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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Family and friends will forever treasure their |
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memories of Gregorio C. Barrera of Rio Grande City, who died on |
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April 16, 2015, at the age of 98; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Rio Grande City on March 12, 1917, to Antonio |
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and Genoveva Barrera, Gregorio Barrera was a proud veteran of the |
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U.S. Army who survived one of the most harrowing episodes in World |
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War II, the Bataan Death March; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Barrera volunteered for the army in 1941, and he |
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was already serving in the Philippines when the Japanese attacked |
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Pearl Harbor; in April 1942, he was one of 76,000 American and |
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Filipino soldiers who had no choice but to surrender to the Japanese |
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Army at Bataan; the prisoners were forced to march 70 miles in six |
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days through brutal heat with little food or water, and |
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approximately 10,000 of them died of disease or were killed by their |
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captors; the stronger of the survivors, including Mr. Barrera, were |
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shipped to a POW camp in Osaka, Japan, where many more perished |
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because of forced labor, starvation, and the denial of medical |
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care; and |
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WHEREAS, Relying upon his strong religious faith and his |
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indomitable will, Mr. Barrera survived until Japan was defeated and |
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the camp was liberated in 1945; he recuperated at military |
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hospitals in the Philippines and San Antonio before returning to |
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civilian life in Rio Grande City, where for many years he shared the |
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details of his ordeal with only a few people; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Barrera was joined in matrimony to Teresa |
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Hernandez in 1949, and they enjoyed their lives together until her |
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death in January 2015; he was the father of five children, Gregorio, |
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Sylvia, and Ruben, as well as Juan Jose and Irma, who preceded him |
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in death; later in life, he was blessed with 13 grandchildren, 17 |
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great-grandchildren, and a great-great-grandchild; and |
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WHEREAS, After working as a janitor for a time, Mr. Barrera |
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joined the U.S. Postal Service in 1957, and he served as a postal |
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carrier until his retirement; he was a member of the Immaculate |
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Conception Catholic Church and the Rio Grande City chapter of the |
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Knights of Columbus; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1988, Mr. Barrera's wartime sacrifice was |
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recognized when the City of Rio Grande named a plaza in his honor, |
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and in 2013, the plaza was renovated and rededicated in his honor; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, A loving husband, a devoted father, and an American |
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hero, Gregorio Barrera survived the darkest trials of war and came |
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home to create a rich and fulfilling life for himself and his family |
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and to inspire others with his bravery and determination; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Gregorio C. Barrera |
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and extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his |
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children, Gregorio Barrera Jr. and his wife, Cynthia, Sylvia De La |
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Garza and her husband, Eduardo, and Ruben Barrera and his wife, |
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Silvestra; to his 13 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, and 1 |
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great-great-grandchild; and to his other relatives and friends; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Gregorio C. |
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Barrera. |