TITLE: Paying tribute to fallen marine Jesus Roberto Vasquez of El Paso and commemorating the naming of a city park in his honor.

SUMMARY: Paying tribute to fallen marine Jesus Roberto Vasquez of El Paso and commemorating the naming of a city park in his honor.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Well-deserved recognition was granted to fallen Texas marine Jesus Roberto Vasquez on May 17, 2011, as the El Paso City Council voted to name a new park in his honor; and WHEREAS, Born in El Paso on the Fourth of July in 1947, Mr. Vasquez decided on a military career while still in his teens and was a second lieutenant in the Reserve Officers Training Corps at Jefferson High School; following his graduation in 1965, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and was later deployed to Vietnam; and WHEREAS, In January 1968, Sergeant Vasquez was among the marines defending the base at Khe Sanh as a huge contingent of North Vietnamese troops laid siege to the camp; on January 30, an enemy artillery barrage ignited a fire in an ammunition supply area; when this courageous Texan rushed to help extinguish the blaze, he spotted a burning mortar round that was in danger of exploding; putting himself in harm's way to protect his fellow platoon members, he picked up the shell and attempted to throw it into a nearby crater; it exploded in his hands, ending his life at age 20, but his heroic action prevented others from being injured or killed; and WHEREAS, Sergeant Vasquez was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross, the second-highest citation awarded to members of the U.S. Marine Corps; this rare honor received relatively little attention in his hometown at the time, however, as public sentiment across the nation had turned against the war; and WHEREAS, In 2010, area resident Manuel Gameros became aware of Sergeant Vasquez's story and soon undertook a petition drive to request that the City of El Paso name a park in his honor; after being presented with the petition, council members unanimously agreed, and with their approval Sergeant Jesus Roberto Vasquez USMC Park will be a permanent and fitting reminder of the noble sacrifice made by this admirable El Paso native in behalf of our nation; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas Legislature hereby commemorate the naming of Sergeant Jesus Roberto Vasquez USMC Park and pay tribute to the life of this brave Texan. Marquez Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 2656 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on May 30, 2011. Chief Clerk of the House