| 2 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
|---|
| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Members of Walton H. Walker Post 55 of the American |
|---|
| 6 | 7 | | Legion in Belton are celebrating the 100th anniversary of their |
|---|
| 7 | 8 | | organization with an event on May 25, 2019; and |
|---|
| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, The post was first established in Belton on the |
|---|
| 9 | 10 | | Fourth of July in 1919 by the veterans of Bell County; the first |
|---|
| 10 | 11 | | commander was W. R. Brown of Temple, and the adjutant was |
|---|
| 11 | 12 | | C. W. Pyle of Belton; in 1951, the post was officially named in |
|---|
| 12 | 13 | | honor of Korean War hero General Walton Walker; and |
|---|
| 13 | 14 | | WHEREAS, Born in Belton in 1889, Walton Walker graduated from |
|---|
| 14 | 15 | | West Point in 1912, and over the course of his career in the |
|---|
| 15 | 16 | | U.S. Army, he became known as "Patton's Bulldog" for his leadership |
|---|
| 16 | 17 | | of the IV Armored Corps and XX Corps during World War II and as the |
|---|
| 17 | 18 | | "unsung hero" of the Korean War as the commander of the 8th Army, |
|---|
| 18 | 19 | | which bore the brunt of the North Korean invasion on June 28, 1950; |
|---|
| 19 | 20 | | he served as commander of the United Nations forces in Korea until |
|---|
| 20 | 21 | | his death in a jeep accident in December 1950; and |
|---|
| 21 | 22 | | WHEREAS, Over the years, Post 55 has greatly benefited its |
|---|
| 22 | 23 | | community through its contributions to the Belton Christian Youth |
|---|
| 23 | 24 | | Center, the Communities in Schools program, the Helping Hands |
|---|
| 24 | 25 | | Ministry, the Belton Fire Department, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, |
|---|
| 25 | 26 | | and the Apple Tree program, among others; using proceeds from its |
|---|
| 26 | 27 | | bingo games, the post has also endowed two $100,000 scholarships |
|---|
| 27 | 28 | | through the Belton Educational Enrichment Foundation, in the names |
|---|
| 28 | 29 | | of two Legion members, former post vice commander Joseph Elliot |
|---|
| 29 | 30 | | Wilson and former post commander Theo A. McGhee; and |
|---|
| 30 | 31 | | WHEREAS, For 100 years, the legionnaires of Post 55 have |
|---|
| 31 | 32 | | stayed true to the ideals of loyalty and patriotism that informed |
|---|
| 32 | 33 | | their military service, and they have given generously of their |
|---|
| 33 | 34 | | time and resources to make their community a better place in which |
|---|
| 34 | 35 | | to live; now, therefore, be it |
|---|
| 35 | 36 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
|---|
| 36 | 37 | | Legislature hereby congratulate Walton H. Walker American Legion |
|---|
| 37 | 38 | | Post 55 on its centennial and extend to its members sincere best |
|---|
| 38 | 39 | | wishes for a meaningful and memorable anniversary event; and, be it |
|---|
| 39 | 40 | | further |
|---|
| 40 | 41 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|---|
| 41 | 42 | | prepared for Post 55 as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
|---|
| 42 | 43 | | House of Representatives. |
|---|