SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 505

WHEREAS, The courageous service of U.S. Army Captain Henry T. Waskow of Belton during World War II has inspired his fellow Americans for nearly 80 years; and

WHEREAS, In January 1944, The Washington Daily News ran a profoundly moving dispatch by legendary World War II correspondent Ernie Pyle on its front page; the story related the tragic death of Captain Waskow, who led B Company of the 1st Battalion, 143rd Infantry Regiment, and had earned the tremendous respect, loyalty, and affection of the men under his command before being killed in action; and

WHEREAS, Captain Waskow first experienced combat during the landings in Salerno, Italy, in September 1943; subsequently, his company fought in the mountains of southern Italy, enduring miserable, freezing conditions; he impressed his men with his efficiency and his calm demeanor, even under artillery and machine gun fire; on December 14, during the ferocious battle for San Pietro, he was leading his men from a tree line to attack a German position when he heard an incoming artillery shell; he shoved his radio operator, crying "Hit the ground!," but he was cut down himself by a piece of shrapnel; and

WHEREAS, When it was at last possible for the radio operator to bring Captain Waskow's body back down the mountain three days later, Mr. Pyle witnessed the final farewells of the captain's grief-stricken men and wrote, "In this war I have known a lot of officers who were loved and respected by the soldiers under them. But never have I crossed the trail of any man as beloved as Captain Henry T. Waskow of Belton, Texas"; the heartbreaking account, syndicated by the Scripps-Howard news service and read over the radio, resonated powerfully with the American public as an illustration of humble nobility and the strong bonds of camaraderie forged in wartime; and

WHEREAS, Henry T. Waskow was born in DeWitt County on September 24, 1918, to Frank and Mary Waskow, first-generation Americans of German descent; he grew up on a farm in Bell County with seven siblings; quiet, serious, dutiful, and industrious, he graduated as president of his class at Belton High School and attended Temple Junior College before working his way through Trinity University as a campus janitor; he enlisted in the Texas National Guard while preparing for a career in teaching, and after he was called to active duty, he rose quickly through the ranks; in January 1943, he was promoted to captain, and his division was deployed to Algeria that April; and

WHEREAS, Captain Waskow's grave near Nettuno, Italy, has been visited by countless people, and he is not forgotten at home; VFW Post No. 4008 in Belton and the Belton New Tech High School @Waskow are named in his honor; and

WHEREAS, Exemplifying the highest ideals of the U.S. armed forces, Captain Henry T. Waskow has long been revered as a moving example of the heroism demonstrated by American service members as well as the sacrifices made in defense of our nation, and it is indeed fitting to further honor his memory by commemorating the anniversary of his birth; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas 88th Legislature, hereby recognize September 24, 2023, as Captain Henry T. Waskow Day.

Flores

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President of the Senate

I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on May 2, 2023.

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Secretary of the Senate

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Member, Texas Senate