Senator Bill Burt Bleeds Red, White and Blue

For Immediate Release Tuesday, September 13, 2011 Contact: 505-986-4702


Senator Who Bleeds “Red, White and Blue” Voted with Unanimous Senate in Recognizing War Heroes- One in Particular

Senator Bill Burt (R-Alamogordo Dist. 40) greets Lorella Tapia of Bernalillo after Senate unanimously passes a Joint Memorial honoring her son SFC Leroy Petry who has recently earned the national Medal of Honor.

Santa Fe—New Mexico State Senator Bill Burt of Alamogordo who said on the Senate Floor today that he is so patriotic that he “ bleeds red, white and blue” voted with the unanimous Senate in passing a Senate Joint Memorial declaring Sunday, September 11, 2001 as “United States Army Ranger Sergeant First Class Leroy A. Petry Day at the Legislature.”

Sgt. 1st Class Petry who is native New Mexican and who is originally from Santa Fe, received the Medal of Honor from the President at the White House on July 9, 2011 for his heroic actions on May 26, 2008 when his unit was pinned down by heavy enemy fire during a rare Army Ranger daytime raid in Afghanistan. Sgt. 1st Class Petry was already shot and wounded in both legs when he tossed away from harming his unit an enemy grenade that detonated in his hand as he released it, blowing off his right hand.

While Sgt. 1st Class Petry was in Washington, D.C. today, members of his family including his mother Lorella Tapia of Bernalillo, New Mexico were present in the State Senate when the Senate Joint Memorial 2 passed 30 to 0.

Senator Burt acknowledge the sacrifice Petry’s family has made and he addressed the sacrifice the families of all U.S. military men and women. He also said on the Senate floor today that all fighting American men and women are heroes.

“I am proud to thank a true hero today and thank Sgt. Petry for his valor. I know that all the men and women who go off to war are also true heroes. They are the backbone of American and we are all grateful for their service,” Senator Burt said.