ORDER N0. c7985.~~ APPROVE LETTER OF SUPPORT OR RESOLUTION FOR HP 630 On this the 4th day of Febr~_~ary,~003, upon motion made by Commissioner Paldwin, seconded by Commissioner Let z, the Co~irt approved by a vote of 3-0-1, with Commissioner Williams abstaining, a resol~_~tion in s~_ipport of Ho~_ise Pill 630 relating to the designation of State Highway 173 between Kerrville and Jo~_ir•danton as the 173rd Airborne Prigade Memorial Highway, and a~_~thori~e Gounty J~_~dge to write a letter of support and attach the Court Order. ~q~S COMMISSIONERS' COURT AGENDA REQUEST PLEASE FURNISH ONE ORIGINAL AND NINE COPIES OF THIS REQUEST AND DOCUMENTS TO BE REVIEWED BY THE COURT. MADE BY: Pat Tinley OFFICE: County Judge! ~~L MEETING DATE: February 24, 2002 TIME PREFERRED: SUBJECT: (PLEASE BE SPECIFIC) Consider and discuss approving a letter of support or resolution for HB 630 relating to the designation of State Highway 173 between Kerrville and Jourdanton as the 173d Airborne Brigade Memorial Highway. EXECUTIVE SESSION REQUESTED: (PLEASE STATE REASON) NAME OF PERSON ADDRESSING THE COURT: ESTIMATED LENGTH OF PRESENTATION: IF PERSONNEL MATTER -NAME OF EMPLOYEE: County Judge/Harvey Hilderbran Time for submitting this request for Court to assure that the matter is posted in accordance with Title 5, Chapter 551 and 552, Government Code, is as follows: Meeting scheduled for Mondays THIS REQUEST RECEIVED BY: THIS REQUEST RECEIVED ON: All Agenda Requests will be screened by the County Judge's Office to determine if adequate information has been prepared for the Court's formal consideration and action at time of Court Meetings. Your cooperation will be appreciated and contribute towards you request being addressed at the earliest opportunity. See Agenda Request Rules Adopted by Commissioners' Court. 5:00 P.M. previous Tuesday. FEE-~G-2~~3 L~:~ FRUhI:R'Er F-~~GERBRAN 51E 46? 144 7u:~~~7G22~16 ~'.1~3 .~ Wj ~, Harvey Hilderbran ~,` MEMBEtR D~scrictC?ffige: ~~~ x+'EX~~ ~u.~~ ^1 r~~~~~~~1~',Q~t P.7. 5ox 2910 l25 Lahmann Drwe State Represent:ative * Dtstrict S~i Austin, Texas 76768.2410 Kcrrrille, T~aa3 78028 512-463-0536 83b~~:57-1333 Fax Cuve~r Sheet Date: ~-- I~~o~ Subject: 1 ~3a ~ ~~~6~a>s~.~E ~+~ tC~~ ~ ~rc~ ~ €~ ~ l~-t~,~ Pages: ^ tJrgm ~ R+spfy ASAP I ).if' Pfbt~ia Comm*nt ~ Fw Your Records Comments: 1-~1~.~~ ~ l~1to X02 `I-i~-~ ~~, "~~ c..e,... , . . I ~~~- Frprn the desk d.,. David GAttith I.,eplslativ* AasiBtard 51?J463d)636 (fex}5121453-1449 FEE-2©-2©a' N1:2~ F?OM:RER F-~_DEE'ERAF! C12 4E3 14«+ TCJ:B_k~792221E x.2`3 HB 63U BACKGROUND: BX: Hilderbran The 1734 Airborne Brigade was activated in Okinawa in March 19b3. General V-'illiam Westmoreland ehc>se the paratraapers of the elite, all volunteer, 173d Airborne Brigade to serve as the first Army combat unit. in Vietnam. The 173d became General Westmoreland's Fire Brigade, a highly mobile unit, arguably the most feared by the N~rth'Vietnarnese Army by rre end of 19b7. The Brigade distinguished itself in many ways earning fourteen campaign streamers and tour presidenti:31 Unit Gitutions and pmduced a Chairman of the Joint Chiefs cif Staft; the reccmtly retired General Hugh. Shelton. '1"hirteen Medals of Honor and six thousand Purple Hearts were awarded before the unit stood down in 1972 after six years of service in Vietnam. Seventeen hundred Brigade names are can The Vietnam Me-norial Wall. The Brigade reputation led to its reactivation in Southern 1/urope two years ago as the Fire brigade of±he region. The Texas Chapter of the 17:td Airborne Brigade's international society of the 1', 3d Airborne Brigade, today promotes healing of soldiers and families, funds scholarships and lends personal and monetary assistance to descnringy charities. PURPOSE: To honor the Texans who were members of the 1?3d Brigade anal to those who sacrificed their lives during the Vietnam conflict. ANTICIPATED WITNESSES: Gary Grande President, Texas Chapter 173d Airborne Brigade John Rolfe Texas Chapter 173d Airborne Brigade FEE -?ll-cBB=' El:c© f"ROf'1:R'EP N__GERBRAN By: 51~ x}53 149 TD:B't~iG~Ec1E ~, J~J GL TO BE ENTITLED ~:B, No. ~o~ 1 AN ACT 2 relating to the designatign of State Highway 173 between Kerrville 3 and Jourdanton as the 173d Airborne Brigade Memorial Highway. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY TKE LEGZSLATG'RE OE THE STATE JF TEXAS 5 SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 225, Transportata.on Code, 6 is amended by adding Sect3.on 225.0274 to read as follows: 7 Sec. 225.0274. 173D AIRBORNE BI~YGADE MEMORIAL B HIGHWAY. (a) State Hi hwa 173 between its intersection with 9 State Highway 7.6 near Kerrville and its intersection with State l0 Highway Z6 near Jourdanton is designated as the 173d Airborne 11 Bri ade Memorial Hi hwa . 12 (b) The departrnert shall design and Construct memorial 13 markers indicating the highway .number, the designation as the 173d 14 Airborne Brigade Memorial Highway, and any other appropriate 1 C int'ormat ion . 16 _(c;___mhe.department sha7.i exert a marker at each end of the 17 highway and__at a prouriate intermediate sites alone the hicthwav. 18 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 19 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 20 provided by Section 39, Artic~.e III, Texas Constitution, IŁ tha.s 21 Act does not rece~.ve the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 22 Act takes effect September 1, 2003. 7$R131'1 JRJ-k` 1 173D Airborne Brigade (SEP) Fi ISTORY The 173D Airborne Brigade (Separate) was activated on Okinawa March 26, 1963. The Brigade leader, (then) Brigadier General Ellis W. Williamson established realistic training throughout the Pacific Region that molded an aggressive and unique unit. The Nationalist Chinese paratroopers that trained with the Brigade, respectfully called the American counterparts Sky Soldiers and due to a First Sergeant's use of the song "Rawhide" to call the Sky Soldiers to formations, the 173d acquired the nickname of The Herd. Both terms created a unique identity and unusually high esprit de corps. After extraordinary training and thousands of parachute jumps, The Herd became the first Army combat unit in the Republic of South Vietnam and continued to lead the way in many respects. The Sky Soldiers entered War Zone D to destroy enemy base camps first and fought the battles of the Iron Triangle. The Herd developed the concept of the highly effective small, long range patrols and conducted the only major combat parachute jump of the war. NVA incursions near Dak To in preparation for the 1968 Tet Offensive were blocked by the Sky Soldiers in some of the bloodiest and most intense fighting of the war. The series of battles in the summer and fall of 1967, culminated in the capture of Hill 875 with one of the bloodiest and most costly battles of the war for both sides. The Brigade is also recognized for a rare amphibious assault to drive the NVA and VC forces out of the rice- growing lowlands of the Bong Song coastal region. The Herd included the 1St through 4~' Battalions of the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment supported by the 3rd Battalion of the 319th Artillery, the 173d Support Battalion, Troop E of the 17th Cavalry, and D Company of the 16th Armor. Joining the American paratroopers in Vietnam were the Australians and New Zealanders of the First Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment (RAR) and 105 Field Battery, and the 1 RAR AUST Group Infantry Battalion. The Sky Soldiers of the 173d Airbarne Brigade (Sep) still wear jump wings, combat badges and decorations with pride. Although most of them were also assigned to the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions or the 1St Calvary Division during their service, their loyalty to The Herd remains the strongest. During more than six years of almost continuous combat, the Sky Soldiers earned fourteen campaign streamers and four Presidential Unit Citations. Thirteen Medals of Honor and six thousand Purple Hearts were awarded and seventeen hundred Sky Soldiers' names are on The Wall. The Brigade was deactivated on January 14, 1972 at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky. Their unique bond led Herd members to form the International Society of the 173d Airborne Brigade (Sep) in 1967. Today, it promotes healing among surviving Sky Soldiers and Gold Star Mothers, funds college scholarships and lends personal and monetary assistance to deserving charities. By: A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1 AN ACT l.B. No. 2 relating to the designation of State Highway 173 between Kerrville 3 and Jourdanton as the 173d Airborne Brigade Memorial Highway. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS 5 SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 225, Transportation Cade, 6 is amended by adding Section 225.0274 to read as follows: 7 Sec. 225.0274. 173D AIRBORNE BRIGADE MEMORIAL 8 HIGHWAY. (a) State Highway 173 between its intersection with 9 State Highway 26 near Kerrville and its intersection with State 10 Highway 16 near Jourdanton is designated as the 173d Airborne 11 Brigade Memorial Highway. 12 {b) The department shall design and construct memorial 13 markers indicating the highway number, the designation as the 173d 14 Airborne Brigade Memorial Highway, and any othex appropriate 15 information. 16 {c) The department shall exect a marker at each end of the 17 highway and at appropriate intermediate sites along the highway. 1$ SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 19 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 20 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this 21 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 22 Act takes effect September 1, 2003. ~~A[F ^,F x ~~ Frank Madla x 'a -"~ `' Texas Slate Senate D~etz~~t 1s October 23, 2002 Mz. Gary Crranade President, Texas Chapter XIII Society of the 173d Airborne Brigade 18117 Kuykendahl Road Spring, Texas 77379 Dear Mr. Grenade: 1a13 B.E. YiltnrJ Dr., 8~rite 10~ BaaAatooio, Taxis T8Y1MS860 FAIR (fl 892-9681 P.O. Zta 14088 Aaattn,Tam Ta~ti (619 {88-0119 FAX (6I4)18a.1017 TDD 1-800.736.49M This letter is to inform you that I have submitted a request to the Texas Legislative Council requesting draft legislation to designate State Highway 173 as the 173d Airborne Brigade Memorial High.~y. While at thus time Senator Madla has not made any decisions on what legislation he will be carrying during the next legislative session, we are happy to assist you in having your proposal drafted. Please call me at yow earliest convenience so that we may discuss this issue. I look forward to talking with you. t;~`~~ Senator Frank Mad1a a," ~:~"4 District 19 JASON ANDERSON Legislative ?-a9istsnt T9CA8 SfATB CAPITCN_ E%1'RTLS1()PT P.O. Bea 12068 • Auetity Texas 78711.512/3-0119 FAX (Sl2) 46'1017. 1-800-~99~0119 e-a+aiL- iason.anderson~ea~eatNetx.ue Health i Human 6oevicoe COMMITTEES Iu4erg~veruweulal lielaUone, Chairman Mate Affairs 4~y Senate Districts Senator Frank L. Madla: District 19 1313 Southeast Military Drive, Suite 101 San Antonio, Texas 78214 Senator Jeff Wentworth: District 25 1250 NE Loop 410, Suite 720 San Antonio, Texas 78209 Senator Judith Zaffirini: District 21 1407 Washington Street Laredo, Texas 78042 House Districts Representative Tracy King District 43 210 N. High St. Uvalde, TX 78801 Representative Ignacio Salinas Jr. District 44 301- A N. King St., # 101 Alice, Tx 78322 Representative Harvey Hilderbran District 53 125 Lehmann Drive Kerrville, TX 780281 Representative Bob Turner District 73 P.O. Box 879 Coleman, TX 76834