WHEREAS, The Second Indochina War, also known as the Vietnam War, was predominantly fought in Vietnam from 1959-1973, involving the North Vietnamese in armed conflict with United States forces, the South Vietnamese Army, and allies from many other nations; and
     WHEREAS, The United States Armed Forces became involved in Vietnam in order to provide direct military support for the government of South Vietnam in defending itself against the encroachment of Communism; and
     WHEREAS, United States combat troops, primarily comprised of volunteers, arrived in Vietnam on a peacekeeping mission in 1965, and by 1968 reached a peak of nearly 543,000 troops, including significant numbers of draftees; and
     WHEREAS, American armed forces fought with characteristic courage, honor, and valor on unfamiliar terrain, against escalating odds, under hostile conditions, and often outnumbered; 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, The United States Armed Forces completed the withdrawal of combat units from South Vietnam by March 30, 1973; and
     WHEREAS, North Vietnamese regular forces captured Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, marking the end of the Vietnam War and establishing Communist rule on April 30, 1975; and
     WHEREAS, More than 58,000 American service men and women lost their lives in Vietnam, and more than 300,000 were wounded in combat; and
     WHEREAS, 1,653 Americans are still listed as missing and unaccounted for by the United States Department of Defense, and their families, friends, and fellow veterans yet endure uncertainty concerning their ultimate fate; and
     WHEREAS, The State of Washington counts from among her sons and daughters some tens of thousands of those brave souls deployed to Vietnam in defense of our great nation; and
     WHEREAS, The State of Washington will forever remember those who served so honorably, with great personal sacrifice; and
     WHEREAS, The Washington State Senate recognizes that the Vietnam War was a war of great debate and an issue of deep division among the people of the United States, and that members of the United States Armed Forces who served bravely and faithfully were often wrongly criticized for policy decisions beyond their control;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate, in recognition and gratitude for the service of American fighting men and women, invite all citizens to acknowledge and thank our Vietnam Veterans, both at home and abroad, for their many sacrifices and selfless contributions to their nation, their state, and their communities, and celebrate the date of March 30, 2013, as