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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The year 2011 marks the 50th anniversary of the |
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beginning of significant U.S. involvement in the war in Vietnam, |
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and this milestone offers a fitting opportunity to honor Texans who |
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served in that conflict and to recognize those who are working to |
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help erect the Texas Capitol Vietnam War Monument; and |
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WHEREAS, The State of Texas made a heavy contribution to this |
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country's military effort in Vietnam; of the many thousands of |
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Texans who served in Southeast Asia, 3,415 were killed in combat, |
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and 107 remain missing in action; in addition, Texas is currently |
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home to more than 500,000 Vietnam War and Vietnam War-era veterans; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Authorization for the construction of a Vietnam War |
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monument on the grounds of the State Capitol was made by the |
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legislature in 2005; the sculptor Duke Sundt was chosen to design |
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the memorial, and a campaign is currently under way to raise the |
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$1.5 million in private funds required for its creation and |
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installation; and |
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WHEREAS, To further that effort, Patrick M. Reilly, a charter |
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member of Texas Capital Chapter 1919 of the Military Order of the |
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Purple Heart, is traveling around the state, with the assistance of |
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his chapter and along with other veterans, to exhibit a maquette of |
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Mr. Sundt's design; the maquette has previously been displayed at |
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such sites and events as the chamber of the Texas House of |
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Representatives, the Lyndon B. Johnson Ranch, the Houston Rodeo, |
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and the Vietnam War Symposium at Texas Tech University; it is |
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currently on exhibit at the George Bush Presidential Library and |
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Museum in College Station; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Reilly exemplifies the valor of those who served |
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in what remains America's longest war; born in 1948 in Oklahoma |
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City, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps and in 1967, at the age of 19, |
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deployed to Vietnam; during the time he served with Weapons Platoon |
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of Company H, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, he |
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earned the nickname "Rocketman" for his skill and accuracy in |
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operating the light antitank weapon; Mr. Reilly participated in |
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Operations Essex, Auburn, and Hue City before being wounded in the |
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opening hours of the Tet Offensive in January 1968; by the time U.S. |
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and South Vietnamese forces had quelled the massive surprise |
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assault by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops some two months |
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later, all of Mr. Reilly's close friends had been killed, and not a |
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single marine who had been in his platoon when he arrived in-country |
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remained present for duty; the injury that Patrick Reilly had |
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sustained necessitated the amputation of his right leg, and he has |
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since worked intensively with the U.S. Department of Veterans |
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Affairs to improve prosthetic services for veterans; and |
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WHEREAS, Nearly four decades have now elapsed since the end |
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of the Vietnam War, but the passage of time can never diminish the |
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debt that Americans everywhere owe to those courageous individuals |
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who bore the strife of battle in answer to their country's call; the |
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raising of a memorial at the State Capitol to the bravery and |
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sacrifice of Texas Vietnam veterans is indeed deserving of support |
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by every citizen of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby commend Patrick M. Reilly |
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and the members of Chapter 1919 of the Military Order of the Purple |
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Heart for their efforts to bring the Texas Capitol Vietnam War |
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Monument to fruition; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Reilly and for Chapter 1919 as an expression of |
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high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |
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Schwertner |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 235 was adopted by the House on June |
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28, 2011, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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