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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 140
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In Memory |
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of |
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Thomas E. Creek |
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WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is proud to pay |
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tribute to the life and legacy of Thomas E. Creek, who died in the |
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line of duty on February 13, 1969, while serving the nation in |
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Vietnam; and |
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WHEREAS, Thomas Creek was born April 7, 1950, in Joplin, |
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Missouri; he grew up in Amarillo and graduated from Palo Duro |
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High School, where he was a member of the band; and |
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WHEREAS, He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on |
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January 16, 1968, and completed his basic training at Camp |
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Pendleton; he was transferred to Vietnam and was serving as a fire |
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team leader with the 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division |
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when he valiantly gave his life in service to his country; and |
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WHEREAS, Lance Corporal Creek's unit came under heavy enemy |
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fire near the resettlement village of Cam Lo; while moving to a |
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position from which he could better return fire, he was seriously |
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wounded and fell into a gully alongside several of his fellow |
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Marines; when an enemy grenade fell in their midst, Lance Corporal |
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Creek, without a thought for his own safety, rolled onto the grenade |
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and absorbed the blast, courageously saving the lives of five |
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Marines; and |
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WHEREAS, He was awarded the nation's highest accolade, the |
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Medal of Honor, for his heroism, and he is Amarillo's only |
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recipient and the youngest Texan to ever be awarded the medal; |
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his other medals include the Purple Heart, the National Defense |
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Service Medal, and the Vietnam Service Medal with two bronze |
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stars; it is truly fitting that he be posthumously honored by the |
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Texas Senate; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 86th |
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Legislature, hereby pay tribute to the life and indomitable |
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spirit of Thomas E. Creek; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in |
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honor of his heroic service. |
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Seliger |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on February 7, 2019, by |
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a rising vote. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |