H.R. No. 37 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, Family, friends, and fellow veterans will forever treasure their memories of retired Brigadier General William Corinth Bacon of Comfort, who died on March 8, 2008, at the age of 88; and WHEREAS, The son of Dr. W. T. Bacon and Sally Maxie Bacon, William Bacon gave up opportunities to play professional baseball and to attend West Point in order to join the United States Army Flying Cadet Program in September 1940; after training as a pilot at Kelly Field in Texas and receiving his commission as a second lieutenant, he was assigned to the 15th Observation Squadron at Fort Sill, Oklahoma; in 1942, he joined the 344th Squadron of the 98th Bomb Group and began training for combat in World War II; and WHEREAS, This brave officer saw action in the Middle East and Europe, flying 40 combat missions as a bomber pilot and earning acclaim for his skill and tenacity in the cockpit; on one mission, he lost the hydraulic systems and rudder control on his aircraft but kept his plane aloft and shot down an enemy fighter on his way back to base, where he landed safely with no loss of life to his crew; and WHEREAS, Following the war, General Bacon attended the Air War College in 1947 and then became commander of the 6th Bombardment Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base; he subsequently served as chief of the plans and programs branch for the director of plans and operations at Air Force headquarters; throughout the 1950s, he held a number of positions in Asia and the United States and returned to Davis-Monthan AFB in 1958 as commander of the 303rd Bombardment Wing; in the 1960s, he was the commander of the 12th and the 22nd Strategic Aerospace Divisions; and WHEREAS, During the course of his military career, General Bacon's gallantry under fire and his dedication to duty earned him an impressive list of commendations, including the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, the Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Air Force Commendation Medal; and WHEREAS, After his retirement from military service, General Bacon raised cattle for 30 years on his Arrow-B Ranch in Welfare; he became a licensed veterinarian and an expert horseman as well as a welcome and generous neighbor to many in the Hill Country; and WHEREAS, In the 1990s, General Bacon founded the Hill Country Veterans Council in order to keep the Kerrville Veterans Administration Hospital from being closed, and he served as the organization's president for three years; the council worked tirelessly to achieve their goal and ultimately were successful in keeping the facility open; and WHEREAS, General Bill Bacon was both a tough military commander and a warmhearted friend, known for his acts of kindness and his salty sense of humor; his dedication to his country, his community, and to those who served in the U.S. armed forces commands deep respect, and the admirable example of his life will long be remembered; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Brigadier General William Corinth Bacon and offer sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his wife, Helen Bacon; to his daughters, Kay Aubrey and Kari Bowers; to his sons, William S. Bacon and David G. Bacon; to his grandchildren, Renee Pifer Farris, Margret Bacon Hunter, William Bacon, Clint Bowers, and Lindsey Bowers Williams; to his great-grandchildren, Lexis Pifer Farris, Abigail Bacon, Beau Bacon, Shelby Lipe, Rachel Hunter, and Rylee Nicole Williams; and to his other 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 William Corinth Bacon. Hilderbran Straus Gattis Menendez Straus Gattis Menendez Straus Gattis Menendez Allen Geren Merritt Allen Geren Merritt Allen Geren Merritt Alonzo Giddings Miklos Alonzo Giddings Miklos Alonzo Giddings Miklos Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath Anderson Guillen Moody Anderson Guillen Moody Anderson Guillen Moody Aycock Gutierrez Morrison Aycock Gutierrez Morrison Aycock Gutierrez Morrison Berman Hamilton Naishtat Berman Hamilton Naishtat Berman Hamilton Naishtat Bohac Hancock Oliveira Bohac Hancock Oliveira Bohac Hancock Oliveira Bolton Hardcastle Olivo Bolton Hardcastle Olivo Bolton Hardcastle Olivo Bonnen Harless Orr Bonnen Harless Orr Bonnen Harless Orr Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr. Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr. Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr. Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker Burnam Hernandez Patrick Burnam Hernandez Patrick Burnam Hernandez Patrick Button Herrero Paxton Button Herrero Paxton Button Herrero Paxton Callegari Hilderbran Pea Callegari Hilderbran Pea Callegari Hilderbran Pea Castro Hochberg Phillips Castro Hochberg Phillips Castro Hochberg Phillips Chavez Hodge Pickett Chavez Hodge Pickett Chavez Hodge Pickett Chisum Homer Pierson Chisum Homer Pierson Chisum Homer Pierson Christian Hopson Pitts Christian Hopson Pitts Christian Hopson Pitts Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond Cook Hughes Riddle Cook Hughes Riddle Cook Hughes Riddle Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra Crabb Isett Ritter Crabb Isett Ritter Crabb Isett Ritter Craddick Jackson Rodriguez Craddick Jackson Rodriguez Craddick Jackson Rodriguez Creighton Jones Rose Creighton Jones Rose Creighton Jones Rose Crownover Keffer Sheffield Crownover Keffer Sheffield Crownover Keffer Sheffield Darby Kent Shelton Darby Kent Shelton Darby Kent Shelton Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons Dukes Kolkhorst Strama Dukes Kolkhorst Strama Dukes Kolkhorst Strama Dunnam Kuempel Swinford Dunnam Kuempel Swinford Dunnam Kuempel Swinford Dutton Laubenberg Taylor Dutton Laubenberg Taylor Dutton Laubenberg Taylor Edwards Legler Thibaut Edwards Legler Thibaut Edwards Legler Thibaut Eiland Leibowitz Thompson Eiland Leibowitz Thompson Eiland Leibowitz Thompson Eissler Lewis Truitt Eissler Lewis Truitt Eissler Lewis Truitt Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant England Madden Turner of Harris England Madden Turner of Harris England Madden Turner of Harris Farabee Maldonado Vaught Farabee Maldonado Vaught Farabee Maldonado Vaught Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farrar Marquez Villarreal Farrar Marquez Villarreal Farrar Marquez Villarreal Fletcher Martinez Vo Fletcher Martinez Vo Fletcher Martinez Vo Flores Martinez Fischer Walle Flores Martinez Fischer Walle Flores Martinez Fischer Walle Flynn McCall Weber Flynn McCall Weber Flynn McCall Weber Frost McClendon Woolley Frost McClendon Woolley Frost McClendon Woolley Gallego McReynolds Zerwas Gallego McReynolds Zerwas Gallego McReynolds Zerwas ______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 37 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on February 26, 2009. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House Straus Gattis Menendez Allen Geren Merritt Alonzo Giddings Miklos Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath Anderson Guillen Moody Aycock Gutierrez Morrison Berman Hamilton Naishtat Bohac Hancock Oliveira Bolton Hardcastle Olivo Bonnen Harless Orr Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr. Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker Burnam Hernandez Patrick Button Herrero Paxton Callegari Hilderbran Pea Castro Hochberg Phillips Chavez Hodge Pickett Chisum Homer Pierson Christian Hopson Pitts Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond Cook Hughes Riddle Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra Crabb Isett Ritter Craddick Jackson Rodriguez Creighton Jones Rose Crownover Keffer Sheffield Darby Kent Shelton Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons Dukes Kolkhorst Strama Dunnam Kuempel Swinford Dutton Laubenberg Taylor Edwards Legler Thibaut Eiland Leibowitz Thompson Eissler Lewis Truitt Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant England Madden Turner of Harris Farabee Maldonado Vaught Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farrar Marquez Villarreal Fletcher Martinez Vo Flores Martinez Fischer Walle Flynn McCall Weber Frost McClendon Woolley Gallego McReynolds Zerwas