Dripping Life
Drippin’ Life
History has taught us over and over again that freedom is not free. When push comes to shove, the ultimate protectors of freedom and liberty are the brave men and women in our armed forces. Throughout our history, they've answered the call with bravery and sacrifice.
---Tim Pawlenty
I’ve always been a proud Texan…always, but reading and learning about how this state has always responded to its nation’s call makes me even prouder to be a native of the Lone Star State. Here’s what I learned from the Texas State Historical Association’s “Online Texas Handbook,” a tremendous resource for all things historic:
When the United States entered World War II after Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor (Dec. 7, 1941), many believed the USA’s entry into the war in Europe and Asia was inevitable. Our country had opposed Japan’s moves into the Far East and Germany/Italy into Europe and Africa throughout the 1930s. Germany’s invasion of Poland in 1939, followed by the fall of France in 1940, increased President Roosevelt’s national security concerns.
Texans strongly supported the president's aid to the British, French and Chinese and to strengthen national defense. With the exception of Martin Dies and Hatton W. Sumners (who abstained), Texas congressmen voted for the Selective Service Act of 1940, the first peace-time draft in U.S. history and the entire Texas delegation -- except Joseph J. Mansfield -- voted for the Lend-Lease bill (providing needed supplies to nations resisting Axis aggression), in early 1941.
Texans reacted quickly to Pearl Harbor. Texas governor Coke R. Stevenson urged support for the war effort, denouncing the "cowardly Japanese attack." He predicted accurately Texans would respond enthusiastically to defend their country…and true to his prediction, long lines of men gathered at recruiting stations and Texans enlisted or were drafted in excess of the percentage of the nation's population. Although the state had 5 percent of the nation’s population, Texas provided 7 percent of those who served in the armed forces. Texas Agricultural & Mechanical College, alone, provided more officers than both of the military academies combined.
Those left behind planted victory gardens, women joined the workforce and all participated in metal collecting drives, rationed food and gas and bought war bonds. Women sacrificed wearing nylon stockings and silk lingerie, so those fabrics could be used in the war effort. Dresses and skirts were suddenly straighter and shorter, and long sleeves and pockets disappeared, making more fabric available for military needs.
The entire University of Texas’ Longhorn football team (including managers) enlisted as did teams from other Texas schools. In all, Texas contributed a larger percentage of men to the armed forces than any other state.
By the end of the war: 750,000 Texans, including 12,000 women, had served in the armed forces. The majority were in the Army and the Army Air Force, but nearly one-fourth served in the navy, marines, or the coast guard. Women pilots joined together to form the Women’s Air Service Pilots, answering the call for experienced pilots, and flew 60 million miles (The WASP Museum at Sweetwater’s Avenger Field reminds of their invaluable contributions to the war.
During the war 22,022 Texans were killed or died of wounds. One-third of these fatalities were in the navy, marines, or coast guard.
Texans served with distinction in various theaters in World War II. Among the first to see action were members of the Second Battalion, 131st Field Artillery of the Thirty-sixth Infantry Division, the Texas National Guard. Detached from their division in fall, 1941, the battalion was rushed to the Far East, where artillery was badly needed. The battalion was captured on Java and joined the captured survivors of the sunken cruiser Houston to be known as “the Lost Battalion” because no one at home knew their whereabouts for a year. The Lost Battalion spent the rest of the war in Japanese prison camps.
The 112th Cavalry Regiment, another Texas unit to see action in the Pacific, was stationed at Fort Bliss and Fort Clark before the war. The regiment, made up mainly of Texans, was the last American unit to serve on horseback in the war. After being sent to New Caledonia to guard an air base, the 112th took part in heavy fighting in New Britain, Leyte, and Luzon, along with the First Cavalry Division, another regular army unit stationed in Texas.
The First Cavalry, in 1945, was the first American division to reach Manila in the reconquest of the Philippines. The 103rd and 144th Infantry regiments were other Texas units to see extensive action in the Pacific.
The Thirty-sixth Division was the first American division to invade Europe. Mobilized at Camp Bowie (in Brownwood) on November 25, 1940, the division trained in Texas, Louisiana, and Florida before landing in North Africa in April 1943. In all, the Thirty-sixth was in combat 19 months, fought in five major campaigns, engaged in two amphibious assaults, and captured more than 175,000 prisoners. The division suffered among the highest casualties for any American unit: 3,717 killed, 12,685 wounded, and 3,064 missing in action --19,466 total.
Although men from other states served in the division, it continued to be identified as a Texas unit. Displaying the Lone Star flag and wearing the famous T-patch, the Thirtysixth was proud to be known as the "Texas Army." The Ninetieth Division, originally composed of national guardsmen and draftees from Texas and Oklahoma, also saw action in Europe. Activated at Camp Barkeley near Abilene in March 1942, the division landed on Utah beach on D-day, 1944.
As part of Gen. George Patton's Third Army, the Ninetieth served in Operation Cobra, the Allied breakout in northern Europe. The Ninetieth drove across France in the summer of 1944, participated in heavy fighting in Alsace-Lorraine and played a role in relieving besieged American forces in the Ardennes. Like the Thirtysixth Division, the Ninetieth sustained heavy casualties, especially in the savage struggle in the Bocage hedgerow country of Normandy.
The Second Infantry, a regular Army division, was another unit with strong Texas ties, and was headquartered at Fort Sam before World War II. Identified by its Indian-head shoulder patch, the Second Division formed part of the United States First Army, first under Omar Bradley and later, Courtney Hodges.
Thirty-three Texans won the Medal of Honor— 25 in the Army/Air Corps and eight in the Navy or Marines. One of these, Lt. Audie Murphy of Farmersville, was the most highly-decorated American in the war. Commander Samuel D. Dealey of Dallas, another Texas recipient of the Medal of Honor, was the most highly decorated man in the U.S. Navy. Texan James Earl Rudder was decorated for his service as commander of the Second Ranger Battalion at D-day.
More than 150 generals and 12 admirals were natives or residents of Texas. Dwight David Eisenhower, the supreme Allied commander in Europe, was born in Denison and stationed at Fort Sam Houston when the war began. Chester W. Nimitz, appointed commander of the Pacific Fleet after Pearl Harbor, was a Fredericksburg native, and William Simpson -- commanding general of the Ninth Army -- was the son of a Confederate veteran and a native of Weatherford.
Jonathan M. Wainwright, who surrendered American forces at Corregidor after Douglas MacArthur's departure to Australia, spent much of his military career stationed in Texas and made his home in Texas after the war. Walter Krueger, a native of Germany who became commanding general of the Sixth Army, also considered San Antonio his home.
Commerce native Claire L. Chennault, former high school teacher and fighter pilot, organized FDR’s secret American Volunteer Pilot’s Group -- the legendary Flying Tigers -- which flew supplies to American troops over “the Hump” and fought with the Chinese against the Japanese. He was recalled to active duty when the United States entered the war, and commanded Army Air Forces in China.
Wife of former Texas governor William P. Hobby -- Oveta Culp Hobby -- was appointed to develop and command the Women's Army Corps, doing an outstanding job in creating that wellrespected organization, at home and overseas.
Many from Texas’ minority communities willingly responded to their nation’s call to arms, even though the U.S. Armed Forces had remained segregated. Doris Miller, an African-American mess attendant from Waco, serving on the USS West Virginia and became one of the first American heroes of the war at Pearl Harbor. As a messman, Miller had not received the gunnery training given white sailors, but when members of his vessel’s gun crew were wounded, he manned a machine gun. Miller was awarded the Navy Cross, but was still a steward two years later when his next vessel, the USS Liscome, was lost with all hands.
Roy Harmon of Cuero, another mess attendant and one of the 80,000 African Americans who served their country in WWII, received the Navy Cross posthumously for bravery in caring for the wounded while his ship, USS San Francisco, was under attack in the Solomon Islands.
After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Tejanos from across the state responded to the nation's call for military service. Five -- Lucian Adams of Port Arthur, Macario García of Sugar Land, José M. López of Brownsville, Silvestre S. Herrera of El Paso, and Cleto L. Rodríguez of San Antonio --received the Medal of Honor. Another Mexican Texan and founder of the American G.I. Forum of Texas, Dr. Hector Garcia, won the Bronze Star and six battle stars while serving in North Africa and Italy.
During the war, many military installations were located in Texas. Fort Sam Houston at San Antonio and Fort Bliss at El Paso served as headquarters for various U.S. Army commands. Others --Camp Wolters near Mineral Wells, Camp Fannin near Tyler, Camp Howze near Gainesville, Camp Bowie and Camp Hood near Killeen --opened immediately before or during the war. Twenty combat divisions -- 1,200,000 troops – trained at the 15 major Texas army camps between 1940 and 1945.
Randolph Air Field at San Antonio, dedicated in 1930, known as the "West Point of the Air," served as a major base for pilot instruction. Kelly and Brooks Fields were enlarged and Ellington Field near Houston was reactivated. The national headquarters of the Air Force Training Command was located at Carswell Field in Fort Worth. The largest naval flight-training center in the world, the Naval Air Station, Corpus Christi, opened just before Pearl Harbor. An estimated 200,000 airmen -- 45,000 pilots, 12,000 bombardiers, 12,000 navigators and thousands of aerial gunners, photographers, and mechanics -- were trained at the 40 military airfields in Texas.
When “our Texas boys” came home, they came ready to put the war behind them. Some never spoke of their experience again. Others lived a lifetime with wounds to remind them of “the Great War.”
Their legacy was knowing they had warded off harm to our freedoms and our democracy. They also established homes, neighborhoods, families and careers and generated a nationwide patriotic spirit we have failed to replicate since. They became, humbly yet proudly, what we call them today: “The Greatest Generation!”
On Dec. 10th, beginning at 11 a.m. in the House Chamber at the State Capitol, Austin’s 13th Annual Wreaths Across America ceremony honoring veterans serving our country will be held, featuring a welcoming address by Commissioner George P. Bush and an inspiring keynote by U. S. Army Capt. (Ret.) Chad Fleming, the first American amputee who returned to active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. We’ll also honor special guest, Texas’ oldest veteran Richard Overton of Austin and the Lt. Ben Britt Gold Star Family. The public is welcome on Monday, Dec. 10th, at the capitol and also Saturday, Dec. 15th at the Texas State Cemetery, where wreaths will be placed on every veteran’s final resting place.