Bill Text: TX HCR67 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: In memory of U.S. Marine Corps Private First Class Colton Wesley Rusk of Orange Grove.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-02-21 - Filed [HCR67 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-HCR67-Introduced.html
| 82R7189 RYA-D | ||
| By: Aliseda | H.C.R. No. 67 | |
|
|
||
| WHEREAS, Words cannot adequately express the heartache felt | ||
| at the loss of U.S. Marine Corps Private First Class Colton Wesley | ||
| Rusk of Orange Grove, who died in Afghanistan on December 6, 2010, | ||
| at the age of 20; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Born on September 23, 1990, in Corpus Christi to | ||
| Darrell and Kathy Rusk, Colton Rusk attended Orange Grove High | ||
| School, where he excelled in sports, lettering in both football and | ||
| baseball; known for his winning personality and brilliant smile, he | ||
| was named the senior class favorite and Mr. Orange Grove High School | ||
| by his fellow students; and | ||
| WHEREAS, In June 2008, the summer before his senior year, | ||
| this patriotic young Texan took the first step toward fulfilling | ||
| his dream of becoming a marine by enlisting in the corps's delayed | ||
| entry program; a year later he received his diploma and embarked for | ||
| basic training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Private Rusk was deployed to Afghanistan on his 20th | ||
| birthday, September 23, 2010; he bravely served his country as a | ||
| member of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine | ||
| Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, at Camp Pendleton, | ||
| California, and he was recognized with the Purple Heart, the Combat | ||
| Action Ribbon, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War | ||
| on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal; and | ||
| WHEREAS, A machine gunner with Weapons Company, Private Rusk | ||
| was selected to train as a dog handler with the Improvised Explosive | ||
| Device Detection team; he shared a special bond with Eli, the black | ||
| Labrador retriever that accompanied him to Afghanistan, and they | ||
| worked as a team to save the lives of American troops by detecting | ||
| hidden bombs and weapons; when Private Rusk was mortally wounded, | ||
| Eli steadfastly remained by his side; Eli has since been retired | ||
| from service and adopted by the Rusk family; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The marine corps values of honor, courage, and | ||
| commitment have had no finer champion than Private First Class | ||
| Colton Rusk, and all who knew this brave Texan will forever remember | ||
| him with admiration and gratitude; now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas | ||
| hereby pay tribute to the memory of U.S. Marine Corps Private First | ||
| Class Colton Wesley Rusk and extend deepest sympathy to the members | ||
| of his family: to his parents, Darrell and Kathy Rusk; to his | ||
| brothers, Cody and Brady Rusk; to his grandparents, Wayne and Katy | ||
| O'Neal and Jan Rusk; to his great-grandmother, Vivian Alphin; to | ||
| his aunts, Stacy Hoot, Crystal Blakeney, and Yvonne Rusk; to his | ||
| uncles, Wayne O'Neal, Jr., and Brian Rusk; and to his other | ||
| relatives and friends; and, be it further | ||
| RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be | ||
| prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of | ||
| Representatives and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of | ||
| Colton Rusk. | ||
