| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 793 |
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| 2 | 2 | | In Memory |
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| 3 | 3 | | of |
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| 4 | 4 | | Jose M. Lopez |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas honors and |
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| 6 | 6 | | commemorates the life and service of Sergeant Jose M. Lopez, who |
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| 7 | 7 | | died May 16, 2005, at the age of 92; and |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, Jose Lopez was born June 1, 1912; he grew up in |
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| 9 | 9 | | Brownsville with his uncle after losing his parents at a young |
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| 10 | 10 | | age; he learned the value of hard work by taking jobs to help |
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| 11 | 11 | | support his new family; he married Emilia Herrera, and they |
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| 12 | 12 | | enjoyed 62 years of marriage together; and |
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| 13 | 13 | | WHEREAS, Soon after the outbreak of World War II, Mr. Lopez |
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| 14 | 14 | | enlisted in the United States Army; on December 17, 1944, while |
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| 15 | 15 | | under heavy enemy fire during the Battle of the Bulge, he |
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| 16 | 16 | | disregarded his own safety and moved his heavy machine gun |
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| 17 | 17 | | multiple times to prevent German troops from overwhelming his |
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| 18 | 18 | | unit's position; and |
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| 19 | 19 | | WHEREAS, In the face of advancing tanks and numerically |
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| 20 | 20 | | superior forces, he continued to move his machine gun where it |
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| 21 | 21 | | would best support his unit; he is credited with killing more than |
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| 22 | 22 | | 100 enemy soldiers and with almost singlehandedly keeping his unit |
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| 23 | 23 | | from being overrun; in recognition of his courage and intrepidity, |
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| 24 | 24 | | he was awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest decoration given to |
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| 25 | 25 | | a member of the United States armed forces; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | WHEREAS, After the war, he returned to Brownsville, and his |
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| 27 | 27 | | service has been commemorated with a statue in his likeness in |
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| 28 | 28 | | Brownsville'sVeteransPark;inaddition,thecitizensof |
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| 29 | 29 | | Mission honored his extraordinary acts of heroism by naming a |
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| 30 | 30 | | park and a street in his honor; and |
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| 31 | 31 | | WHEREAS, A shining example of a true American hero, |
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| 32 | 32 | | Sergeant Lopez is a part of the long line of brave men and women |
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| 33 | 33 | | whose courage and sacrifice have left an indelible mark on this |
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| 34 | 34 | | state and nation; he has left behind memories that will be |
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| 35 | 35 | | treasured forever by all who were privileged to share in his |
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| 36 | 36 | | life; now, therefore, be it |
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| 37 | 37 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 86th |
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| 38 | 38 | | Legislature, hereby pay tribute to the life and legacy of |
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| 39 | 39 | | Sergeant Jose M. Lopez; and, be it further |
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| 40 | 40 | | RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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| 41 | 41 | | his family as an expression of gratitude and respect and that |
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| 42 | 42 | | when the Senate adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Sergeant |
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| 43 | 43 | | Jose M. Lopez. |
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| 44 | 44 | | Lucio |
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| 45 | 45 | | ________________________________ |
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| 46 | 46 | | President of the Senate |
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| 47 | 47 | | I hereby certify that the |
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| 48 | 48 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
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| 49 | 49 | | the Senate on May 21, 2019, by a |
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| 50 | 50 | | rising vote. |
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| 51 | 51 | | ________________________________ |
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| 52 | 52 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 53 | 53 | | ________________________________ |
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| 54 | 54 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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