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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The year 2015 marks the 40th anniversary of the end |
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of the war in Vietnam, and this occasion provides a fitting |
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opportunity to honor the members of the Texas House of |
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Representatives who served their country in the U.S. armed forces |
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during that conflict; and |
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WHEREAS, American military involvement in Vietnam began in |
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the 1950s, amid growing fears of Communist expansionism; following |
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the division of Vietnam in 1954, U.S. military aid to South Vietnam |
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increased significantly, and in 1965, the first American ground |
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troops landed in that country; more than 2.5 million members of the |
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U.S. military served in Vietnam before the last American combat |
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troops were withdrawn in March 1973; in April 1975, the final |
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remaining U.S. troops, whose mission had been to guard |
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U.S. installations, were evacuated; and |
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WHEREAS, Among those who completed tours of duty in country |
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during the Vietnam War were State Representatives Wayne Smith, Joe |
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Farias, Dan Flynn, and Bill Zedler, and among those who served in |
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the military during the Vietnam era were State Representatives |
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Jimmie Don Aycock, Charles "Doc" Anderson, John Raney, and Paul |
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Workman; and |
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WHEREAS, The ranks of those killed or classified as missing |
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in action in the Vietnam War included 3,417 Texans; although there |
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is no precise tally of the total number of native Texans who served |
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in the conflict, an estimated 500,000 current Texas residents are |
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Vietnam veterans; in honor of all Texans who served and died in the |
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Vietnam War, the 79th Texas Legislature passed a resolution |
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cosponsored by Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa and Representative |
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Wayne Smith, themselves Vietnam veterans, that authorized the |
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placement of a monument on the Capitol grounds; the Texas Capitol |
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Vietnam Veterans Monument was dedicated on March 29, 2015, in a |
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ceremony attended by an estimated 5,000 people; and |
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WHEREAS, While we can never fully repay the immense debt of |
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gratitude owed to the men and women who served this country in the |
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Vietnam War, this monument continues to remind all who pass by of |
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their valor, patriotism, and unwavering devotion to duty; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor the Vietnam veterans who are members of |
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this body and express heartfelt appreciation to all veterans who |
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served during the Vietnam War. |