Point #4- The Texas Military Connection

To obtain this point: You must experience the Texas Military Connection in someplace away from your own home town. The best way to do this would be to go to one of the current military bases.

Texas and Texans have historically been inter-woven with the military might of the United States since joining the union. Texas was the home of many military leaders and heroes- Chester Nimitz, Dwight Eisenhower, Oveta Hobby (director of Women's Army Corp in WWII), Quanah Parker (last Chief of the Commanches...and undefeated), Audie Murphy (most decorated WWII soldier), and a few Commander-in-chiefs. There are also many military bases throughout Texas and roughly 200,000 military personnel stationed in Texas.

In addition to being the home state of many heroes, there were many other famous military leaders that spent time in Texas. Two future presidents (Zachary Taylor and Ulysses S. Grant) fought in the Mexican American War in Texas. Robert E. Lee was stationed in Texas immediately before the Civil War. George Patton and John J. Pershing chased Pancho Villa during the Mexican Expedition of 1916. Teddy Roosevelt was said to have collected many of his 'Rough Riders' at the Menger Hotel in San Antonio. They also trained near San Antonio before going to Cuba.

I would recommend that you should go to a museum, fort, or battlefield in Texas that shows the military connection to the US: Texas Military Forces Museum (Austin), Battleship Texas (La Porte), USS Lexington (Corpus Christi), Commemorative Air Force Museum (Brownsville or Midland), Buffalo Soldier Museum (Houston), 12th Armor Museum (Abilene), Silent Wing Museum (Lubbock), or the National Museum of the Pacific War (Fredricksburg). There are also museums at Ft. Hood, Ft. Bliss, Lackland AFB, and other military instillations throughout Texas. A good battlefield to visit is the Palo Alto Battlefield (first battle in Mexican-American War).

Enjoy Texas...and do you know which Texan was the founder of the 'Flying Tigers' who fought the Japanese in China before the US declared war in WWII?