| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 2069 |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, Francisco O. Chapa has rendered exemplary service to |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | his nation, his family, and his community, and he is indeed |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | deserving of recognition for his many accomplishments; and |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Chapa was born in Sinton on October 10, 1922; he |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | answered his nation's call to duty with service in the U.S. Army |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | during World War II, during which he participated in the Allied |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | D-Day landings at Normandy and fought under General George Patton |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | at the Battle of the Bulge; he received several commendations for |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | his actions, including the Good Conduct Medal, the World War II |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | Victory Medal, the American Theater Ribbon, the |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Ribbon with Silver Star |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | Device, and the Purple Heart with one Oak Leaf Cluster; and |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | WHEREAS, After concluding his military service in 1947, Mr. |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | Chapa returned home, and on February 27, 1949, he married his wife, |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | Virginia; the couple raised six children, and over the years, the |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | family has grown to include numerous grandchildren; Mr. Chapa was a |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | longtime civil service employee at Naval Air Station Corpus |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | Christi; after retiring from that position, he went to work for Del |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | Mar College; and |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | WHEREAS, Dedicated to the ideal of equality in education, Mr. |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | Chapa worked with Dr. Hector Garcia and the American G.I. Forum to |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | bring a discrimination lawsuit against the school district serving |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | the cities of Sinton and Odem; the case, Chapa v. Odem Independent |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | School District, was decided in Mr. Chapa's favor in 1967, and this |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | development marked an important step in the effort to end |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | institutionalized discrimination against Hispanics in the Lone |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | Star State; and |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | WHEREAS, Through his commitment to the greater good and his |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | bravery in both military combat and in the American struggle for |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | civil rights, Francisco Chapa has set an admirable example for |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | future generations, and his work will long be treasured by his loved |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | ones and all who know this admirable Texan; now, therefore, be it |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | Legislature hereby honor Francisco O. Chapa for his contributions |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | as a soldier and citizen and extend to him sincere best wishes for |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | the future; and, be it further |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | prepared for Mr. Chapa as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | House of Representatives. |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | Castro |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | Ortiz, Jr. |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | Speaker of the House |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | I certify that H.R. No. 2069 was adopted by the House on May |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | 19, 2009, by a non-record vote. |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
|---|