HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 2013-4643, by Representatives Chopp, DeBolt, Alexander, Angel, Appleton, Bergquist, Blake, Buys, Carlyle, Chandler, Clibborn, Cody, Condotta, Crouse, Dahlquist, Dunshee, Fagan, Farrell, Fey, Fitzgibbon, Freeman, Goodman, Green, Habib, Haigh, Haler, Hansen, Hargrove, Harris, Hawkins, Hayes, Holy, Hope, Hudgins, Hunt, Hunter, Hurst, Jinkins, Johnson, Kagi, Kirby, Klippert, Kochmar, Kretz, Kristiansen, Liias, Lytton, MacEwen, Magendanz, Manweller, Maxwell, McCoy, Moeller, Morrell, Morris, Moscoso, Nealey, O'Ban, Orcutt, Ormsby, Orwall, Overstreet, Parker, Pedersen, Pettigrew, Pike, Pollet, Reykdal, Riccelli, Roberts, Rodne, Ross, Ryu, Santos, Sawyer, Schmick, Scott, Seaquist, Sells, Shea, Short, Smith, Springer, Stanford, Stonier, Sullivan, Takko, Tarleton, Taylor, Tharinger, Upthegrove, Van De Wege, Vick, Walsh, Warnick, Wilcox, Wylie, and Zeiger

     WHEREAS, The Vietnam War was fought in Vietnam from 1961 to 1975, and involved North Vietnam and the Viet Cong in conflict with United States Armed Forces and South Vietnam; and
     WHEREAS, Members of the United States Armed Forces began serving in an advisory role to the South Vietnamese in 1961; and
     WHEREAS, Congress overwhelmingly passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution on August 7, 1964, which handed over war making powers to President Johnson until peace and security returned to Vietnam; and
     WHEREAS, In 1965, United States Armed Forces ground combat units arrived in Vietnam; and
     WHEREAS, By the end of 1965, there were eighty thousand United States troops in Vietnam, and by 1969 a peak of approximately five hundred forty-three thousand troops was reached; and
     WHEREAS, On January 27, 1973, the Treaty of Paris was signed, requiring the release of all United States prisoners of war held in North Vietnam and the withdrawal of all United States Armed Forces from South Vietnam; and
     WHEREAS, On March 30, 1973, the United States Armed Forces completed the withdrawal of combat troops from Vietnam; and
     WHEREAS, The Vietnam War was an extremely divisive issue among the people of the United States; and
     WHEREAS, Members of the United States Armed Forces who served bravely and faithfully for the United States during the Vietnam War were, upon their return home, caught in the crossfire of public debate about the involvement of the United States in the Vietnam War; and
     WHEREAS, One thousand one hundred twenty-three members of the United States Armed Forces from Washington State were killed or were declared missing in action in Vietnam, and hundreds were wounded; and
     WHEREAS, In 1987, the current Vietnam War Veterans Memorial was dedicated on the Washington state capitol grounds to commemorate the members of the United States Armed Forces from Washington State who died or were declared missing in action in Vietnam; and
     WHEREAS, The establishment of a Washington state "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day" would be a fitting way to honor our state's brave and loyal veterans who served in Vietnam during the war; and
     WHEREAS, March 30, 2013, is an appropriate day to establish as "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day";
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives commemorate and honor the contributions of Washington state veterans of the Armed Forces who served in Vietnam, and encourage the people of Washington State to observe "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day" with ceremonies and activities that promote awareness of the contributions of our Vietnam War veterans and the importance of helping them readjust to civilian life.

I hereby certify this to be a true and correct copy of
Resolution 4643 adopted by the House of Representatives
March 29, 2013

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Barbara Baker, Chief Clerk