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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Trinidad Martinez, one of the last living survivors |
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| 6 | 7 | | of the Bataan Death March, was honored at a ceremony hosted by the |
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| 7 | 8 | | Bataan-Corregidor Memorial Foundation of New Mexico on April 8 and |
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| 8 | 9 | | 9, 2017, in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of that horrific |
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| 9 | 10 | | event; and |
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| 10 | 11 | | WHEREAS, Born in Mercedes on December 24, 1917, Trinidad |
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| 11 | 12 | | Martinez answered his nation's call to duty by enlisting in the |
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| 12 | 13 | | United States Army in April 1941; that December, just hours after |
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| 13 | 14 | | the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Japanese attacked U.S. military |
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| 14 | 15 | | bases in the Philippines, where Mr. Martinez was stationed; ground |
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| 15 | 16 | | forces invaded two weeks later and drove American and Filipino |
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| 16 | 17 | | troops from Manila to the Bataan Peninsula, where they fought |
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| 17 | 18 | | desperately in the mountainous jungles; cut off from supply lines, |
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| 18 | 19 | | the Americans and Filipinos ran out of food and ammunition, and |
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| 19 | 20 | | their ranks were decimated by hunger and disease; and |
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| 20 | 21 | | WHEREAS, U.S. General Edward King surrendered Bataan on April |
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| 21 | 22 | | 9, 1942; soon after, Mr. Martinez and some 76,000 other Americans |
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| 22 | 23 | | and Filipinos were forced to begin marching to a prisoner-of-war |
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| 23 | 24 | | camp more than 60 miles away; the POWs were driven forward under the |
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| 24 | 25 | | broiling sun with little food and almost no water; soldiers who |
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| 25 | 26 | | paused or fell were summarily executed, along with anyone who tried |
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| 26 | 27 | | to help them, and thousands died en route from thirst, starvation, |
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| 27 | 28 | | disease, and brutality; eventually, the American prisoners were |
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| 28 | 29 | | transported to slave labor camps in Asia or interned in the camp at |
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| 29 | 30 | | Cabanatuan, where Mr. Martinez was forced to make weapons and |
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| 30 | 31 | | machinery for the Japanese; he was among the fewer than 1,000 |
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| 31 | 32 | | survivors who were finally liberated three years later by an elite |
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| 32 | 33 | | Ranger battalion and the Philippine resistance; and |
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| 33 | 34 | | WHEREAS, After returning stateside, Mr. Martinez was |
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| 34 | 35 | | accorded 15 medals, including the World War II Victory Medal, the |
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| 35 | 36 | | Prisoner of War Medal, and the Bronze Star Medal, and he was |
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| 36 | 37 | | honorably discharged in November 1945 with the rank of corporal; |
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| 37 | 38 | | today, he lives in San Antonio with his daughter, Rosie Dorado, and |
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| 38 | 39 | | his grandchildren; and |
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| 39 | 40 | | WHEREAS, Demonstrating the highest degree of patriotism, |
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| 40 | 41 | | Trinidad Martinez fought courageously for his country and |
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| 41 | 42 | | steadfastly endured unimaginable hardships during his captivity, |
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| 42 | 43 | | and the exemplary service he rendered in behalf of this nation is |
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| 43 | 44 | | deserving of the deepest gratitude of every American; now, |
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| 44 | 45 | | therefore, be it |
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| 45 | 46 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 46 | 47 | | Legislature hereby honor Trinidad Martinez for his valiant military |
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| 47 | 48 | | service during World War II and extend to him sincere best wishes |
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| 48 | 49 | | for the future; and, be it further |
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| 49 | 50 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 50 | 51 | | prepared for Mr. Martinez as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 51 | 52 | | Texas House of Representatives. |
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