H.R. No. 104

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, The life of a highly respected war correspondent and author drew to a close with the passing of Joe Galloway on August 18, 2021, at the age of 79; and

WHEREAS, Born on November 13, 1941, in Refugio, Joseph Lee Galloway Jr. was the son of Joseph Galloway Sr. and Marian Dewvell Galloway; less than a month after his birth, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor brought the United States into World War II, and his father and many of his uncles joined the military; concern about their well-being colored his family life throughout his early childhood and influenced his later decision to become a wartime journalist; and

WHEREAS, After first being hired by The Advocate newspaper in Victoria at age 17, Mr. Galloway went to work for United Press International, and his foreign assignments for the company ultimately included postings to Japan, Indonesia, India, Singapore, and Russia; as the possibility of direct U.S. military intervention in Vietnam grew larger in the early 1960s, he made repeated requests to be transferred to the country; in April 1965, he got his wish, arriving in Saigon shortly after the first U.S. combat troops were deployed; and

WHEREAS, Thrust into a war zone as a young reporter, Mr. Galloway became both a firsthand witness and a participant in one of the war's major battles; during the four-day clash at Ia Drang in November 1965, he was embedded with the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Harold Moore; he armed himself as he accompanied the troops through the jungles of Vietnam's Central Highlands, and he would later be recognized with a Bronze Star with "V" device for his heroism in rescuing wounded soldiers under enemy fire; he was the only civilian to be awarded an army medal of valor for actions in combat during that conflict; and

WHEREAS, Though he grew disillusioned with the war, Mr. Galloway strove to report on the events that transpired with accuracy and objectivity, and he developed a deep sense of loyalty and appreciation for the soldiers who were risking their lives on the battlefield; the close friendship that he formed with Harold Moore, who was later promoted to the rank of lieutenant general, would lead to their collaboration on the book We Were Soldiers Once . . . and Young, which was published in 1992 and adapted into the film We Were Soldiers; the book drew on articles Mr. Galloway had authored on the Battle of Ia Drang for U.S. News & World Report, and his writing in that series was honored with a National Magazine Award in 1991; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Galloway and General Moore subsequently worked together on a sequel, We Are Soldiers Still: A Journey Back to the Battlefields of Vietnam, that was published in 2008; in the forward of that book, Mr. Galloway was hailed by General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, commander of allied forces in the Persian Gulf War, as "the finest combat correspondent of our generation--a soldier's reporter and a soldier's friend"; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Galloway's journalism career also included assignments for Knight Ridder Newspapers; in 2003, he was among a group of reporters with that company who challenged the George W. Bush administration about the information that was being used to justify the invasion of Iraq; this incident was later dramatized in the 2017 film Shock and Awe; an outspoken critic of war, Mr. Galloway was equally a steadfast supporter of American soldiers and veterans, who he believed deserved the full measure of funding that was needed to help them after they returned to their civilian lives; and

WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Galloway enjoyed the love and support of his wife, Dr. Grace Lim Galloway; his family included two sons, Lee and Josh, and a stepdaughter, Li Mei, along with five grandchildren, Joaquin, Julian, Jemma, Connor, and Jae Li; and

WHEREAS, Joe Galloway's career was defined by his deep empathy for the sacrifices made by military service members and his enduring dedication to journalistic integrity, and he leaves behind a remarkable legacy that will continue to be admired for years to come; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas Legislature, 2nd Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of Joseph Lee Galloway Jr. and extend sincere condolences to his relatives and friends; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Joe Galloway.

Fierro

______________________________ Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 104 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on September 2, 2021.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House