11-R168

2011 -- H 6012

Enacted 03/30/11

H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N

DECLARING MARCH 30TH, 2011, TO BE "WELCOME HOME VIETNAM VETERANS DAY" IN RHODE ISLAND

Introduced By: Representatives Fox, Mattiello, Watson, JP O`Neill, and Gallison

Date Introduced: March 30, 2011

     WHEREAS, The Vietnam War was fought in Vietnam from 1961 to 1975 and involved

North Vietnam and Viet Cong forces in conflict with forces from the United States, South

Vietnam, South Korea, Australia, and other nations aligned with the United States. However,

most of the forces provided for the defense of South Vietnam came from the United States; and

     WHEREAS, The United States became involved in the Vietnamese conflict because of

the belief that the North Vietnamese communist government was trying to impose its will on

South Vietnam, and the fear that if South Vietnam fell, communism would spread throughout the

rest of Southeast Asia; and

     WHEREAS, Members of the United States Armed Forces began serving in South

Vietnam in 1961 in an advisory role to the South Vietnamese government; and

     WHEREAS, As a result of the Gulf of Tonkin incidents in 1964, the United States

Congress overwhelmingly passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution on August 7, 1964, which

effectively handed over war-making powers to President Johnson until such time as “peace and

security” had returned to South Vietnam; and

     WHEREAS, In 1965, United States Armed Forces ground combat units arrived in

Vietnam. By 1969, a peak of 543,000 American troops were serving in South Vietnam; and

     WHEREAS, On January 27, 1973, The Treaty of Paris was signed, which required 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, More than 58,000 members of the United States Armed Forces lost their

lives in Vietnam and more than 300,000 members of the United States Armed Forces were

wounded in Vietnam; and

     WHEREAS, Members of the United States Armed Forces who served in Vietnam, men

and women who served their nation faithfully and with bravery, honor, and distinction, were

caught up on their return home in the crossfire of public debate about the involvement of the

United States in the Vietnam War; and

     WHEREAS, The Establishment of a “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day” in Rhode

Island would be an appropriate way to honor those members of the Armed Forces from Rhode

Island who served in the United States Armed Forces in Vietnam during the Vietnam War; now,

therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby declares March 30, 2011, to be “Welcome Home Vietnam

Veterans Day” in Rhode Island; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Rhode Island Adjutant General, Major

General Robert T. Bray.

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LC02359

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