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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The SSgt. Willie De Leon Civic Center in Uvalde is |
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being rededicated on May 27, 2013, providing a fitting opportunity |
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to celebrate the memory of one of that community's most decorated |
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veterans; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of a Terlingua miner, Guillermo De Leon was |
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born in Big Bend on June 25, 1919, and grew up in Uvalde; he gained |
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his strong work ethic at an early age, learning the stonemason and |
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bricklayer's trade on Civilian Conservation Corps projects in |
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Arizona and Texas during the Great Depression; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. De Leon was inducted into the U.S. Army in 1940, |
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and during World War II he served in the 36th Infantry Division in |
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North Africa, Italy, Austria, Germany, and France; early in the |
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war, Mr. De Leon made the rank of staff sergeant, becoming one of |
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the first Mexican American noncommissioned officers and one of the |
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first to command Anglo troops; and |
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WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant De Leon led a squad of 12 men in the |
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first wave of the amphibious landing at Salerno, Italy, in |
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September 1943, wading through a hail of tracer bullets and the |
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bodies of fallen comrades; the following year, he was a member of |
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Company E of the 141st Infantry Regiment, the all-Mexican American |
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unit that led the attack at the crossing of the Rapido River; in |
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that infamous assault, 110 men started across the river, and Staff |
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Sergeant De Leon was one of only 26 men who survived; and |
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WHEREAS, Later in the war, Staff Sergeant De Leon supervised |
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the construction of a prisoner-of-war camp and served as its |
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warden; he mustered out at Fort Sam Houston on July 7, 1945, having |
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earned the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart with one |
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cluster, the American Defense Service Medal, the American Campaign |
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Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with four battle stars, |
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and the World War II Victory Medal; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. De Leon returned to Uvalde, where he worked for |
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many years in construction and built a house for himself and his |
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family on Modesta Street; he died on August 23, 1993, and was buried |
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with full military honors in Hillcrest Cemetery, near the final |
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resting place of his son, who was killed in Vietnam in 1968; and |
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WHEREAS, The civic center of Uvalde was subsequently named in |
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honor of this brave American soldier, and the occasion of the |
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center's renovation and rededication is an appropriate time to |
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pause and reflect on his courage, dedication, and patriotism; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the rededication of the |
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SSgt. Willie De Leon Civic Center and pay tribute to the life of |
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Guillermo De Leon. |
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King of Zavala |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1843 was adopted by the House on May |
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8, 2013, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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