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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The Texas Legislative Medal of Honor was established |
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to recognize gallant and intrepid service by a member of the state |
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or federal military forces, and U.S. Army Master Sergeant Travis E. |
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Watkins proved himself a deserving recipient of this prestigious |
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award for his heroism during the Korean War; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Waldo, Arkansas, Travis Watkins grew up in |
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Troup, Texas; answering his nation's call to duty, he enlisted in |
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the U.S. Army in 1939, and he served with distinction in the Pacific |
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theater during World War II, earning the Bronze Star for his actions |
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at Guadalcanal; after the war, he was honorably discharged, and in |
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1948, he married Madie Sue Barnett; the couple became the parents of |
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two daughters; and |
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WHEREAS, During the Korean War, Master Sergeant Watkins |
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reenlisted, and he was deployed to Korea with Company H, Ninth |
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Infantry Regiment, Second Infantry Division; on August 31, 1950, |
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the company was stationed near Yongsan when an overwhelming North |
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Korean force broke through the United Nations lines, and Sergeant |
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Watkins and 30 other men found themselves under siege and cut off |
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from the rest of their unit; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the next three days, Sergeant Watkins displayed |
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both remarkable leadership and extraordinary bravery; he took |
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command, established perimeter defenses to repel the constant enemy |
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assaults, and continually exposed himself to enemy fire by moving |
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from foxhole to foxhole to give instructions and encouragement to |
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his fellow soldiers; and |
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WHEREAS, When the unit's ammunition began to run out, |
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Sergeant Watkins shot two North Korean soldiers 50 yards beyond the |
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perimeter and went out alone to retrieve their weapons and |
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ammunition; he was wounded while doing so, but still managed to fell |
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all three of his enemy attackers; he collected their weapons and |
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ammunition as well and made it back to his astonished men; and |
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WHEREAS, Later, six of the enemy began to lob grenades into |
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the American perimeter, endangering the position; Sergeant Watkins |
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stood up from his foxhole and fired his rifle at the attackers; he |
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was immediately struck by machine gun fire, but he continued |
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shooting until he had killed all six North Koreans; he then |
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collapsed, paralyzed from the waist down; and |
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WHEREAS, Despite his grave injuries, Sergeant Watkins |
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continued to encourage his men, refusing to accept any food from |
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their dwindling supply; when it became clear that help would not |
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arrive in time, he ordered his men to withdraw, and he further |
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refused to let them take him with them, since his inability to walk |
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would only slow their retreat; in the last moments of his life, he |
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wished his comrades luck and remained at his post until the end; he |
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died two days before his 30th birthday; and |
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WHEREAS, Sergeant Watkins's leadership throughout this |
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ordeal helped to keep his men alive and enabled his troops to mount |
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a strong defense that killed approximately 500 enemy soldiers; in |
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recognition of his monumental courage, President Harry S. Truman |
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posthumously awarded him the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest |
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military award; the medal was presented to his wife in a ceremony in |
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Washington, D.C., on January 9, 1951; and |
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WHEREAS, In the years since, Sergeant Watkins has been |
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further honored in the state he called home; a housing complex at |
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Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio was named in his memory in 1961, and |
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the Watkins-Logan State Veterans Home in Tyler was also named in his |
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honor in 2011; in 2000 a supply ship, the USNS Watkins, was |
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christened in his name; his remains are interred at Gladewater |
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Memorial Park in Gladewater; and |
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WHEREAS, During a desperate situation in a time of war, |
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Master Sergeant Travis Watkins took command, bolstered the spirits |
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of his men, and repeatedly risked his life in their behalf, making |
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the ultimate sacrifice in order that they might survive; for this |
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selfless act of heroism, it is indeed appropriate that he be honored |
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with this state's supreme military commendation; now, therefore, be |
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it |
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RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby direct the governor of the State of Texas to posthumously |
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award the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor to Travis E. Watkins in |
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recognition of his valiant service during the Korean War. |