Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Memorial High |
|
|
School in 2003, he enlisted in the army and received his basic and |
|
|
advanced infantry training at Fort Benning, Georgia; he served two |
|
|
tours of duty in Iraq, from December 2003 to July 2004 and again |
|
|
from January 2006 to May 2007, and he was also stationed in Germany, |
|
|
Austria, and Italy; at the time of his death, he was serving his |
|
|
first tour in Afghanistan; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, A rifleman, infantry fighting vehicle driver, and |
|
|
ammunition section leader, Sergeant De La Rosa received many |
|
|
decorations during his career, including the Army Commendation |
|
|
Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, two Army Good Conduct Medals, |
|
|
the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the |
|
|
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medals, the Army |
|
|
Service Ribbon, two Overseas Service Ribbons, the Combat |
|
|
Infantryman Badge, the Expert Infantryman Badge, and the Driver and |
|
|
Mechanic Badge; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, In recognition of his final sacrifice, Sergeant De |
|
|
La Rosa was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple |
|
|
Heart, and on December 30, 2009, the Sergeant Fernando De La Rosa |
|
|
Memorial Library was named in his honor in his hometown of Alamo; |
|
|
and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Known as "Nando" to his loved ones, Sergeant De La |
|
|
Rosa was devoted to his wife, Karen, and their sons, Fernando and |
|
|
Juan Carlos, and he maintained close bonds with the other members of |
|
|
his family; his sense of humor was greatly appreciated by all who |
|
|
knew him, and he loved playing football with his father, brothers, |
|
|
cousins, and uncles; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Americans owe a profound debt of gratitude to our |
|
|
nation's servicemen and servicewomen, whose courageous efforts and |
|
|
enormous sacrifices are deserving of their fellow citizens' deepest |
|
|
respect and gratitude; through his unwavering dedication to duty |
|
|
and honor, Fernando De La Rosa embodied the highest ideals of the |
|
|
United States armed forces, and memories of his love and friendship |
|
|
will be forever cherished by those who held him dear; now, |
|
|
therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of U.S. Army Sergeant |
|
|
Fernando De La Rosa and extend sincere sympathy to the members of |
|
|
his family: to his wife, Karen De La Rosa; to his sons, Fernando and |
|
|
Juan Carlos De La Rosa; to his parents, Rosa and Rolando De La Rosa; |
|
|
to his brothers, Rolando, Alfredo, Rogelio, and Rayven De La Rosa; |
|
|
and to his other relatives and friends; and, be it further |
|
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
|
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
|
|
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Fernando De |
|
|
La Rosa. |