Bill Text: TX HCR145 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Directing the governor of the State of Texas to posthumously award the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor to Lieutenant General (Brevet) Everett Selden Simpson.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-05-04 - Referred to Defense & Veterans' Affairs [HCR145 Detail]

Download: Texas-2011-HCR145-Introduced.html
  82R26450 BPG-D
 
  By: Smithee H.C.R. No. 145
 
 
 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
         WHEREAS, The Texas Legislative Medal of Honor was established
  to recognize gallant and intrepid service by a Texan in the state or
  federal military forces, and through his courageous actions in
  France during World War II, Lieutenant General (Brevet) Everett
  Selden Simpson proved himself a worthy candidate for this
  prestigious honor; and
         WHEREAS, Born in Clarendon on February 17, 1915, Selden
  Simpson graduated from Amarillo High School and enlisted in the
  Texas National Guard in 1933; he earned his bachelor's degree from
  The University of Texas at Austin and completed his law degree at
  the University of Colorado in 1940; when the 36th Infantry Division
  was mobilized in November 1940, he was commissioned a second
  lieutenant and left his law practice to become platoon leader of
  Company M, 142nd Infantry Regiment; and
         WHEREAS, General Simpson would become one of the few ranking
  officers to serve in the 36th Infantry Division throughout World
  War II, participating in every major engagement of its 19 months of
  European combat; he distinguished himself in service in North
  Africa and attended a British intelligence officers' school in
  Cairo as well as the Fifth Army Leadership and Battle Training
  course; as a regimental intelligence officer, he took part in the
  division's invasion of Italy in 1943, landing in Salerno in
  September and then in the Anzio perimeter the next spring; and
         WHEREAS, During the invasion of southern France, General
  Simpson assumed command of the 3rd Battalion, 142nd Infantry
  Regiment, when its commander was wounded; given orders to clear the
  enemy from the town of Remiremont, he earned the enduring gratitude
  of the French by liberating the city in a swift yet methodical way,
  taking the city street by street to avoid massive civilian
  casualties and the destruction of homes; he remained in the city
  until September 25 to protect a crossing over the Moselle River and
  he helped two other battalion leaders to break a counterattack by
  the Germans; and
         WHEREAS, On September 28, 1944, at the beginning of the Rhine
  Campaign against entrenched German forces, General Simpson led an
  assault platoon in an attack on the mountainous area near
  Remiremont; although they came under intense enemy fire from both
  flanks, General Simpson established a command post and moved from
  company to company to organize positions and point out sectors of
  fire; while advancing, he was struck by an exploding mortar shell,
  but despite severe wounds, he refused to be evacuated, insisting
  that other injured men be removed first; he continued to shout
  orders and encourage his soldiers to push forward even as two men
  were assisting him to the battalion aid station, and while his
  painful wounds were being dressed, he issued plans for the
  forthcoming attack and maintained his focus on the needs of his men;
  for his extraordinary actions on that day, he was awarded the
  Distinguished Service Cross; and
         WHEREAS, This remarkable Texan returned from an Italian
  hospital in January 1945 as a lieutenant colonel and resumed
  command of the 3rd Battalion; one month later, when communication
  capabilities faltered during an attack on German forces, he crossed
  the river under enemy observation and direct fire to reach forward
  elements and guide them, and then returned by the same hazardous
  route; his resolute leadership in that battle earned him the Silver
  Star; that March, he led a brilliant attack on a strongly fortified
  hill in the Siegfried Line defenses, amid heavy small arms fire, and
  his troops killed 57 Germans, captured 45, and forced the remainder
  to flee; General Simpson was awarded the Bronze Star, and his
  outstanding service brought him numerous other decorations, among
  them the Legion of Merit, the Purple Heart with oak leaf cluster,
  the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with six Stars
  and Arrowhead, and the French Croix de Guerre with Star; and
         WHEREAS, Deeply loyal to the "Fighting 36th Infantry
  Division," General Simpson declined the opportunity to serve in the
  Judge Advocate General Corps after the war; he assisted in the
  reorganization of the 36th Infantry Division, Texas National Guard,
  and was appointed as Regimental Executive Officer; in 1949, he
  became regimental commander of the 142nd Infantry and was promoted
  to colonel, and he completed Command and General Staff College at
  Fort Leavenworth; he became the first commander of the newly
  constituted 1st Battle Group, 142nd Infantry when it was
  reorganized under the Pentomic concept in 1959 and continued to
  advance through the ranks, eventually serving with distinction as
  commander of the 36th (T-Patch) Division until the reorganization
  of the Texas Army National Guard in 1968; at that time, he became
  commander of the Arrowhead Emergency Operations Headquarters, and
  he then assumed command of Headquarters Augmentation, State HQ and
  HQ Detachment; he was appointed commander of Base Units Command in
  1971 and was promoted to the rank of Brevet Lieutenant General on
  his retirement from the Texas National Guard on October 31, 1973;
  having benefited the guard in myriad capacities throughout his
  career, he continued to demonstrate his dedication as a member of
  the National Guard Association of Texas and as a member of the Texas
  Guard Legislative Task Force; and
         WHEREAS, Following his discharge from active duty, General
  Simpson resumed the practice of law in Amarillo with the firm of
  Simpson, Clayton, and Fullingim and, over time, became a mentor for
  many young lawyers; he also took a leadership role in the community
  and served as a director of the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce,
  president of the Amarillo Tri-State Fair Association, director of
  the Potter-Randall County Child Welfare Society, chair of the
  Greater Amarillo Chapter of the American National Red Cross, and
  president of the American Legion Hanson Post No. 54; additionally,
  he was active with the United Way in the 1950s; General Simpson
  passed away on August 25, 1999, in Amarillo; and
         WHEREAS, Lieutenant General Everett Selden Simpson served
  his country and his state with incomparable devotion, and during
  World War II, he risked his life on numerous occasions to save the
  lives of his fellow soldiers and advance their mission; his
  remarkable heroism is most assuredly deserving of this state's
  supreme military award; now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas
  hereby direct the governor of the State of Texas to posthumously
  award the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor to Lieutenant General
  (Brevet) Everett Selden Simpson in recognition of his valiant
  actions in World War II.
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