H.R. No. 380
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, April 9, 2011, is being celebrated as Welcome Home
South Texas Vietnam Veterans Day and is being commemorated at the
Landing Zone For Troops in the Rio Grande Valley (LZ:RGV), an
all-day series of events designed to acknowledge and thank veterans
of the Vietnam War; and
WHEREAS, The conflict in Southeast Asia was a divisive time
in our nation's history, and Vietnam veterans often returned home
to little fanfare; due to the controversy surrounding the war, they
rarely received the gratitude and respect they deserved; the LZ:RGV
is intended to correct that lack of recognition and to officially
welcome a number of Vietnam veterans back home to South Texas; and
WHEREAS, Communities from across the Rio Grande Valley have
united in support of the LZ:RGV, and many organizations and
individuals are working to make it a success; sponsors include the
American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Veterans
Alliance of the Rio Grande Valley, the Rio Grande Guardian, The
Monitor, the City of McAllen, the City of Edinburg, Total Imaging
Solutions, Entravision Communications Corporation, and Hidalgo
County Judge Ramon Garcia; and
WHEREAS, The celebration is being held at the McAllen
Convention Center, which was offered at no charge for the event, and
up to 15,000 people are expected to attend; beginning with a
dedication ceremony at the Veterans War Memorial of Texas, adjacent
to the convention center, the program for the LZ:RGV includes
exhibits, documentaries, and speakers; in the evening, a salute to
veterans is being featured, followed by a closing concert; and
WHEREAS, Of the 2.59 million Americans who answered their
nation's call to duty during the Vietnam War, more than 58,000
sacrificed their lives, among them 3,400 Texans; many more
thousands of military personnel were wounded, with 75,000 severely
disabled; in addition, a large number of men were held as POWs, and
today, approximately 2,000 Americans who served in the war remain
missing; and
WHEREAS, Brave and steadfast during one of the most difficult
conflicts in this nation's history, Vietnam War veterans are worthy
of our utmost respect and appreciation, and this extensive
celebration justly honors their courageous efforts; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby recognize April 9, 2011, as Welcome Home South
Texas Vietnam Veterans Day and pay tribute to those area Texans who
served their country during the Vietnam War.
Pena
Guillen
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 380 was adopted by the House on March
31, 2011, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House