H.R. No. 1136

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Retired U.S. Navy Commander Everett Alvarez Jr.
	rendered exceptional service to his country during the Vietnam War;
	and
	WHEREAS, Everett Alvarez earned an electrical engineering
	degree from Santa Clara University, and in 1960, he answered his
	nation's call to duty by joining the U.S. Navy; in 1964, he was
	serving as a fighter pilot on the USS Constellation aircraft
	carrier during a time of heightening tensions in the South China
	Sea; two U.S. destroyers stationed in the Gulf of Tonkin were fired
	upon by North Vietnamese forces in early August, and on August 5,
	Mr. Alvarez was helping to carry out a retaliatory bombing mission
	when his Douglas A-4 Skyhawk was hit by enemy fire; as the cockpit
	filled with smoke, he made one final radio transmission before
	ejecting from his plane and plunging into the sea; and
	WHEREAS, The first American to be shot down over North
	Vietnam, Mr. Alvarez became a prisoner of war, entering what would
	become the second-longest period of captivity for an American
	service member in the Vietnam conflict; demonstrating
	extraordinary courage and resilience, he spent most of his eight
	years and seven months of captivity at Hoa Lo Prison, where he was
	repeatedly beaten and tortured and communicated with his fellow
	POWs by tapping out coded messages on the prison walls; he was
	released on February 12, 1973; in recognition of his heroism, he
	was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Silver Star, two
	Purple Hearts, two Legions of Merit, and two Bronze Star Medals; in
	2024, President Joe Biden signed into law the Everett Alvarez, Jr.
	Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2023, which awarded Commander
	Alvarez with the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian
	award in the U.S.; in January 2025, the secretary of the navy
	announced that a warship would be named the USS Everett Alvarez in
	Commander Alvarez's honor; and
	WHEREAS, After he returned from Vietnam, Commander Alvarez
	served as deputy director of the Peace Corps, as deputy
	administrator of the U.S. Veterans Administration, and as vice
	president for government services with the Hospital Corporation of
	America; additionally, he is chief executive officer of the Alvarez
	LLC consulting firm he founded, he earned a juris doctor degree from
	the George Washington School of Law, and he authored two books about
	his captivity and his life afterward; an advocate for the veterans
	community, he is involved with wounded warrior initiatives with his
	wife, Tammy; and
	WHEREAS, Everett Alvarez exemplified the highest ideals of
	the United States armed forces during his time in uniform, and for
	his valor, sacrifice, and selfless commitment, Americans owe him a
	lasting debt of gratitude; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas
	Legislature hereby commend retired U.S. Navy Commander Everett
	Alvarez Jr. for his dedicated service in the Vietnam War and extend
	to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
	prepared for Commander Alvarez as an expression of high regard by
	the Texas House of Representatives.
	Shaheen
	Burrows Guerra Morales Shaw
	Alders Guillen Morgan
	Allen Harless Muñoz
	Anchía Harris Noble
	Ashby Harris Davila Olcott
	Barry Harrison Oliverson
	Bell of Kaufman Hayes Ordaz
	Bell of Montgomery Hefner Orr
	Bernal Hernandez Patterson
	Bhojani Hickland Paul
	Bonnen Hinojosa Perez of El Paso
	Bowers Holt Perez of Harris
	Bryant Hopper Phelan
	Buckley Howard Pierson
	Bucy Hull Plesa
	Bumgarner Hunter Raymond
	Button Isaac Reynolds
	Cain Johnson Richardson
	Campos Jones of Dallas Rodríguez Ramos
	Canales Jones of Harris Romero
	Capriglione Kerwin Rose
	Cole King Rosenthal
	Collier Kitzman Schatzline
	Cook LaHood Schofield
	Cortez Lalani Schoolcraft
	Craddick Lambert Shaheen
	Cunningham Landgraf Shofner
	Curry Leach Simmons
	Darby Leo Wilson Slawson
	A. Davis of Dallas Little Smithee
	Y. Davis of Dallas Longoria Spiller
	Dean Lopez of Bexar Swanson
	DeAyala Lopez of Cameron Talarico
	Dorazio Louderback Tepper
	Dutton Lowe Thompson
	Dyson Lozano Tinderholt
	Fairly Lujan Toth
	Flores Luther Troxclair
	Frank Manuel Turner
	Gámez Martinez VanDeaver
	Garcia of Bexar Martinez Fischer Vasut
	Garcia of Dallas McLaughlin Villalobos
	Garcia Hernandez McQueeney Virdell
	Gates Metcalf Vo
	Gerdes Meyer Walle
	Geren Meza Ward Johnson
	Gervin-Hawkins Money Wharton
	González of Dallas Moody Wilson
	González of El Paso Morales of Harris Wu
	Goodwin Morales of Maverick Zwiener
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 1136 was adopted by the House on May 15,
	2025, by a non-record vote.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House