88R26128 TBO-D
By: Vo H.R. No. 1286
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The year 2023 marks the 48th anniversary of the fall
of South Vietnam and the subsequent emigration of hundreds of
thousands of Vietnamese refugees, many of whom settled in the
United States; and
WHEREAS, On April 30, 1975, North Vietnamese troops occupied
Saigon, bringing a final end to the Vietnam War, during which
American service personnel fought alongside South Vietnamese
troops to oppose the communist forces of North Vietnam and their
allies; during the course of the conflict, more than 58,000
American service members lost their lives and over 100,000 were
seriously wounded; losses among South Vietnamese forces are
estimated at a quarter of a million killed and perhaps as many badly
injured, and countless civilians perished; and
WHEREAS, American military involvement in the war ended with
the signing of the Paris Peace Accords in January 1973; a small
number of U.S. troops remained in South Vietnam to guard the
American Embassy in Saigon, but the last of those were withdrawn in
April 1975, as the North Vietnamese Army closed in on the city; in
the days before Saigon fell, more than 100,000 Vietnamese were
evacuated to the United States, including military personnel and
others whose previous associations made them targets of the Viet
Cong and North Vietnamese; and
WHEREAS, Over the ensuing decade, the Communists tightened
their grip on the country and hundreds of thousands more people
fled; and
WHEREAS, Despite challenges, a multitude of Vietnamese
emigrants were able to establish new lives in other countries;
those settling in the United States were aided by the generous
efforts of the many Americans who extended a helping hand, and
vibrant Vietnamese communities began to take root in cities across
the nation; by 2021, this population had reached approximately 1.9
million and constituted the fourth-largest Asian immigrant group in
the nation; Texas is now home to almost 300,000 Vietnamese
Americans, who have made substantial contributions to the economy,
education, public service, science, medicine, the arts, and many
other aspects of society; and
WHEREAS, The observance of this somber anniversary reminds us
of the magnitude of the sacrifices made and hardships endured in the
quest for freedom, and we pay tribute to those whose lives were lost
and recognize the courage and determination of the Vietnamese
people who came to these shores in search of a better life; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the 48th anniversary of the fall of
South Vietnam at the conclusion of the Vietnam War.