TITLE: Designating April 9, 2011, as LZ:RGV Welcome Home South Texas Vietnam Veterans Day.

SUMMARY: Designating April 9, 2011, as LZ:RGV Welcome Home South Texas Vietnam Veterans Day.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Proud South Texas veterans of the Vietnam War are being officially welcomed home at the LZ:RGV event at the McAllen Convention Center on April 9, 2011; and WHEREAS, Short for "Landing Zone: Rio Grande Valley," the event honors the service and sacrifice of the South Texans who were among the 2.59 million Americans who served in Vietnam; during that conflict, more than 58,000 Americans died, including 3,400 from Texas, and over 300,000 were wounded, including 75,000 who were severely disabled; approximately 2,000 Americans are still listed as missing, and hundreds spent time as prisoners of war; and WHEREAS, These brave men and women served with honor and distinction at a time when the nation was divided in its support of the war; returning home, they were caught in the crossfire of debate and protest and never received the recognition that they deserved; and WHEREAS, In order to rectify that omission, a coalition of groups in South Texas has come together to organize, promote, and host a long overdue tribute for the region's veterans; sponsors include Hidalgo County Judge Ramon Garcia, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Veterans Alliance, the cities of McAllen and Edinburg, The Monitor and the Rio Grande Guardian,Total Imaging Solutions, and Entravision Communications; and WHEREAS, The LZ:RGV event will include a dedication ceremony for the Veterans War Memorial of Texas, lectures, a keynote address, and a concert; visitors may also learn about the war and its veterans from information booths, a portrait gallery, exhibits, and documentaries; and WHEREAS, Citizens of this state and nation owe our brave Vietnam veterans an eternal debt of gratitude, and the LZ:RGV event in McAllen will celebrate those South Texans who served and came home and will pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas hereby designate April 9, 2011, as LZ:RGV Welcome Home South Texas Vietnam Veterans Day and extend to the event's organizers, supporters, and participants sincere best wishes for a meaningful and memorable day. Munoz, Jr. Pena Gonzales of Hidalgo Martinez Guillen Alonzo Lozano Lucio III Oliveira Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Allen Gooden Murphy Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Aycock Harless Parker Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Berman Hartnett Paxton Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Branch Hochberg Phillips Brown Hopson Pickett Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burnam Howard of Travis Price Button Huberty Quintanilla Cain Hughes Raymond Callegari Hunter Reynolds Carter Isaac Riddle Castro Jackson Ritter Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Christian Keffer Schwertner Coleman King of Parker Scott Cook King of Taylor Sheets Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons Deshotel Lavender Strama Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dutton Lozano Thompson Eiland Lucio III Torres Eissler Lyne Truitt Elkins Madden Turner Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farrar Margo Villarreal Fletcher Marquez Vo Flynn Martinez Walle Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Gallego McClendon White Garza Menendez Woolley Geren Miles Workman Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas President of the Senate Speaker of the House I certify that H.C.R. No. 56 was adopted by the House on March 8, 2011, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House I certify that H.C.R. No. 56 was adopted by the Senate on March 9, 2011, by a viva-voce vote. Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: Date Governor