H.R. No. 870

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, In 2013, the Honorable Sam Johnson, a member of the
	United States House of Representatives, commemorated the 40th
	anniversary of his homecoming from Vietnam, where he endured nearly
	seven years as a Prisoner of War; and
	WHEREAS, This highly decorated war hero served his country
	for 29 years as an officer in the U.S. Air Force; raised in Dallas,
	he joined the military at the age of 20, shortly after graduating
	from Southern Methodist University, and completed 62 combat
	missions as a fighter pilot during the Korean War; he subsequently
	flew with the elite Air Force Thunderbirds and directed the Air
	Force Fighter Weapons School; and
	WHEREAS, Congressman Johnson served two tours of duty in
	Vietnam; on April 16, 1966, during his second tour, he was shot down
	over North Vietnam while flying his 25th combat mission; ejecting
	from his plane, he sustained a dislocated shoulder, broken arm, and
	broken back; and
	WHEREAS, After his capture, then Major Sam Johnson was held
	at the notorious "Hanoi Hilton" prison camp, where he survived 72
	days in leg stocks and 2-1/2 years in leg irons, as well as severe
	beatings and starvation; identified by his captors as a "die-hard"
	because of his refusal to cooperate, he was placed in solitary
	confinement for 3-1/2 years; his ordeal finally ended with his
	release from prison on February 12, 1973; he later wrote about his
	experiences as a Prisoner of War in his book Captive Warriors: A
	Vietnam POW's Story, which was published in 1992; and
	WHEREAS, Congressman Johnson retired from the U.S. Air Force
	with the rank of colonel in 1979; among the many military awards he
	received were two Silver Stars, two Legions of Merit, the
	Distinguished Flying Cross, one Bronze Star with Valor, two Purple
	Hearts, four Air Medals, and three Outstanding Unit Awards; and
	WHEREAS, Following his return to civilian life, Congressman
	Johnson established a home-building business and served for seven
	years in the Texas House of Representatives; since 1991, he has
	represented the Third District of Texas in the U.S. Congress, where
	he is a member of the Committee on Ways and Means and the chair of
	the Social Security Subcommittee; a dedicated advocate for the men
	and women in the military, he was named by his peers in 2009 as the
	"most admired" Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives; and
	WHEREAS, In all of his endeavors, Sam Johnson has enjoyed the
	love and support of his wife, Shirley; the couple have been blessed
	with 3 children and 10 grandchildren; and
	WHEREAS, A distinguished patriot, Congressman Johnson
	continues to represent his country with extraordinary honor and
	dedication, and he is truly worthy of special recognition for his
	service; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
	Legislature hereby honor Congressman Sam Johnson on the 40th
	anniversary of his homecoming from Vietnam and extend to him
	sincere appreciation for his deep devotion to this country and to
	the cause of freedom; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
	prepared for Congressman Johnson as an expression of high regard by
	the Texas House of Representatives.
	Laubenberg
	Taylor
	Leach
	Turner of Collin
	Sanford
	Straus M. Gonzalez of El Paso Oliveira
	Allen N. Gonzalez of El Paso Orr
	Alonzo Gooden Otto
	Alvarado Guerra Paddie
	Anchia Guillen Parker
	Anderson Gutierrez Patrick
	Ashby Harless Perez
	Aycock Harper-Brown Perry
	Bell Hernandez Luna Phillips
	Bohac Herrero Pickett
	Bonnen of Brazoria Hilderbran Pitts
	Bonnen of Galveston Howard Price
	Branch Huberty Raney
	Burkett Hughes Ratliff
	Burnam Hunter Raymond
	Button Isaac Reynolds
	Callegari Johnson Riddle
	Canales Kacal Ritter
	Capriglione Keffer Rodriguez of Bexar
	Carter King of Hemphill Rodriguez of Travis
	Clardy King of Parker Rose
	Coleman King of Taylor Sanford
	Collier King of Zavala Schaefer
	Cook Kleinschmidt Sheets
	Cortez Klick Sheffield of Bell
	Craddick Kolkhorst Sheffield of Coryell
	Creighton Krause Simmons
	Crownover Kuempel Simpson
	Dale Larson Smith
	Darby Laubenberg Smithee
	Davis of Dallas Lavender Springer
	J. Davis of Harris Leach Stephenson
	S. Davis of Harris Lewis Stickland
	Deshotel Longoria Strama
	Dukes Lozano Taylor
	Dutton Lucio III Thompson of Brazoria
	Eiland Marquez Thompson of Harris
	Elkins Martinez Toth
	Fallon Martinez Fischer Turner of Collin
	Farias McClendon Turner of Harris
	Farney Menendez Turner of Tarrant
	Farrar Miles Villalba
	Fletcher Miller of Comal Villarreal
	Flynn Miller of Fort Bend Vo
	Frank Moody Walle
	Frullo Morrison White
	Geren Munoz, Jr. Workman
	Giddings Murphy Wu
	Goldman Naishtat Zedler
	Gonzales Nevarez Zerwas
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 870 was adopted by the House on March
	27, 2013, by a non-record vote.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House