III

105TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. RES. 177

Recognizing, and calling on all Americans to recognize, the courage and

sacrifice of the members of the Armed Forces held as prisoners of

war during the Vietnam conflict and stating that the American people

will not forget that more than 2,000 members of the Armed Forces

remain unaccounted for from the Vietnam conflict and will continue

to press for the fullest possible accounting for all such members whose

whereabouts are unknown.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

FEBRUARY 12, 1998

Mr. COVERDELL (for himself, Mr. CLELAND, Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire,

Mr. LOTT, Mr. HAGEL, and Ms. MOSELEY-BRAUN) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

RESOLUTION

Recognizing, and calling on all Americans to recognize, the

courage and sacrifice of the members of the Armed

Forces held as prisoners of war during the Vietnam

conflict and stating that the American people will not

forget that more than 2,000 members of the Armed

Forces remain unaccounted for from the Vietnam conflict

and will continue to press for the fullest possible accounting for all such members whose whereabouts are unknown.

Whereas participation by the United States Armed Forces in

combat operations in Southeast Asia during the period
2

•SRES177 ATS

from 1964 through 1972 resulted in several hundreds of

members of the United States Armed Forces being taken

prisoner by North Vietnamese, Pathet Lao, and Viet

Cong enemy forces;

Whereas the first such United States serviceman taken as a

prisoner of war, Navy Lt. Commander Everett Alvarez,

was captured on August 5, 1964;

Whereas, following the Paris Peace Accords of January 1973,

591 United States prisoners of war were released from

captivity by North Vietnam;

Whereas the return of these prisoners of war to United

States control and to their families and comrades was

designated Operation Homecoming;

Whereas many members of the United States Armed Forces

who were taken prisoner as a result of ground or aerial

combat in Southeast Asia have not returned to their

loved ones and their whereabouts remain unknown;

Whereas United States prisoners of war in Southeast Asia

were routinely subjected to brutal mistreatment, including beatings, torture, starvation, and denial of medical

attention;

Whereas United States prisoners of war in Southeast Asia

were held in a number of facilities, the most notorious of

which was Hoa Loa Prison in downtown Hanoi, dubbed

the ‘‘Hanoi Hilton’’ by the prisoners held there;

Whereas the hundreds of United States prisoners or war held

in the Hanoi Hilton and other facilities persevered under

terrible conditions;

Whereas the prisoners were frequently isolated from each

other and prohibited from speaking to each other;
3

•SRES177 ATS

Whereas the prisoners nevertheless, at great personal risk,

devised a means to communicate with each other through

a code transmitted by tapping on cell walls;

Whereas then-Commander James B. Stockdale, United

States Navy, who upon his capture on September 9,

1965, became the senior POW officer present in the

Hanoi Hilton, delivered to his men a message that was

to sustain them during their ordeal, as follows: Remember, you are Americans. With faith in God, trust in one

another, and devotion to your country, you will overcome.

You will triumph.;

Whereas the men held as prisoners of war during the Vietnam conflict truly represent all that is best about America;

Whereas two of these patriots, Congressman Sam Johnson,

of Texas, and Senator John McCain, of Arizona, have

continued to honor the Nation with devoted service; and

Whereas the Nation owes a debt of gratitude to all of these

patriots for their courage and exemplary service: Now,

therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That the Senate—

2 (1) expresses its gratitude for, and calls upon

3 all Americans to reflect upon and show their grati4 tude for, the courage and sacrifice of the brave men

5 who were held as prisoners of war during the Viet6 nam conflict, particularly on the occasion of the

7 25th anniversary of Operation Homecoming, their

8 return from captivity; and

9 (2) acting on behalf of all Americans—
4

•SRES177 ATS

1 (A) will not forget that more than 2,000

2 members of the United States Armed Forces

3 remain unaccounted for from the Vietnam con4 flict; and

5 (B) will continue to press for the fullest

6 possible accounting for such members.

Æ