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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Gold Star Mother Oleta Smith of Dumas commemorated |
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the heroic sacrifice of her son during the Vietnam War by |
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representing the families of the fallen at the groundbreaking |
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ceremony for the Texas Capitol Vietnam Veterans Memorial on March |
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25, 2013; and |
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WHEREAS, During an attack on a Special Forces base in Dar Lac |
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province, Vietnam, on August 23, 1968, Mrs. Smith's son, U.S. Army |
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Sergeant James Warren Smith, lost his life while saving the life of |
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another young soldier, Linwood Hughes of North Carolina; in the |
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moments before Sergeant Smith died, Mr. Hughes solemnly promised to |
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tell the sergeant's family of his strength and courage at the end; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Because Sergeant Smith's name was a common one, it |
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took many years for Mr. Hughes to find his family, but at last, in |
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2000, he shared an emotional 90-minute phone conversation with Mrs. |
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Smith about her son and his valor; later that year, Mr. Hughes met |
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with Mrs. Smith and other members of her family at Sergeant Smith's |
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gravesite at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio; and |
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WHEREAS, This year, Mrs. Smith, at the age of 95, braved the |
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wind and chill of a March day in Texas to turn a spade of earth for |
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the Texas Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the grounds of the State |
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Capitol in Austin; due to be dedicated in the fall of 2013, this |
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inspiring 14-foot-high bronze sculpture of an infantry patrol will |
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pay tribute to the half million Texans who served in the war, the |
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3,417 among them who died, the 105 who still remain missing, and the |
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17 who earned the Medal of Honor; and |
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WHEREAS, The struggle against communism in behalf of the free |
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people of South Vietnam cost the lives of many brave young |
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Americans, a toll that has perhaps weighed heaviest on the mothers |
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of those who died; for 45 years, Oleta Smith has borne the sorrow of |
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losing her only son and has remained steadfast in honoring his |
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commitment, courage, and patriotism; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby commend Oleta Smith for participating in the |
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groundbreaking ceremony for the Texas Capitol Vietnam Veterans |
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Memorial and extend to her sincere condolences for her loss; and, be |
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it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mrs. Smith as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |
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Price |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 2974 was adopted by the House on May |
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26, 2013, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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