H.R. No. 235
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The year 2011 marks the 50th anniversary of the
beginning of significant U.S. involvement in the war in Vietnam,
and this milestone offers a fitting opportunity to honor Texans who
served in that conflict and to recognize those who are working to
help erect the Texas Capitol Vietnam War Monument; and
WHEREAS, The State of Texas made a heavy contribution to this
country's military effort in Vietnam; of the many thousands of
Texans who served in Southeast Asia, 3,415 were killed in combat,
and 107 remain missing in action; in addition, Texas is currently
home to more than 500,000 Vietnam War and Vietnam War-era veterans;
and
WHEREAS, Authorization for the construction of a Vietnam War
monument on the grounds of the State Capitol was made by the
legislature in 2005; the sculptor Duke Sundt was chosen to design
the memorial, and a campaign is currently under way to raise the
$1.5 million in private funds required for its creation and
installation; and
WHEREAS, To further that effort, Patrick M. Reilly, a charter
member of Texas Capital Chapter 1919 of the Military Order of the
Purple Heart, is traveling around the state, with the assistance of
his chapter and along with other veterans, to exhibit a maquette of
Mr. Sundt's design; the maquette has previously been displayed at
such sites and events as the chamber of the Texas House of
Representatives, the Lyndon B. Johnson Ranch, the Houston Rodeo,
and the Vietnam War Symposium at Texas Tech University; it is
currently on exhibit at the George Bush Presidential Library and
Museum in College Station; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Reilly exemplifies the valor of those who served
in what remains America's longest war; born in 1948 in Oklahoma
City, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps and in 1967, at the age of 19,
deployed to Vietnam; during the time he served with Weapons Platoon
of Company H, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, he
earned the nickname "Rocketman" for his skill and accuracy in
operating the light antitank weapon; Mr. Reilly participated in
Operations Essex, Auburn, and Hue City before being wounded in the
opening hours of the Tet Offensive in January 1968; by the time U.S.
and South Vietnamese forces had quelled the massive surprise
assault by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops some two months
later, all of Mr. Reilly's close friends had been killed, and not a
single marine who had been in his platoon when he arrived in-country
remained present for duty; the injury that Patrick Reilly had
sustained necessitated the amputation of his right leg, and he has
since worked intensively with the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs to improve prosthetic services for veterans; and
WHEREAS, Nearly four decades have now elapsed since the end
of the Vietnam War, but the passage of time can never diminish the
debt that Americans everywhere owe to those courageous individuals
who bore the strife of battle in answer to their country's call; the
raising of a memorial at the State Capitol to the bravery and
sacrifice of Texas Vietnam veterans is indeed deserving of support
by every citizen of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby commend Patrick M. Reilly
and the members of Chapter 1919 of the Military Order of the Purple
Heart for their efforts to bring the Texas Capitol Vietnam War
Monument to fruition; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Mr. Reilly and for Chapter 1919 as an expression of
high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.
Schwertner
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 235 was adopted by the House on June
28, 2011, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House