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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 37
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WHEREAS, Sixty years ago, in July 1953, Major Richard |
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S. Agnew of Plano demonstrated extraordinary courage and |
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determination while fighting for his nation during the Korean |
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War; and |
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WHEREAS, Dick Agnew enlisted in the United States Army in |
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Massachusetts in 1947, rising through the ranks of the airborne |
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infantry to attend Officer Candidate School and earn a commission |
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as a second lieutenant in 1952; and |
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WHEREAS, On the night of July 19, 1953, while serving with |
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the 40th Infantry Division near Heartbreak Ridge, Lieutenant |
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Agnew was leading a patrol in the dark through enemy territory |
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when he and his assistant patrol leader fell off a cliff; unable |
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to move quickly because of a broken ankle, Lieutenant Agnew sent |
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the patrol back while he and the other man remained behind; and |
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WHEREAS, The following night, Lieutenant Agnew and his |
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companion scaled the cliff and started back toward their own |
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lines; after the lieutenant repelled an enemy attacker with a |
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hand grenade, the two Americans were separated by enemy fire, and |
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Lieutenant Agnew was wounded; exhausted as well as injured, the |
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lieutenant then fought hand-to-hand with another enemy soldier |
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before he was finally rescued by a United Nations patrol; and |
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WHEREAS, In recognition of his heroic struggle that night, |
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Lieutenant Agnew received the Distinguished Service Cross and |
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the Purple Heart; he earned promotion to captain, and he went on |
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to serve as a major in the United States Army Reserve; and |
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WHEREAS, When he returned to civilian life, Major Agnew |
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received a bachelor's degree cum laude in business |
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administration from Suffolk University in Boston and embarked |
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upon a successful business career; now retired and living in |
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Plano, Major Agnew is a member of the board of directors of the |
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Legion of Valor and the commander of the Dallas chapter, and he |
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has served as a director of the Veterans of Foreign Wars |
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Foundation; and |
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WHEREAS, From his actions during the Korean War through his |
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lifetime of advocacy for veterans, Major Dick Agnew has embodied |
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the highest ideals of the United States armed forces, and he is |
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indeed deserving of recognition on this special anniversary for |
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his courage, dedication, and patriotism; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, |
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83rd Legislature, 2nd Called Session, hereby commemorate the |
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60th anniversary of Major Richard S. Agnew's heroism during the |
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Korean War and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued |
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happiness; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be |
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prepared for Major Agnew as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas Senate. |
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Paxton |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on July 12, 2013. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |