GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT

August 10, 2020

The Honorable David L. Bernhardt Secretary of the Interior U.S. Department of the Interior 1849 C Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20240

Attn: Mr. Jeffrey Small, jeffrcv small(q ios.doi.gov

Re: State of Texas Response to July 21 Letter on National Garden of American Heroes Task Force

Dear Secretary Bernhardt:

Thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the Task Force created in response to President Donald Trump's Executive Order on Building and Rebuilding Monuments to American Heroes. Like our President, I have great respect for our country's remarkable history as well as for the historical figures and heroes who laid the foundation for our lives as Americans and as Texans today. Rest assured Texans share in this sentiment to preserve and honor our history.

In response to your request on July 21, 2020, for recommendations related to the creation of a National Garden of American Heroes, I reached out to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) regarding locations of natural beauty in Texas to be considered as potential sites for the garden. I also sought input from the Texas Historical Commission (THC) regarding statues or monuments to donate or loan to the garden, and tasked THC with creating a list of distinguished individuals from Texas history to be considered for recognition in the garden.

The response from TPWD is enclosed. The department believes several reservoirs with associated parks and recreational land in the Dallas and Fort Worth areas to be best suited for the purpose of the national garden. The land recommended by TPWD is federally-owned and managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

I would also like to bring to your attention for consideration the location of the future National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, Texas, which is adjacent to Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers, and AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, among other attractions

POST OFFICE Box 12428 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78711512-463-2000 (VOICE) DIAL 7-1-1 FOR RELAY SERVICES The Honorable David L. Bernhardt August 10, 2020 Page 2

popular among both tourists and locals. While there is no federally-owned land in this vicinity, it may be worth considering any options for utilizing the area adjacent to the National Medal of Honor Museum for the purpose of establishing the garden. Texas is also home to several National Cemeteries with surrounding natural beauty. For example, the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery and the surrounding area are particularly beautiful and could also be considered for the national garden.

Also enclosed is the response from THC. Unfortunately, while no statues or sculptures are available for donation or loan at this time, Texas does boast a long list of prominent individuals who have contributed to this state as well as to our nation. Please find enclosed a preliminary sampling of prominent Texans, compiled by THC, for your consideration.

Thank you for your efforts in this endeavor to preserve our nation's history for future generations to remember and learn from. If I can be of further assistance in this matter, please contact my Deputy Chief of Staff, Jordan Hale, at (512) 936-2160.

Sincerely,

Greg Abbott Governor

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Enclosures August 7, 2020

The Honorable Greg Abbott Governor of Texas P.O. Box 12428 ■ Austin, Texas 78711 Life's better outside." Dear Governor Abbott:

Commissioners Thank you for the opportunity to respond to the Department of Interior's (DOI) S. Reed Marian request relating to the establishment of a National Garden of American Heroes Chairman Houston (National Garden). In response to this request, Texas Parks and Wildlife

Arch "Beaver" Aplin, Ill Department (TPWD) has thoughtfully considered federally-owned properties Vice-Chairman within the boundaries of the State of Texas that could potentially serve as suitable Lake Jackson a site. The establishment of the National Garden is pursuant to the Building and James E. Abell KIigore Rebuilding Monuments to American Heroes executive order issued on July 3, 2020 Oliver J. Bell by President Donald J. Trump. Cleveland

Anna B. Galo Laredo It is our understanding that any site considered for the National Garden should be

Jeffery D. Hildebrand readily open to the public and be "proximate to at least one major population center Houston and not cause significant disruption to the local community" as stated in a letter Jeanne W. Latimer from Secretary Bernhardt to you on July 21, 2020. While the state does have a San Antonio number of important National Parks, National Forests, and National Wildlife Robert L. "Bobby" Patton, Jr. Fort Worth Refuges, they really do not meet the requisite proximity criteria, and also have other

Dick Scott site, operational, and mission-specific parameters that would likely preclude these Wimberley tracts from consideration. It is possible that one or more tracts of land owned and Lee M. Bass managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) could merit additional Chairman-Emeritus Fort Worth evaluation. The USACE Fort Worth District alone manages at least 24 reservoirs T. Dan Friedkin with associated parks and recreational land, several being proximate to a major Chairman-Emeritus Houston population center such as Dallas and/or Fort Worth.

There is no doubt that each particular USACE site has unique operational Carter P. Smith responsibilities and site-specific water management requirements, but also unique Executive Director attributes and opportunities. As such, TPWD personnel would be pleased to coordinate with our federal partners, namely DOI and USACE, to address any site- specific needs should this option be pursued.

If you should have any additional questions, or desire more information from the Department, please do not hesitate to let me know. Thank you.

Executive Director

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4200 SMITH SCHOOL ROAD AUSTIN, TEXAS 78744-3291 cc: Mr. Clayton Wolf 512.389.4800 To manage and conserve the natural and cultural resources of Texas and to provide hunting, fishing www.tpwd.texas.gov and outdoor recreation opportunities for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. August 6, 2020

The Honorable Greg Abbott Governor of Texas P.O. Box 12428 Austin, Texas 78711

Dear Governor Abbott: Thank you for directing your staff to share the letter from Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt with respect to the proposed National Garden of American Heroes with our agency. You asked THC for a response after reviewing the questions put forth by the letter. Secretary Barnhart’s first question is more appropriately answered by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as THC is only responsible for state historic sites. The Secretary’s second question asked if we are aware of any statues or sculptures in state ownership that might be available for use in this project. I am sorry to inform you that THC does not have any statues or sculptures available at this time. The only such features that the Texas Historical Commission has it’s possession of are historic features in their own right and are integral to the sites where they are located. As for the list of other American heroes requested by Secretary Bernhardt, I would offer the attached list for consideration. This is a very preliminary list and was developed in response the Secretary’s letter and consists solely of people with a Texas connection, all deceased. Due to the large number of notable Texans and in the absence of a specific definition of hero, I did not include artists, musicians, scientists, sports figures, or other public figure, all of whom could, depending on their contributions, be considered heroes. A more complete list would be generated through the participation of professionals with backgrounds in a variety of aspects of this state’s broad and diverse history. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance.

Sincerely,

Mark Wolfe Executive Director A SAMPLING OF PROMINENT TEXANS

Stephen F. Austin (1793–1836), called the "Father of Texas" Susanna Dickinson (1814–1883), DeWitt Colonist, witnessed and survived Battle of the Alamo Sam Houston (1793–1863), first and third President of Republic of Texas, later U.S. Senator and Governor of Texas, commander of victorious Texian Army at the Battle of San Jacinto. He was removed as governor in 1861 for his refusal to swear loyalty to the Confederacy Jose Antonio Navarro (1795–1871), Texas statesman, revolutionary and politician Lorenzo de Zavala (1788–1836), first vice president of Republic of Texas, signer of Texas Declaration of Independence Davy Crockett (1786–1836), frontiersman and U.S. Congressman from Tennessee, died at Alamo Juan Seguín (1806–1890), Tejano soldier during Texas Revolution Emily West Morgan (c. 1815–1891), indentured servant known as "The Yellow Rose of Texas" who, legend has it, helped win Texas Revolution Quanah Parker (1845-1911), Comanche warrior Milton M. Holland (1844–1910), Union soldier, won Medal of Honor Daniel R. Edwards (1897–1967), received Medal of Honor in WWI David E. Hayden (1897–1974), Navy corpsman, Medal of Honor recipient in WWI Harlon Block (1924–1945), raised flag on Mt. Suribachi at Iwo Jima Leonard Harmon (1917-1942), first African American to have a warship named after him, for his heroism during the battle of Guadalcanal Claire Chennault (1893–1958), commander of "Flying Tigers" Robert G. Cole (1915–1944), soldier, won Medal of Honor for role in D-Day Normandy invasion Oveta Culp Hobby (1905–1995), Colonel Women's Army Corps, first secretary of Department of Health, Education and Welfare Neel E. Kearby (1911–1944), fighter ace, Medal of Honor recipient Raymond L. Knight (1922–1945), aviator, Medal of Honor recipient Turney W. Leonard (1921–1944), Army officer, received Medal of Honor Marcario Garcia (1920-1972), Army Medal of Honor recipient, civil rights activist Lulu B. White (1900-1957), civil rights activist, president of the largest NAACP chapter in the south Doris Miller (1919–1943), Pearl Harbor hero, first African American to receive Navy Cross Audie Murphy (1924–1971), Most decorated U.S. soldier in World War II, Medal of Honor Recipient Chester Nimitz (1885–1966), commander of Allied naval forces in Pacific during World War II Charles F. Pendleton (1931–1953), awarded Medal of Honor (Korean War) Raul (Roy) Perez Benavidez (1935–1998), awarded Medal of Honor for actions in South Vietnam Alfredo Cantu Gonzalez (1946–1968), Sergeant, USMC, Medal of Honor recipient David H. McNerney (1931–2010), 1st Sergeant U.S. Army, Medal of Honor, Vietnam 1967 George H. W. Bush (1924–2018), 41st President and 43rd Vice President of the United States (born in Milton, Massachusetts, but lived much of his adult life in Texas) Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969), 34th President of the United States (born in Texas, but raised in Kansas) Lyndon B. Johnson (1908–1973), 36th President of the United States (1963–69); Vice President (1961–63) John B. Connally, Jr. (1917–1993), Secretary of the Navy, Governor of Texas, US Treasury Secretary Juanita Craft (1902–1985), Dallas city council member, civil rights activist Barbara Jordan (1936–1996), first African American from a Southern state to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives since Reconstruction, leader in the civil rights movement Sam Rayburn (1882–1961), U.S. Congressman and holds the record as the longest-serving Speaker of the House of Representatives Lady Bird Johnson (1912–2007), former First Lady of the United States Mildred Fay Jefferson (1927–2010), physician, political activist; first African-American woman to graduate from Harvard Medical School Bessie "Queen Bess" Coleman (1892–1926), first African American female aviator Rick Husband (1957–2003), commander of the Space Shuttle Columbia, killed in its crash Kalpana Chawla (1961-2003), born in India but lived in Texas, first Indian woman in space, also killed in the crash of Columbia Sarah T. Hughes (1896-1985), first female regular district court judge in Texas, administered the oath of office to LBJ after the assassination of President Kennedy Katherine Stinson Otero (1891-1977), early female pilot, set several distance and endurance records, one of the first female commissioned airmail pilots Wiley Post (1898–1935), first pilot to fly solo around the world Ed White (1930–1967), first American astronaut to walk in space Heman Marion Sweatt (1912-1982), civil rights activist best known for the Sweatt v. Painter lawsuit, which challenged the "separate but equal" doctrine and was one of the earliest of the events that led to the desegregation of American higher education Richard Randolph Grovey (1889-1960), civil rights activist best known for the Grovey v. Townsend lawsuit which paved the way for challenges against white electoral primaries throughout the south Hector P. Garcia (1914-1996) Organized the American GI Forum, influential in the civil rights movement Emma Tenayuca (1916-1999), civil rights advocate, labor leader John Nance Garner (1896-1967), 39th Speaker of the House, 32nd Vice President