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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Retired U.S. Navy Commander Everett Alvarez Jr. |
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rendered exceptional service to his country during the Vietnam War; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Everett Alvarez earned an electrical engineering |
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degree from Santa Clara University, and in 1960, he answered his |
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nation's call to duty by joining the U.S. Navy; in 1964, he was |
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serving as a fighter pilot on the USS Constellation aircraft |
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carrier during a time of heightening tensions in the South China |
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Sea; two U.S. destroyers stationed in the Gulf of Tonkin were fired |
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upon by North Vietnamese forces in early August, and on August 5, |
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Mr. Alvarez was helping to carry out a retaliatory bombing mission |
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when his Douglas A-4 Skyhawk was hit by enemy fire; as the cockpit |
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filled with smoke, he made one final radio transmission before |
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ejecting from his plane and plunging into the sea; and |
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WHEREAS, The first American to be shot down over North |
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Vietnam, Mr. Alvarez became a prisoner of war, entering what would |
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become the second-longest period of captivity for an American |
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service member in the Vietnam conflict; demonstrating |
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extraordinary courage and resilience, he spent most of his eight |
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years and seven months of captivity at Hoa Lo Prison, where he was |
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repeatedly beaten and tortured and communicated with his fellow |
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POWs by tapping out coded messages on the prison walls; he was |
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released on February 12, 1973; in recognition of his heroism, he |
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was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Silver Star, two |
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Purple Hearts, two Legions of Merit, and two Bronze Star Medals; in |
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2024, President Joe Biden signed into law the Everett Alvarez, Jr. |
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Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2023, which awarded Commander |
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Alvarez with the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian |
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award in the U.S.; in January 2025, the secretary of the navy |
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announced that a warship would be named the USS Everett Alvarez in |
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Commander Alvarez's honor; and |
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WHEREAS, After he returned from Vietnam, Commander Alvarez |
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served as deputy director of the Peace Corps, as deputy |
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administrator of the U.S. Veterans Administration, and as vice |
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president for government services with the Hospital Corporation of |
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America; additionally, he is chief executive officer of the Alvarez |
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LLC consulting firm he founded, he earned a juris doctor degree from |
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the George Washington School of Law, and he authored two books about |
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his captivity and his life afterward; an advocate for the veterans |
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community, he is involved with wounded warrior initiatives with his |
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wife, Tammy; and |
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WHEREAS, Everett Alvarez exemplified the highest ideals of |
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the United States armed forces during his time in uniform, and for |
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his valor, sacrifice, and selfless commitment, Americans owe him a |
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lasting debt of gratitude; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commend retired U.S. Navy Commander Everett |
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Alvarez Jr. for his dedicated service in the Vietnam War and extend |
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to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Commander Alvarez as an expression of high regard by |
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the Texas House of Representatives. |