III 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 89 

Expressing support for designation of a ‘‘Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans 

Day’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 30, 2009 

Mr. BURR (for himself, Mrs. BOXER, Ms. MURKOWSKI, Mr. HATCH, Mrs. 

SHAHEEN, Mr. INHOFE, Mr. WICKER, Mr. ROBERTS, and Mr. COCHRAN) 

submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for designation of a ‘‘Welcome Home 

Vietnam Veterans Day’’. 

Whereas the Vietnam War was fought in Vietnam from 1961 

to 1975, and involved North Vietnam and the Viet Cong 

in conflict with United States Armed Forces and South 

Vietnam; 

Whereas the United States became involved in Vietnam because policy-makers in the United States believed that if 

the Government of South Vietnam fell to a communist 

government then communism would spread throughout 

the rest of Southeast Asia; 

Whereas members of the United States Armed Forces began 

serving in an advisory role to the Government of South 

Vietnam in 1961; 


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•SRES 89 ATS 

Whereas, as a result of the Gulf of Tonkin incidents on August 2 and 4, 1964, Congress overwhelmingly passed the 

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (Public Law 88–408), on August 7, 1964, which effectively handed over war-making 

powers to President Johnson until such time as ‘‘peace 

and security’’ had returned to Vietnam; 

Whereas, in 1965, United States Armed Forces ground combat units arrived in Vietnam; 

Whereas, by the end of 1965, there were 80,000 United 

States troops in Vietnam, and by 1969 a peak of approximately 543,000 troops was reached; 

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; 

Whereas, on March 30, 1973, the United States Armed 

Forces completed the withdrawal of combat troops from 

Vietnam; 

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 Armed Forces were wounded; 

Whereas, in 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated in the District of Columbia to commemorate those 

members of the United States Armed Forces who died or 

were declared missing-in-action in Vietnam; 

Whereas the Vietnam War was an extremely divisive issue 

among the people of the United States; 

Whereas members of the United States Armed Forces who 

served bravely and faithfully for the United States during 

the Vietnam War were caught upon their return home in 


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•SRES 89 ATS 

the crossfire of public debate about the involvement of 

the United States in the Vietnam War; 

Whereas the establishment of a ‘‘Welcome Home Vietnam 

Veterans Day’’ would be an appropriate way to honor 

those members of the United States Armed Forces who 

served in Vietnam during the Vietnam War; and 

Whereas March 30, 2009, would be an appropriate day to establish as ‘‘Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day’’: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) honors and recognizes the contributions of 

3 veterans who served in the United States Armed 

4 Forces in Vietnam; and 

5 (2) encourages the people of the United States 

6 to observe ‘‘Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day’’ 

7 with appropriate ceremonies and activities that pro8 mote awareness of the contributions of veterans who 

9 served in the United States Armed Forces in Viet10 nam and the importance of helping such veterans re11 adjust to civilian life. 

Æ 


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