A house RESOLUTION

 

TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THOMAS CLYDE BURROUGHS, CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER FOUR, RETIRED, FOR AN OUTSTANDING CAREER AND TO CONGRATULATE HIM ON HIS VALOR IN SERVICE FOR WHICH HE WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART.

 

Whereas, Thomas Clyde Burroughs graduated from high school in Marion in 1954 and shortly after enlisted in the United States Army.  Trained as a combat engineer, he served a seventeen-month tour in Korea with the 24th Infantry Division and joined the South Carolina Highway Patrol in 1958.  In 1959, Mr. Burroughs met Olivia Williams, and they were married in 1960.  He resigned from the patrol in 1963 to return to military service and attended Officer Candidate School.  He deployed to Vietnam and returned and took aviation training to become a helicopter pilot; and

 

Whereas, he was assigned another tour in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot and property book officer in 1970, alternating between flying combat assault missions and ensuring the unit had everything it needed to accomplish the mission.  On September 15, 1970, Chief Warrant Officer Burroughs was awarded the Purple Heart Medal for wounds incurred when his aircraft was hit by intense machine gun fire during a combat assault.  One bullet blew the base of his cyclic control apart, and a large piece of the metal was imbedded in his left leg.  He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for flying the aircraft back to the airfield with the left cyclic control from the right seat; and

 

Whereas, Chief Burroughs served in many other duty stations at home and abroad, and after thirty-five years of service to his country, he retired.  His beloved wife was by his side until her passing in 2022.  South Carolina values deeply the dedicated and devoted service of Thomas Burroughs.  Now, therefore,

 

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

 

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor  Thomas Clyde Burroughs, Chief Warrant Officer Four, Retired, for an outstanding career and  congratulate him on his valor in service for which he was awarded the Purple Heart.

 

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Thomas Clyde Burroughs.

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