TITLE: Commemorating the 2019 Memorial Day event in Grand Prairie.

SUMMARY: Commemorating the 2019 Memorial Day event in Grand Prairie.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The City of Grand Prairie is hosting a Memorial Day celebration at the Veterans Park Event Center on May 27, 2019, to honor those who have served our nation in the military; and WHEREAS, This observance was introduced after the Civil War as a means of paying tribute to those who were killed on both sides of the conflict; originally called Decoration Day for the practice of adorning the graves of soldiers with flowers once a year, the holiday came to be known as Memorial Day, a day to honor all of the country's fallen; though it was celebrated on May 30 for a number of decades, it has been observed on the final Monday in May since the early 1970s; and WHEREAS, In communities across the nation, veterans and their fellow citizens gather in cemeteries and other public places to pay tribute to the armed forces personnel who died protecting our liberty; "Taps," the haunting bugle call customarily performed at military funerals and memorials since the Civil War, is played during these ceremonies, and in accordance with tradition, the United States flag is lowered to half staff early in the day before being raised again at noon; and WHEREAS, The Memorial Day event in Grand Prairie will feature a solemn reading of the names of servicemen and servicewomen from the city who gave their lives, accompanied by the tolling of the newly dedicated Brass Honor Bell; after a flyover by a vintage AT-6 aircraft, the wings of which were manufactured in the city, the ceremony will conclude with a 21-gun salute by the Grand Prairie Police Honor Guard and the playing of "Taps," followed by a lunch provided by the Grand Prairie Rotary clubs; and WHEREAS, Generations of Texans have answered their nation's call to duty, and it is indeed appropriate that we reflect on all that is asked of the men and women who serve and on the immeasurable debt that is owed to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas Legislature hereby commemorate the 2019 Memorial Day observance in Grand Prairie and extend sincere best wishes to the participants and guests for a meaningful and memorable event. Turner of Tarrant Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 1800 was adopted by the House on May 24, 2019, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House