H.R. No. 638

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, Family and friends will forever treasure their memories of decorated World War II veteran Harvey Kenneth Burrow, who died on January 12, 2004, at the age of 86; and

WHEREAS, Harvey Burrow was born in Knox County on May 17, 1917, to Hiram and Vera Burrow; the son of sharecroppers, he learned the value of hard work at an early age, and on his 21st birthday in 1938, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and became a member of the army's first parachute unit, the 501st Parachute Infantry Battalion; he went on to serve in Company C of the elite 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion, an independent unit of 800 men that was assigned wherever it was most needed; and

WHEREAS, In August 1944, Paratrooper Burrow and the 551st participated in the Allied invasion of southern France, where they freed Draguignan against heavy resistance, captured a German major general, and liberated the city of Nice; during the fighting, he earned the nickname "Mule" when he retrieved supplies from a pack mule that had been killed by enemy fire and carried them himself up a hill to relieve another unit; and

WHEREAS, Following several months in the Alps, the 551st took part in the Battle of the Bulge, where Mr. Burrow, now a sergeant, endured bitter cold and took part in brutal hand-to-hand combat, helping to drive the Germans back at Noirefontaine, Herispehe, Dairomont, and Quartiers; he evaded capture at one point by hiding in a freezing river and breathing through a reed, and when army doctors wanted to amputate his frozen legs, he held them at bay with an unloaded pistol and massaged his legs until the circulation was restored; on January 7, 1945, the 551st took the city of Rochelinval, but by now, the unit had lost 85 percent of its men, with only 14 officers and 96 troops remaining; and

WHEREAS, After a month in the hospital, Sergeant Burrow was assigned to the 508th Parachute Infantry Battalion of the 82nd Airborne Division, and he took part in the advance across the Elbe River, where the 82nd Airborne accepted the surrender of the German 21st Army on May 2, 1945; discharged later that year, he continued to serve in the Texas National Guard; and

WHEREAS, This intrepid Texan was awarded two Bronze Stars, four Purple Hearts, the Good Conduct Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge; the 551st was recognized with a Presidential Unit Citation for its efforts at the Battle of the Bulge and with the Croix de Guerre from the French government for its valor at Draguignan; and

WHEREAS, After the war, Mr. Burrow lived for many years in Premont, where he worked for the Sun Oil Company until his retirement in 1984; he and his wife, Martha, shared a rewarding marriage that spanned 50 years, and he was the proud father of four children, Kenny, Carolyn, Debra, and Tammy; and

WHEREAS, During the greatest conflict of the 20th century, Harvey Burrow exemplified the highest ideals of the U.S. armed forces, conducting himself with fortitude, tenacity, and courage during some of the fiercest fighting of the war, and he leaves behind a record of service to his country that will continue to inspire all those who knew and loved him; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Harvey Kenneth Burrow for his heroic efforts on behalf of this nation during World War II; 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 Harvey Burrow.

Harris of Anderson

______________________________ Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 638 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on March 30, 2023.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House