82R26450 BPG-D
By: Smithee H.C.R. No. 145
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Texas Legislative Medal of Honor was established
to recognize gallant and intrepid service by a Texan in the state or
federal military forces, and through his courageous actions in
France during World War II, Lieutenant General (Brevet) Everett
Selden Simpson proved himself a worthy candidate for this
prestigious honor; and
WHEREAS, Born in Clarendon on February 17, 1915, Selden
Simpson graduated from Amarillo High School and enlisted in the
Texas National Guard in 1933; he earned his bachelor's degree from
The University of Texas at Austin and completed his law degree at
the University of Colorado in 1940; when the 36th Infantry Division
was mobilized in November 1940, he was commissioned a second
lieutenant and left his law practice to become platoon leader of
Company M, 142nd Infantry Regiment; and
WHEREAS, General Simpson would become one of the few ranking
officers to serve in the 36th Infantry Division throughout World
War II, participating in every major engagement of its 19 months of
European combat; he distinguished himself in service in North
Africa and attended a British intelligence officers' school in
Cairo as well as the Fifth Army Leadership and Battle Training
course; as a regimental intelligence officer, he took part in the
division's invasion of Italy in 1943, landing in Salerno in
September and then in the Anzio perimeter the next spring; and
WHEREAS, During the invasion of southern France, General
Simpson assumed command of the 3rd Battalion, 142nd Infantry
Regiment, when its commander was wounded; given orders to clear the
enemy from the town of Remiremont, he earned the enduring gratitude
of the French by liberating the city in a swift yet methodical way,
taking the city street by street to avoid massive civilian
casualties and the destruction of homes; he remained in the city
until September 25 to protect a crossing over the Moselle River and
he helped two other battalion leaders to break a counterattack by
the Germans; and
WHEREAS, On September 28, 1944, at the beginning of the Rhine
Campaign against entrenched German forces, General Simpson led an
assault platoon in an attack on the mountainous area near
Remiremont; although they came under intense enemy fire from both
flanks, General Simpson established a command post and moved from
company to company to organize positions and point out sectors of
fire; while advancing, he was struck by an exploding mortar shell,
but despite severe wounds, he refused to be evacuated, insisting
that other injured men be removed first; he continued to shout
orders and encourage his soldiers to push forward even as two men
were assisting him to the battalion aid station, and while his
painful wounds were being dressed, he issued plans for the
forthcoming attack and maintained his focus on the needs of his men;
for his extraordinary actions on that day, he was awarded the
Distinguished Service Cross; and
WHEREAS, This remarkable Texan returned from an Italian
hospital in January 1945 as a lieutenant colonel and resumed
command of the 3rd Battalion; one month later, when communication
capabilities faltered during an attack on German forces, he crossed
the river under enemy observation and direct fire to reach forward
elements and guide them, and then returned by the same hazardous
route; his resolute leadership in that battle earned him the Silver
Star; that March, he led a brilliant attack on a strongly fortified
hill in the Siegfried Line defenses, amid heavy small arms fire, and
his troops killed 57 Germans, captured 45, and forced the remainder
to flee; General Simpson was awarded the Bronze Star, and his
outstanding service brought him numerous other decorations, among
them the Legion of Merit, the Purple Heart with oak leaf cluster,
the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with six Stars
and Arrowhead, and the French Croix de Guerre with Star; and
WHEREAS, Deeply loyal to the "Fighting 36th Infantry
Division," General Simpson declined the opportunity to serve in the
Judge Advocate General Corps after the war; he assisted in the
reorganization of the 36th Infantry Division, Texas National Guard,
and was appointed as Regimental Executive Officer; in 1949, he
became regimental commander of the 142nd Infantry and was promoted
to colonel, and he completed Command and General Staff College at
Fort Leavenworth; he became the first commander of the newly
constituted 1st Battle Group, 142nd Infantry when it was
reorganized under the Pentomic concept in 1959 and continued to
advance through the ranks, eventually serving with distinction as
commander of the 36th (T-Patch) Division until the reorganization
of the Texas Army National Guard in 1968; at that time, he became
commander of the Arrowhead Emergency Operations Headquarters, and
he then assumed command of Headquarters Augmentation, State HQ and
HQ Detachment; he was appointed commander of Base Units Command in
1971 and was promoted to the rank of Brevet Lieutenant General on
his retirement from the Texas National Guard on October 31, 1973;
having benefited the guard in myriad capacities throughout his
career, he continued to demonstrate his dedication as a member of
the National Guard Association of Texas and as a member of the Texas
Guard Legislative Task Force; and
WHEREAS, Following his discharge from active duty, General
Simpson resumed the practice of law in Amarillo with the firm of
Simpson, Clayton, and Fullingim and, over time, became a mentor for
many young lawyers; he also took a leadership role in the community
and served as a director of the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce,
president of the Amarillo Tri-State Fair Association, director of
the Potter-Randall County Child Welfare Society, chair of the
Greater Amarillo Chapter of the American National Red Cross, and
president of the American Legion Hanson Post No. 54; additionally,
he was active with the United Way in the 1950s; General Simpson
passed away on August 25, 1999, in Amarillo; and
WHEREAS, Lieutenant General Everett Selden Simpson served
his country and his state with incomparable devotion, and during
World War II, he risked his life on numerous occasions to save the
lives of his fellow soldiers and advance their mission; his
remarkable heroism is most assuredly deserving of this state's
supreme military award; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby direct the governor of the State of Texas to posthumously
award the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor to Lieutenant General
(Brevet) Everett Selden Simpson in recognition of his valiant
actions in World War II.