Amarillo City Councilmembers paid their respects and honored the legacy of local hero Lance Corporal Thomas E. Creek during the City Council meeting on Tuesday.

Councilman Tim Reid presented a resolution honoring Creek at the beginning of the meeting. The resolution outlined Creek’s heroism during the Vietnam War and the sacrifice he made to save the lives of his fellow Marines.

After Reid’s presentation, Creek’s family and friends took to the podium at City Hall to share stories about Creek and their gratitude for the recognition by the City Council.

“It really means so much to us to have Tom recognized in town,” family member Jim DeWitz said. “Of course, we have the VA, but that was a federal thing. We wanted a local thing for Tom. This is a great start… We will carry on the torch. This is a humongous step forward for our whole family.”

Creek, who died in combat in 1969, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in 1970. The local Veterans Affairs hospital was subsequently named in his honor in 2004.