| 2 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
|---|
| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, A rich and purposeful life drew to a close with the |
|---|
| 6 | 7 | | death of U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander (Ret.) W. L. Crouch of |
|---|
| 7 | 8 | | Rockport on November 17, 2016, at the age of 91; and |
|---|
| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, "Babe" Crouch was born in Wilson, Oklahoma, on |
|---|
| 9 | 10 | | September 25, 1925, to Leo and Audrey Crouch, and grew up in |
|---|
| 10 | 11 | | Kilgore; in 1943, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and attended boot |
|---|
| 11 | 12 | | camp at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi; and |
|---|
| 12 | 13 | | WHEREAS, Over the course of his 30 years in the navy, |
|---|
| 13 | 14 | | Mr. Crouch steadily worked his way up through the ranks and served |
|---|
| 14 | 15 | | all over the world, including the South Pacific, Japan, Korea, the |
|---|
| 15 | 16 | | Philippines, the Azores, and Cuba; in the early 1960s, as a |
|---|
| 16 | 17 | | production and quality control officer, he worked on the Lunar |
|---|
| 17 | 18 | | Excursion Module later used in the Apollo moon missions, and he |
|---|
| 18 | 19 | | participated in research on the Polaris nuclear missile; he |
|---|
| 19 | 20 | | subsequently served off the coast of Vietnam aboard the aircraft |
|---|
| 20 | 21 | | carrier USS Yorktown; and |
|---|
| 21 | 22 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Crouch's many commendations included the World |
|---|
| 22 | 23 | | War II Victory Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, the |
|---|
| 23 | 24 | | American Campaign Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the United |
|---|
| 24 | 25 | | Nations Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Vietnam |
|---|
| 25 | 26 | | Service Medal, among many others; he retired from the navy at the |
|---|
| 26 | 27 | | rank of lieutenant commander in 1973; and |
|---|
| 27 | 28 | | WHEREAS, That same year, Lieutenant Commander Crouch settled |
|---|
| 28 | 29 | | in Texas and joined the Navy League Sea Cadet Program, and he spent |
|---|
| 29 | 30 | | the rest of his life training young cadets in basic seamanship, |
|---|
| 30 | 31 | | self-reliance, leadership, and discipline; he served as Sea Cadet |
|---|
| 31 | 32 | | National Vice President, Southwest Field Representative, and |
|---|
| 32 | 33 | | commanding officer of the training ship Alamo, among other |
|---|
| 33 | 34 | | positions; in 1998, he received the Superior Public Service Award |
|---|
| 34 | 35 | | from the secretary of the navy, and in 2004, he was named an admiral |
|---|
| 35 | 36 | | in the Texas Navy; and |
|---|
| 36 | 37 | | WHEREAS, This distinguished officer married Lieutenant |
|---|
| 37 | 38 | | Commander Suzy Williams of the Naval Sea Cadet Corps in 2002; he |
|---|
| 38 | 39 | | took pride in a fine family that included his daughter, Cindy |
|---|
| 39 | 40 | | Crouch, and his stepdaughter, Roxanna Hott, as well as his wife's |
|---|
| 40 | 41 | | children and grandchildren; since his baptism in 2002, he had been |
|---|
| 41 | 42 | | an active member of First Baptist Church in Rockport; and |
|---|
| 42 | 43 | | WHEREAS, Lieutenant Commander Crouch possessed the courage |
|---|
| 43 | 44 | | and initiative that defined the finest members of his generation, |
|---|
| 44 | 45 | | and his exemplary service to his country will forever inspire all |
|---|
| 45 | 46 | | who had the privilege to know him; now, therefore, be it |
|---|
| 46 | 47 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
|---|
| 47 | 48 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Lieutenant Commander |
|---|
| 48 | 49 | | W. L. Crouch and extend sincere condolences to his family and |
|---|
| 49 | 50 | | friends; and, be it further |
|---|
| 50 | 51 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|---|
| 51 | 52 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
|---|
| 52 | 53 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of W. L. |
|---|
| 53 | 54 | | Crouch. |
|---|