H.R. No. 601
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
 
         WHEREAS, The family of U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant James
  Calfee of Newgulf are gathered today in solemn remembrance of this
  courageous Texan, who, with 11 of his comrades, gave his life for
  his country on March 11, 1968, in the Vietnam War, and whose heroism
  has been posthumously recognized with the Silver Star; and
         WHEREAS, James Henry Calfee was born in Newgulf in 1932; in
  November 1967, he was one of a select number of highly skilled
  members of the 1st Combat Evaluation Group (CEVG) who were
  assigned, under civilian cover, to staff a radar installation on a
  mountaintop in Laos that was known as Lima Site 85; this top secret
  facility enabled the air force to conduct all-weather bombing raids
  on North Vietnam; and
         WHEREAS, Although Master Sergeant Calfee was an expert in the
  technology used at the site, he was originally not slated to go on
  the mission because of a medical condition; he insisted so strongly
  on participating, however, that his commanding officer gave him a
  waiver; and
         WHEREAS, The installation at Lima Site 85 soon came under
  attack by the North Vietnamese Army, which advanced close enough to
  launch ground assaults on the facility by late January 1968; though
  the members of the CEVG group were technicians and not combat
  troops, they defended themselves bravely; they had been supplied
  with M-16 rifles after their arrival, and Master Sergeant Calfee
  and Chief Master Sergeant Richard L. Etchberger, who had weapons
  experience, trained the other men in the rifle's use; and
         WHEREAS, Early on the morning of March 11, 1968, NVA
  commandos attacked the site, and during the desperate struggle,
  Master Sergeant Calfee was gravely wounded; in spite of his
  injuries, he continued to engage the enemy, and by doing so, he
  enabled some of the other men to reach safety; in the end, 12 of the
  Americans died and 4 escaped by helicopter; and
         WHEREAS, In addition to Master Sergeant Calfee, those who
  fell that day were Lieutenant Colonel Bill Blanton, Chief Master
  Sergeant Etchberger, Technical Sergeants Willis Hall, Melvin
  Holland, Patrick Shannon, Donald Springsteadah, and Herbert Kirk,
  and Staff Sergeants Henry Gish, Don Worley, David Price, and James
  Davis; while the remains of three of these men were returned to the
  United States, Master Sergeant Calfee and eight others who died
  were eventually listed as "killed in action/body not recovered";
  those who perished at Lima Site 85 were each posthumously awarded
  the Bronze Star with Valor, and in 2009, Chief Master Sergeant
  Etchberger was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor; and
         WHEREAS, When more details of this secret operation came to
  light, Master Sergeant Calfee's medal was upgraded to the Silver
  Star, which was presented to his family at Barksdale Air Force Base
  in Louisiana on October 15, 2012; the sergeant's four sisters,
  Rosalie Bacica, Frances Arrington, Carol Turner, and Verna Yeamans,
  as well as his nieces, Debra Morris and Julia Barta, continue to
  honor his memory and to tell the inspiring story of the men of Lima
  Site 85; now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
  Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Master Sergeant James
  Calfee and commemorate his posthumous receipt of the Silver Star;
  and, be it further
         RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
  prepared for his family as an expression of deep appreciation for
  his valiant service in the Vietnam War.
 
  Stephenson
 
 
Straus M. Gonzalez of El Paso Oliveira
 
Allen N. Gonzalez of El Paso Orr
 
Alonzo Gooden Otto
 
Alvarado Guerra Paddie
 
Anchia Guillen Parker
 
Anderson Gutierrez Patrick
 
Ashby Harless Perez
 
Aycock Harper-Brown Perry
 
Bell Hernandez Luna Phillips
 
Bohac Herrero Pickett
 
Bonnen of Brazoria Hilderbran Pitts
 
Bonnen of Galveston Howard Price
 
Branch Huberty Raney
 
Burkett Hughes Ratliff
 
Burnam Hunter Raymond
 
Button Isaac Reynolds
 
Callegari Johnson Riddle
 
Canales Kacal Ritter
 
Capriglione Keffer Rodriguez of Bexar
 
Carter King of Hemphill Rodriguez of Travis
 
Clardy King of Parker Rose
 
Coleman King of Taylor Sanford
 
Collier King of Zavala Schaefer
 
Cook Kleinschmidt Sheets
 
Cortez Klick Sheffield of Bell
 
Craddick Kolkhorst Sheffield of Coryell
 
Creighton Krause Simmons
 
Crownover Kuempel Simpson
 
Dale Larson Smith
 
Darby Laubenberg Smithee
 
Davis of Dallas Lavender Springer
 
J. Davis of Harris Leach Stephenson
 
S. Davis of Harris Lewis Stickland
 
Deshotel Longoria Strama
 
Dukes Lozano Taylor
 
Dutton Lucio III Thompson of Brazoria
 
Eiland Marquez Thompson of Harris
 
Elkins Martinez Toth
 
Fallon Martinez Fischer Turner of Collin
 
Farias McClendon Turner of Harris
 
Farney Menendez Turner of Tarrant
 
Farrar Miles Villalba
 
Fletcher Miller of Comal Villarreal
 
Flynn Miller of Fort Bend Vo
 
Frank Moody Walle
 
Frullo Morrison White
 
Geren Munoz, Jr. Workman
 
Giddings Murphy Wu
 
Goldman Naishtat Zedler
 
Gonzales Nevarez Zerwas
 
  ______________________________
  Speaker of the House     
 
         I certify that H.R. No. 601 was unanimously adopted by a rising
  vote of the House on March 6, 2013.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House