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.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
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 |
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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. |