WHEREAS, Alfred Martin Palacios of Virginia Beach, a courageous World War II veteran and a dedicated civil servant, died on May 16, 2015; and

WHEREAS, a native of San Francisco, California, Alfred Palacios joined the United States Navy in 1943 and trained to join the Seabees; he attended Naval Mine Disposal School in Washington, D.C., then volunteered to join a Naval Combat Demolition Unit, a precursor to the elite Navy SEALs; and

WHEREAS, as a member of Naval Combat Demolition Unit 131, Alfred Palacios landed with the first wave of troops on Omaha Beach during the D-Day Invasion of Normandy, France, in World War II; and

WHEREAS, despite being severely wounded, Alfred Palacios completed his mission to help destroy enemy obstacles and clear the way for incoming waves of troops, capturing multiple German prisoners of war in the process; he earned the Purple Heart and later received the French Legion of Honor for his valorous actions; and

WHEREAS, after his honorable discharge, Alfred Palacios worked as an inspector for the San Francisco Department of Public Utilities and retired as an industrial safety engineer for the State of California; and

WHEREAS, Alfred Palacios relocated to the Commonwealth to be closer to his family; while in Virginia Beach, he enjoyed fellowship and worship with the community as a member of the Church of the Holy Family Catholic Church, where he sang in the choir; and

WHEREAS, Alfred Palacios will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his wife of 70 years, Joyce; children, Teresa, Mary, Janice, Cheryl, Martin, and Michael, and their families; and numerous other family members, friends, and fellow veterans; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Delegates hereby note with great sadness the loss of Alfred Martin Palacios, a proud veteran and a hardworking civil servant; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Alfred Martin Palacios as an expression of the House of Delegates' respect for his memory.