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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Family and friends will forever treasure their |
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memories of decorated World War II veteran Harvey Kenneth Burrow, |
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who died on January 12, 2004, at the age of 86; and |
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WHEREAS, Harvey Burrow was born in Knox County on May 17, |
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1917, to Hiram and Vera Burrow; the son of sharecroppers, he learned |
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the value of hard work at an early age, and on his 21st birthday in |
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1938, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and became a member of the army's |
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first parachute unit, the 501st Parachute Infantry Battalion; he |
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went on to serve in Company C of the elite 551st Parachute Infantry |
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Battalion, an independent unit of 800 men that was assigned |
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wherever it was most needed; and |
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WHEREAS, In August 1944, Paratrooper Burrow and the 551st |
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participated in the Allied invasion of southern France, where they |
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freed Draguignan against heavy resistance, captured a German major |
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general, and liberated the city of Nice; during the fighting, he |
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earned the nickname "Mule" when he retrieved supplies from a pack |
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mule that had been killed by enemy fire and carried them himself up |
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a hill to relieve another unit; and |
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WHEREAS, Following several months in the Alps, the 551st took |
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part in the Battle of the Bulge, where Mr. Burrow, now a sergeant, |
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endured bitter cold and took part in brutal hand-to-hand combat, |
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helping to drive the Germans back at Noirefontaine, Herispehe, |
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Dairomont, and Quartiers; he evaded capture at one point by hiding |
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in a freezing river and breathing through a reed, and when army |
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doctors wanted to amputate his frozen legs, he held them at bay with |
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an unloaded pistol and massaged his legs until the circulation was |
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restored; on January 7, 1945, the 551st took the city of |
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Rochelinval, but by now, the unit had lost 85 percent of its men, |
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with only 14 officers and 96 troops remaining; and |
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WHEREAS, After a month in the hospital, Sergeant Burrow was |
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assigned to the 508th Parachute Infantry Battalion of the 82nd |
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Airborne Division, and he took part in the advance across the Elbe |
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River, where the 82nd Airborne accepted the surrender of the German |
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21st Army on May 2, 1945; discharged later that year, he continued |
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to serve in the Texas National Guard; and |
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WHEREAS, This intrepid Texan was awarded two Bronze Stars, |
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four Purple Hearts, the Good Conduct Medal, the American Campaign |
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Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and the |
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Combat Infantryman Badge; the 551st was recognized with a |
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Presidential Unit Citation for its efforts at the Battle of the |
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Bulge and with the Croix de Guerre from the French government for |
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its valor at Draguignan; and |
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WHEREAS, After the war, Mr. Burrow lived for many years in |
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Premont, where he worked for the Sun Oil Company until his |
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retirement in 1984; he and his wife, Martha, shared a rewarding |
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marriage that spanned 50 years, and he was the proud father of four |
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children, Kenny, Carolyn, Debra, and Tammy; and |
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WHEREAS, During the greatest conflict of the 20th century, |
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Harvey Burrow exemplified the highest ideals of the U.S. armed |
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forces, conducting himself with fortitude, tenacity, and courage |
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during some of the fiercest fighting of the war, and he leaves |
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behind a record of service to his country that will continue to |
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inspire all those who knew and loved him; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Harvey Kenneth Burrow |
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for his heroic efforts on behalf of this nation during World War II; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Harvey |
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Burrow. |
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Harris of Anderson |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 638 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on March 30, 2023. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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