WHEREAS, Vancouver, Washington, is highly honored as one of only six cities in the nation selected to host regional celebrations this year commemorating the sixtieth anniversary of the end of World War II; and
     WHEREAS, Our city of Vancouver will join Boston, Chicago, San Antonio, San Diego, and Tampa in hosting special observances to salute the six decades that have passed since World War II ended; and
     WHEREAS, On May 8th of this year, we will remember V-E Day, 1945--the official end of the war in Europe; and
     WHEREAS, On August 15th of this year, we will remember V-J Day, 1945--the official end of the war in the Pacific; and
     WHEREAS, As one of its 2005 Celebrate Freedom programs, the Vancouver National Historic Reserve for the four days of August 25th through 28th will host and manage what will be the nation's largest World War II commemoration; and
     WHEREAS, Cohosting the commemoration will be the National Park Service and the City of Vancouver; and
     WHEREAS, In addition to honoring veterans of World War II, our Pacific Northwest commemoration will also praise men and women who served overseas or on the home front during the Korean War, the Vietnam War, or the military action in the Middle East; and
     WHEREAS, The Vancouver National Historic Reserve helps superintend our region's impressive military history, which includes the earliest United States Army presence here in the Pacific Northwest, dating back one hundred fifty-six years; and
     WHEREAS, Vancouver was at least a temporary hometown for more than 40,000 people during World War II when they came to our region to build aircraft carriers and cargo vessels at the Kaiser Shipyards; and
     WHEREAS, Vancouver's own Pearson Field got off the ground one hundred years ago and is now the oldest continuously operating airfield in the country; and
     WHEREAS, A key mission of the World War II commemorations in Vancouver and other honored cities is to educate today's younger Americans about the sacrifices made by their parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and other citizens; and
     WHEREAS, Lt. Col. Bob Hagen, Department of Defense Coordinator for our Northwest commemoration of the sixtieth anniversary of the end of World War II, emphasizes that this special celebration of "the Greatest Generation" will help make sure the men and women of the World War II era "know that a grateful nation continues to remember their service and sacrifices through the years"; and
     WHEREAS, People who were born or came of age in the years since the World War II era can only imagine the elation that flooded military personnel and civilians in the United States and the other allied nations sixty years ago;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the State of Washington salutes the dedication of citizens, organizations, and communities involved in this commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives to the Vancouver National Historic Reserve, the National Park Service, and the City of Vancouver.