TITLE: Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the conclusion of the Vietnam War.

SUMMARY: Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the conclusion of the Vietnam War.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, April 30, 2025, marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, providing a fitting opportunity to honor the dedicated members of the U.S. military who courageously served their country in the conflict; and WHEREAS, The Vietnam War pitted the communist government of North Vietnam and its Viet Cong supporters in South Vietnam against the South Vietnamese government and its main ally, the United States; America's military involvement in the war officially began in August 1964 when U.S. ships were attacked in international waters in the Gulf of Tonkin near North Vietnam; following that incident, the U.S. increased its military presence in South Vietnam, and its first regular combat units arrived in the country in March 1965; by 1969, more than 500,000 U.S. military personnel were stationed in Vietnam; and WHEREAS, The signing of the Paris Peace Accords in January 1973 ended direct U.S. military engagement in Vietnam, and on April 30, 1975, the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese Army, effectively bringing the war to a close; the conflict claimed a terrible death toll, and the names of the more than 58,000 U.S. servicemen and women who lost their lives during the war are inscribed on the wall at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.; and WHEREAS, Americans owe a profound debt of gratitude to those who fulfilled the highest ideals of the U.S. armed forces during the Vietnam War, and it is indeed appropriate to reflect on their immeasurable fortitude and valor and on the exceptional sacrifice of all those whose lives were touched by the war; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the 89th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby commemorate the 50th anniversary of the conclusion of the Vietnam War. Lowe President of the Senate Speaker of the House I certify that H.C.R. No. 137 was adopted by the House on May 23, 2025, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House I certify that H.C.R. No. 137 was adopted by the Senate on May 31, 2025, by a viva-voce vote. Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: Date Governor