H.R. No. 817
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Eugene Gutierrez Jr. of McAllen was presented with
the Congressional Gold Medal, one of the nation's highest civilian
awards, at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on February 3, 2015; and
WHEREAS, Gene Gutierrez answered his nation's call to duty by
enlisting in the United States Army in 1941, and the following year,
he volunteered as a paratrooper in the First Special Service Force;
commonly known as the "Devil's Brigade," this 1,800-member unit was
composed of elite American and Canadian soldiers who specialized in
hand-to-hand combat and mountain warfare; and
WHEREAS, The covert military outfit played a crucial role at
the height of World War II and proved especially effective at
combating Axis forces during fighting in Italy; Mr. Gutierrez was
among the members of the unit who took part in operations against
the Germans near Anzio and helped liberate Rome from fascist
control in June 1944; before being disbanded at the end of that
year, the brigade was responsible for capturing more than 30,000
prisoners, and its legacy was later recognized with five U.S.
campaign stars and eight Canadian battle honors; and
WHEREAS, After returning to civilian life, Mr. Gutierrez
graduated with two degrees from Oklahoma State University, and in
1950 he settled in McAllen; there, he enjoyed a fulfilling career in
education with the McAllen Independent School District, becoming
the city's first Hispanic principal and later serving as
superintendent; he retired as principal of Lincoln Middle School in
1980; and
WHEREAS, Today, Mr. Gutierrez continues to be an active
member of his community through his efforts as a parishioner at Our
Lady of Sorrows Church and as a member of the Serra Club; in all of
his endeavors, this esteemed Texan is blessed with the love and
support of his wife of 62 years, Penny, and he takes great pride in
his three children and four grandchildren; in addition to receiving
the Congressional Gold Medal, he was honored for his military
service with the Bronze Star Medal in 2008; and
WHEREAS, Gene Gutierrez served his country bravely and
loyally during a crucial moment in its history, contributing to the
ultimate Allied victory in World War II, and he is truly deserving
of this prestigious Congressional commendation; now, therefore, be
it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
Legislature hereby congratulate Eugene Gutierrez Jr. on his receipt
of the Congressional Gold Medal and extend to him profound
gratitude for his extraordinary valor and sacrifice; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Mr. Gutierrez as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.
Guerra
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 817 was adopted by the House on March
12, 2015, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House