TITLE: In memory of U.S. Army Sergeant Fernando De La Rosa.

SUMMARY: In memory of U.S. Army Sergeant Fernando De La Rosa.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The family and friends of U.S. Army Sergeant Fernando De La Rosa suffered an immeasurable loss with the death of this valiant soldier on October 27, 2009, at the age of 24; and WHEREAS, Assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division based at Fort Lewis, Washington, Sergeant De La Rosa was killed when his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device in the Arghandab Valley in Afghanistan; and WHEREAS, Fernando De La Rosa was born in McAllen on June 21, 1985, to Rolando and Rosa De La Rosa and was raised in Alamo; shortly after graduating from Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Memorial High School in 2003, he enlisted in the army and received his basic and advanced infantry training at Fort Benning, Georgia; he served two tours of duty in Iraq, from December 2003 to July 2004 and again from January 2006 to May 2007, and he was also stationed in Germany, Austria, and Italy; at the time of his death, he was serving his first tour in Afghanistan; and WHEREAS, A rifleman, infantry fighting vehicle driver, and ammunition section leader, Sergeant De La Rosa received many decorations during his career, including the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, two Army Good Conduct Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medals, the Army Service Ribbon, two Overseas Service Ribbons, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Expert Infantryman Badge, and the Driver and Mechanic Badge; and WHEREAS, In recognition of his final sacrifice, Sergeant De La Rosa was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart, and on December 30, 2009, the Sergeant Fernando De La Rosa Memorial Library was named in his honor in his hometown of Alamo; and WHEREAS, Known as "Nando" to his loved ones, Sergeant De La Rosa was devoted to his wife, Karen, and their sons, Fernando and Juan Carlos, and he maintained close bonds with the other members of his family; his sense of humor was greatly appreciated by all who knew him, and he loved playing football with his father, brothers, cousins, and uncles; and WHEREAS, Americans owe a profound debt of gratitude to our nation's servicemen and servicewomen, whose courageous efforts and enormous sacrifices are deserving of their fellow citizens' deepest respect and gratitude; through his unwavering dedication to duty and honor, Fernando De La Rosa embodied the highest ideals of the United States armed forces, and memories of his love and friendship will be forever cherished by those who held him dear; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of U.S. Army Sergeant Fernando De La Rosa and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife, Karen De La Rosa; to his sons, Fernando and Juan Carlos De La Rosa; to his parents, Rosa and Rolando De La Rosa; to his brothers, Rolando, Alfredo, Rogelio, and Rayven De La Rosa; 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 adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Fernando De La Rosa. Martinez Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Allen Gooden Murphy Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Aycock Harless Parker Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Berman Hartnett Paxton Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Branch Hochberg Phillips Brown Hopson Pickett Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burnam Howard of Travis Price Button Huberty Quintanilla Cain Hughes Raymond Callegari Hunter Reynolds Carter Isaac Riddle Castro Jackson Ritter Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Christian Keffer Schwertner Coleman King of Parker Scott Cook King of Taylor Sheets Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons Deshotel Lavender Strama Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dutton Lozano Thompson Eiland Lucio III Torres Eissler Lyne Truitt Elkins Madden Turner Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farrar Margo Villarreal Fletcher Marquez Vo Flynn Martinez Walle Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Gallego McClendon White Garza Menendez Woolley Geren Miles Workman Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 2600 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on May 28, 2011. Chief Clerk of the House