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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, On June 6, 2019, Americans and freedom-loving people |
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from around the globe will pause to reflect, honor, and commemorate |
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the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion by principally American, |
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British, and Canadian military troops by amphibious assault from |
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the English Channel on the beaches of Normandy, France, and via |
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airborne assault in the French countryside by their fellow |
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paratroopers, totaling nearly 160,000 men, this military campaign |
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code-named "Operation Overlord" significantly led to the ultimate |
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liberation of Europe and the end of World War II; and |
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WHEREAS, Though Germany's Third Reich was suffering heavy |
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military losses on the Eastern Front, it still controlled much of |
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Europe; after entering the war in December 1941, U.S. armed forces |
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joined with other Allied forces to drive the German Africa Corps out |
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of North Africa in May 1943, and in July of that year, the American |
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and British forces began the liberation of Europe with the invasion |
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of Sicily; by the summer of 1944, World War II had been raging for |
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nearly five years; and |
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WHEREAS, Planning for an Allied invasion across the English |
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Channel subsequently commenced, and in January 1944, General Dwight |
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D. Eisenhower was appointed as commander of Operation Overlord; |
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faced with a 2,400-mile German defensive line of bunkers, land |
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mines, and beach obstacles known as the Atlantic Wall, the Allies |
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began to train a force of American, British, and Canadian troops in |
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Britain; and |
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WHEREAS, In the months leading up to the invasion, the |
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British and American air forces flew 200,000 sorties and dropped |
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195,000 tons of bombs on German installations in France, attacking |
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rail centers, airfields, military bases, radar stations, and |
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coastal artillery batteries; the Allies also engaged in an |
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extensive deception operation intended to fool the Germans into |
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thinking the invasion would take place near Pas-de-Calais, instead |
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of the real target, the coast of Normandy; and |
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WHEREAS, Late in the day of June 5, 1944, almost 6,000 ships |
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and landing craft loaded with troops and supplies left Britain and |
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started across the English Channel toward France; that night, |
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approximately 800 aircraft carrying paratroopers and towing |
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gliders dropped members of the American 82nd and 101st Airborne |
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Divisions and the British 6th Airborne Division behind enemy lines |
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in Normandy; and |
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WHEREAS, At 6:30 a.m. on June 6, 1944, the first of 156,000 |
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Allied troops landed on the shores of Normandy; the soldiers at the |
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beachheads of Gold, Juno, Sword, and Utah met light German |
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resistance, but at Omaha Beach, the U.S. 1st Division encountered |
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strong Wehrmacht defenses; the Americans fought for every inch of |
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ground, suffering more than 2,000 casualties before finally seizing |
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control and taking the beach; and |
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WHEREAS, A week later, the coast was completely under Allied |
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command, and over 326,000 troops, 50,000 vehicles, and 100,000 tons |
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of equipment had been landed; by the end of August 1944, the Allies |
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had liberated Paris and driven the Germans out of northwestern |
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France; there was much hard fighting to come as the Allies advanced |
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east into Germany, but less than a year after D-Day, on May 8, 1945, |
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the Allies accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, One of the greatest military feats in history, the |
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Normandy invasion is a testament to the bold leadership and |
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logistical skill of General Eisenhower and the Allied command, but |
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in the end, the success of the operation relied heavily on the |
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determination and courage of the troops who waded through the surf |
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into a hail of machine gun bullets, who rode gliders in the dark |
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through bursts of antiaircraft fire, and who parachuted into the |
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French countryside occupied by the enemy; and |
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WHEREAS, The heroism and sacrifice of these soldiers, airmen, |
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and sailors were essential in liberating a continent and ending one |
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of the most brutal dictatorships of the 20th century, and |
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succeeding generations owe them a debt of gratitude that time can |
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never erase; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day |
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invasion and pay tribute to the veterans who participated and to |
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those who lost their lives. |
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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. 2209 was adopted by the House on May |
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27, 2019, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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