[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 23647-23648]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 THE DR. HECTOR P. GARCIA DAY IN TEXAS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. SOLOMON P. ORTIZ

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 6, 2009

  Mr. ORTIZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the State of 
Texas for honoring Dr. Hector P. Garcia, with its first official Day of 
Recognition as a civil rights leader and founder of the American G.I. 
Forum of the United States.
  During this past legislative session, the lawmakers of the State of 
Texas saw it fitting to honor September 16 as the Dr. Hector P. Garcia 
Day of Recognition throughout the great State of Texas.
  Dr. Garcia was born on January 17, 1914, in the Mexican village of 
Llera, Tamaulipas, Mexico, to Jose and Faustina Garcia. In 1918, at the 
age of four, Dr. Garcia's parents and his six brothers and sisters left 
Mexico during the Mexican Revolution and relocated to Mercedes, Texas. 
During a time of unprecedented Hispanic uprising, he along with five of 
his brothers and sisters became doctors.
  He went on to earn his bachelor's degree from the University of Texas 
and his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch at 
Galveston in 1940. In 1942, he enlisted in the United States Army and 
served in World War II. Army officials would go on to discover later 
during Dr. Garcia's enlistment that he was a medical doctor and he was 
asked to treat his fellow soldiers, a task he accepted.
  While serving in Italy, he earned the Bronze Star Medal with six 
battle stars and also met his future wife, Wanda Fusillo, whom he 
married in 1945. In 1946, he was honorably discharged from the Army 
with a rank of major.
  After the war, he moved to Corpus Christi, Texas, where he opened a 
medical practice, and founded the American G.I. Forum on March 26, 
1948, to fight for the rights and benefits promised to returning 
Hispanic veterans' under the G.I. Bill. His civil rights movement would 
then grow to also combat discrimination in housing, jobs, education and 
voting rights.
  Congress honored Dr. Hector P. Garcia, who died on July 26, 1996, at 
age 82. President Bill Clinton eulogized him as a national hero. 
Congress paid homage to Dr. Garcia in 1998 by granting the American 
G.I. Forum a congressional charter. This prestigious status places the 
American G.I. Forum on equal footing with the American Legion, Veterans 
of Foreign Wars and other such veterans organizations. The American 
G.I. Forum is the largest Hispanic veterans organization in the 
country, with over 500 chapters throughout the United States.
  Dr. Hector P. Garcia is survived by his three daughters; a brother, 
Dr. C.P. Garcia of San Antonio; and Dr. Dalia Garcia of Corpus Christi. 
A son, Hector Jr., died in 1962 at age 13.
  Today, I ask that my colleagues join me in commemorating the Dr. 
Hector P. Garcia Day of Recognition in which his service and dedication 
to the State of Texas and this country will be remembered on September 
16 for years to come.

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