H.R. No. 601
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The family of U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant James
Calfee of Newgulf are gathered today in solemn remembrance of this
courageous Texan, who, with 11 of his comrades, gave his life for
his country on March 11, 1968, in the Vietnam War, and whose heroism
has been posthumously recognized with the Silver Star; and
WHEREAS, James Henry Calfee was born in Newgulf in 1932; in
November 1967, he was one of a select number of highly skilled
members of the 1st Combat Evaluation Group (CEVG) who were
assigned, under civilian cover, to staff a radar installation on a
mountaintop in Laos that was known as Lima Site 85; this top secret
facility enabled the air force to conduct all-weather bombing raids
on North Vietnam; and
WHEREAS, Although Master Sergeant Calfee was an expert in the
technology used at the site, he was originally not slated to go on
the mission because of a medical condition; he insisted so strongly
on participating, however, that his commanding officer gave him a
waiver; and
WHEREAS, The installation at Lima Site 85 soon came under
attack by the North Vietnamese Army, which advanced close enough to
launch ground assaults on the facility by late January 1968; though
the members of the CEVG group were technicians and not combat
troops, they defended themselves bravely; they had been supplied
with M-16 rifles after their arrival, and Master Sergeant Calfee
and Chief Master Sergeant Richard L. Etchberger, who had weapons
experience, trained the other men in the rifle's use; and
WHEREAS, Early on the morning of March 11, 1968, NVA
commandos attacked the site, and during the desperate struggle,
Master Sergeant Calfee was gravely wounded; in spite of his
injuries, he continued to engage the enemy, and by doing so, he
enabled some of the other men to reach safety; in the end, 12 of the
Americans died and 4 escaped by helicopter; and
WHEREAS, In addition to Master Sergeant Calfee, those who
fell that day were Lieutenant Colonel Bill Blanton, Chief Master
Sergeant Etchberger, Technical Sergeants Willis Hall, Melvin
Holland, Patrick Shannon, Donald Springsteadah, and Herbert Kirk,
and Staff Sergeants Henry Gish, Don Worley, David Price, and James
Davis; while the remains of three of these men were returned to the
United States, Master Sergeant Calfee and eight others who died
were eventually listed as "killed in action/body not recovered";
those who perished at Lima Site 85 were each posthumously awarded
the Bronze Star with Valor, and in 2009, Chief Master Sergeant
Etchberger was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor; and
WHEREAS, When more details of this secret operation came to
light, Master Sergeant Calfee's medal was upgraded to the Silver
Star, which was presented to his family at Barksdale Air Force Base
in Louisiana on October 15, 2012; the sergeant's four sisters,
Rosalie Bacica, Frances Arrington, Carol Turner, and Verna Yeamans,
as well as his nieces, Debra Morris and Julia Barta, continue to
honor his memory and to tell the inspiring story of the men of Lima
Site 85; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Master Sergeant James
Calfee and commemorate his posthumous receipt of the Silver Star;
and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for his family as an expression of deep appreciation for
his valiant service in the Vietnam War.
Stephenson
Straus M. Gonzalez of El Paso Oliveira Straus M. Gonzalez of El Paso Oliveira
Straus M. Gonzalez of El Paso Oliveira
Allen N. Gonzalez of El Paso Orr Allen N. Gonzalez of El Paso Orr
Allen N. Gonzalez of El Paso Orr
Alonzo Gooden Otto Alonzo Gooden Otto
Alonzo Gooden Otto
Alvarado Guerra Paddie Alvarado Guerra Paddie
Alvarado Guerra Paddie
Anchia Guillen Parker Anchia Guillen Parker
Anchia Guillen Parker
Anderson Gutierrez Patrick Anderson Gutierrez Patrick
Anderson Gutierrez Patrick
Ashby Harless Perez Ashby Harless Perez
Ashby Harless Perez
Aycock Harper-Brown Perry Aycock Harper-Brown Perry
Aycock Harper-Brown Perry
Bell Hernandez Luna Phillips Bell Hernandez Luna Phillips
Bell Hernandez Luna Phillips
Bohac Herrero Pickett Bohac Herrero Pickett
Bohac Herrero Pickett
Bonnen of Brazoria Hilderbran Pitts Bonnen of Brazoria Hilderbran Pitts
Bonnen of Brazoria Hilderbran Pitts
Bonnen of Galveston Howard Price Bonnen of Galveston Howard Price
Bonnen of Galveston Howard Price
Branch Huberty Raney Branch Huberty Raney
Branch Huberty Raney
Burkett Hughes Ratliff Burkett Hughes Ratliff
Burkett Hughes Ratliff
Burnam Hunter Raymond Burnam Hunter Raymond
Burnam Hunter Raymond
Button Isaac Reynolds Button Isaac Reynolds
Button Isaac Reynolds
Callegari Johnson Riddle Callegari Johnson Riddle
Callegari Johnson Riddle
Canales Kacal Ritter Canales Kacal Ritter
Canales Kacal Ritter
Capriglione Keffer Rodriguez of Bexar Capriglione Keffer Rodriguez of Bexar
Capriglione Keffer Rodriguez of Bexar
Carter King of Hemphill Rodriguez of Travis Carter King of Hemphill Rodriguez of Travis
Carter King of Hemphill Rodriguez of Travis
Clardy King of Parker Rose Clardy King of Parker Rose
Clardy King of Parker Rose
Coleman King of Taylor Sanford Coleman King of Taylor Sanford
Coleman King of Taylor Sanford
Collier King of Zavala Schaefer Collier King of Zavala Schaefer
Collier King of Zavala Schaefer
Cook Kleinschmidt Sheets Cook Kleinschmidt Sheets
Cook Kleinschmidt Sheets
Cortez Klick Sheffield of Bell Cortez Klick Sheffield of Bell
Cortez Klick Sheffield of Bell
Craddick Kolkhorst Sheffield of Coryell Craddick Kolkhorst Sheffield of Coryell
Craddick Kolkhorst Sheffield of Coryell
Creighton Krause Simmons Creighton Krause Simmons
Creighton Krause Simmons
Crownover Kuempel Simpson Crownover Kuempel Simpson
Crownover Kuempel Simpson
Dale Larson Smith Dale Larson Smith
Dale Larson Smith
Darby Laubenberg Smithee Darby Laubenberg Smithee
Darby Laubenberg Smithee
Davis of Dallas Lavender Springer Davis of Dallas Lavender Springer
Davis of Dallas Lavender Springer
J. Davis of Harris Leach Stephenson J. Davis of Harris Leach Stephenson
J. Davis of Harris Leach Stephenson
S. Davis of Harris Lewis Stickland S. Davis of Harris Lewis Stickland
S. Davis of Harris Lewis Stickland
Deshotel Longoria Strama Deshotel Longoria Strama
Deshotel Longoria Strama
Dukes Lozano Taylor Dukes Lozano Taylor
Dukes Lozano Taylor
Dutton Lucio III Thompson of Brazoria Dutton Lucio III Thompson of Brazoria
Dutton Lucio III Thompson of Brazoria
Eiland Marquez Thompson of Harris Eiland Marquez Thompson of Harris
Eiland Marquez Thompson of Harris
Elkins Martinez Toth Elkins Martinez Toth
Elkins Martinez Toth
Fallon Martinez Fischer Turner of Collin Fallon Martinez Fischer Turner of Collin
Fallon Martinez Fischer Turner of Collin
Farias McClendon Turner of Harris Farias McClendon Turner of Harris
Farias McClendon Turner of Harris
Farney Menendez Turner of Tarrant Farney Menendez Turner of Tarrant
Farney Menendez Turner of Tarrant
Farrar Miles Villalba Farrar Miles Villalba
Farrar Miles Villalba
Fletcher Miller of Comal Villarreal Fletcher Miller of Comal Villarreal
Fletcher Miller of Comal Villarreal
Flynn Miller of Fort Bend Vo Flynn Miller of Fort Bend Vo
Flynn Miller of Fort Bend Vo
Frank Moody Walle Frank Moody Walle
Frank Moody Walle
Frullo Morrison White Frullo Morrison White
Frullo Morrison White
Geren Munoz, Jr. Workman Geren Munoz, Jr. Workman
Geren Munoz, Jr. Workman
Giddings Murphy Wu Giddings Murphy Wu
Giddings Murphy Wu
Goldman Naishtat Zedler Goldman Naishtat Zedler
Goldman Naishtat Zedler
Gonzales Nevarez Zerwas Gonzales Nevarez Zerwas
Gonzales Nevarez Zerwas
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 601 was unanimously adopted by a rising
vote of the House on March 6, 2013.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Straus M. Gonzalez of El Paso Oliveira
Allen N. Gonzalez of El Paso Orr
Alonzo Gooden Otto
Alvarado Guerra Paddie
Anchia Guillen Parker
Anderson Gutierrez Patrick
Ashby Harless Perez
Aycock Harper-Brown Perry
Bell Hernandez Luna Phillips
Bohac Herrero Pickett
Bonnen of Brazoria Hilderbran Pitts
Bonnen of Galveston Howard Price
Branch Huberty Raney
Burkett Hughes Ratliff
Burnam Hunter Raymond
Button Isaac Reynolds
Callegari Johnson Riddle
Canales Kacal Ritter
Capriglione Keffer Rodriguez of Bexar
Carter King of Hemphill Rodriguez of Travis
Clardy King of Parker Rose
Coleman King of Taylor Sanford
Collier King of Zavala Schaefer
Cook Kleinschmidt Sheets
Cortez Klick Sheffield of Bell
Craddick Kolkhorst Sheffield of Coryell
Creighton Krause Simmons
Crownover Kuempel Simpson
Dale Larson Smith
Darby Laubenberg Smithee
Davis of Dallas Lavender Springer
J. Davis of Harris Leach Stephenson
S. Davis of Harris Lewis Stickland
Deshotel Longoria Strama
Dukes Lozano Taylor
Dutton Lucio III Thompson of Brazoria
Eiland Marquez Thompson of Harris
Elkins Martinez Toth
Fallon Martinez Fischer Turner of Collin
Farias McClendon Turner of Harris
Farney Menendez Turner of Tarrant
Farrar Miles Villalba
Fletcher Miller of Comal Villarreal
Flynn Miller of Fort Bend Vo
Frank Moody Walle
Frullo Morrison White
Geren Munoz, Jr. Workman
Giddings Murphy Wu
Goldman Naishtat Zedler
Gonzales Nevarez Zerwas