Gov. Abbott awards Kyle Dyess highest State of Texas military 
decoration to Texas Heroes
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas For their remarkable valor and selfless service it is my distinct honor to present
the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor to
Lt. Col. Ed Dyess & Chief Petty Officer Chris Kyle" said Gov. Greg Abbott earlier today
during a late-morning ceremony on the grounds of the Texas Governors Mansion as flags waved above the Texas Capitol immediately across the street to the north.
America is
the brightest beacon of freedom the world has ever known because of
all who have honorably worn the uniform of the mightiest military in the history
of the world" Abbott said posthumously awarding the Medal of Honor to members of the honorees families
as former Gov. Rick Perry looked on.
We can never repay
the debt we owe for the lives these men saved and the freedom they preserved. But
today we honor their memory their patriotism and their sacrifice said the Texas Governor.
The Texas Legislative Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the state or federal military forces by the State of Texas.
Governor Abbott presents the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor to Taya Kyle wife of Chief Petty Officer Chris Kyle. (PHOTO: Office of the Governor. 8/26/15)
Governor Abbott presents the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor to the family of Lt. Col. Ed Dyess. (PHOTO: Office of the Governor 8/26/15)
Christopher Scott Kyle was born and raised in Texas and was a US Navy SEAL from 1999 to 2009. He is currently known as the most successful sniper in American military history.
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According to his book American Sniper he had 160 confirmed kills (which was from 255 claimed kills).
- Kyle served as a Navy SEAL in 4 tours in the latest Iraq war.
- For his bravery and military skills he was awarded some of the highest medals in the US military multiple times including the Bronze and Silver Star.
- In 2009 Kyle decided to leave the SEALS and was honorably discharged. After some time struggling with civilian life he started a security company called CRAFT and wrote the New York Times bestselling book American Sniper.
- Kyle was murdered at a shooting range by a US military veteran he was trying to help on February 2 2013 in Texas.
William Edwin Dyess World War II flier was born August 9 1916 in Albany TX. After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and began assaults on Bataan and Corregidor Dyess was thrust into combat in the Asian Theater as commander of all flying squadrons on Bataan.
On March 3 1942 in Subic Bay he sank a Japanese ship and damaged shore installations. As the enemy closed in Dyess refused evacuation and remained with his men in the Philippines. - On April 9 1942 the American forces surrendered to the Japanese and Dyess became a prisoner of war. He survived the horror of the Bataan Death March and imprisonment at camps ODonnell and Cabanatuan and the Davao Penal Colony.
- At Davao Dyess and several other prisoners escaped on April 4 1943. They contacted Filipino guerillas that led them to the submarine Trout on July 23.
- After returning home and staying in an army general hospital in Virginia to regain his health Dyess was promoted to lieutenant colonel and resumed flying on December 22 1943.
- He was killed that day in Burbank CA attempting an emergency landing and was buried in Albany.
