HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 94-4680, by Representatives Wineberry, Ballasiotes, Heavey, Schmidt, Caver, Reams, Appelwick, Van Luven, Conway, Brumsickle, Rayburn, Moak, Schoesler, Campbell, J. Kohl, Eide and Anderson

               WHEREAS, Retired Colonel Vo Dai Ton, aka Hoang Phong Linh (the Poet), is deserving of the highest praise and commendations for his valiant efforts to secure freedom for the Vietnamese people; and

               WHEREAS, Colonel Vo Dai Ton, born in 1936 in central Vietnam, served courageously with honor in the South Vietnamese Army Special Forces; and

               WHEREAS, Colonel Vo Dai Ton earned and received 43 medals for his outstanding military career and exceptional service to his country; and

               WHEREAS, Immediately following the fall of South Vietnam, Colonel Vo Dai Ton was sentenced to a reeducation camp, only to escape the following year to Australia; and

               WHEREAS, Despite grave risk to his personal health and safety, Vo Dai Ton returned to Vietnam in 1981 to champion the cause of freedom and democracy for the Vietnamese; and

               WHEREAS, Colonel Vo Dai Ton was captured by the communist government one year after returning to Vietnam, subjected to ten years of solitary confinement, fed only two bowls of soup a day, and tortured 96 times during his confinement; and

               WHEREAS, On July 13, 1982, the Vietnamese government organized an international press conference and demanded that Vo Dai Ton read a statement prepared by the authorities stating he acted on behalf of the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States, but instead, despite death threats and continued torture, Vo Dai Ton declared his continued commitment to a free Vietnam; and

               WHEREAS, In December 1991, the government of Vietnam succumbed to pressure from the international community and released Vo Dai Ton from prison; and

               WHEREAS, Vo Dai Ton wrote many poems while in prison and, upon his release, published a renowned book of poetry entitled Despair Sounds of Birds Along the Champy Fall;

               NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State House of Representatives honor Vo Dai Ton for his courage, conviction, and devotion to the cause of freedom and express its sincerest gratitude to him and his family for their sacrifices.

                                            I hereby certify this to be a true and correct copy of

                                       Resolution 4680 adopted by the House of Representatives

                                                                     January 21, 1994.

                                                   ________________________________

                                                           Marilyn Showalter, Chief Clerk