IV 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 986 
Recognizing the courage and sacrifice of those members of the United States 
Armed Forces who were held as prisoners of war during the Vietnam 
conflict and calling for a full accounting of the 1,729 members of the 
Armed Forces who remain unaccounted for from the Vietnam conflict. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 14, 2008 
Mr. BOEHNER (for himself, Mr. BLUNT, Mr. PUTNAM, Mr. MCCOTTER, Mr. 
CANTOR, Ms. GRANGER, Mr. CARTER, Mr. COLE of Oklahoma, Mr. 
DREIER, Mr. ADERHOLT, Mr. AKIN, Mr. CAMPBELL of California, Mr. 
BARTON of Texas, Mr. BRADY of Texas, Mr. BURGESS, Mr. CAMP of 
Michigan, Mr. CONAWAY, Mrs. CUBIN, Mr. CULBERSON, Mr. MARIO 
DIAZ-BALART of Florida, Mr. EVERETT, Mr. FEENEY, Mr. FORBES, Mr. 
FRANKS of Arizona, Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey, Mr. GINGREY, Mr. 
GOHMERT, Mr. HALL of Texas, Mr. HAYES, Mr. HENSARLING, Mr. 
HUNTER, Mr. ISSA, Mr. KLINE of Minnesota, Mr. LAMBORN, Mr. 
LOBIONDO, Mr. MACK, Mr. MARCHANT, Mr. MCCAUL of Texas, Mr. 
MCHENRY, Mr. MCKEON, Mrs. MILLER of Michigan, Mr. GARY G. MIL-
LER of California, Mr. MILLER of Florida, Mr. NEUGEBAUER, Mr. PAUL, 
Mr. PENCE, Mr. POE, Mr. REYNOLDS, Mr. ROGERS of Alabama, Ms. 
ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. SAXTON, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. SHADEGG, Mr. SMITH 
of Texas, Mr. THORNBERRY, Mr. WALBERG, Mr. WESTMORELAND, and 
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina) submitted the following resolution; which 
was referred to the Committee on Armed Services 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the courage and sacrifice of those members of 
the United States Armed Forces who were held as pris-
oners of war during the Vietnam conflict and calling 
for a full accounting of the 1,729 members of the Armed 
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•HRES 986 IH 
Forces who remain unaccounted for from the Vietnam 
conflict. 
Whereas recent world events have brought Americans closer 
together, while reinvigorating our patriotism, reminding 
us of our precious liberties and freedoms, and giving us 
a greater appreciation for the men and women of the 
United States Armed Forces who defend our homeland 
every day; 
Whereas the honor and valor of past and present members 
of the United States Armed Forces inspire many young 
people to serve their country; 
Whereas participation by the United States Armed Forces in 
combat operations in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam 
conflict resulted in more than 700 American military per-
sonnel being taken prisoner by enemy forces; 
Whereas American military personnel who were taken pris-
oner were held in numerous prisoner of war facilities, the 
most notorious of which was Hoa Lo Prison in downtown 
Hanoi, Vietnam, which was dubbed by prisoners held 
there as the ‘‘Hanoi Hilton’’; 
Whereas on January 23, 1973, the United States and North 
Vietnam jointly announced the terms of a cease-fire 
agreement, which included the release of prisoners of 
war; 
Whereas the return of the American prisoners of war to the 
United States and to their families and comrades was 
designated Operation Homecoming; 
Whereas on January 23, 1973, the first group of American 
prisoners of war were released at airfields near Hanoi 
and Loc Ninh, and the last Operation Homecoming repa-
triation took place on April 1, 1973; 
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•HRES 986 IH 
Whereas many American military personnel who were taken 
prisoner as a result of combat in Southeast Asia have not 
returned to their loved ones and their fate remains un-
known; 
Whereas American military personnel who were prisoners of 
war in Southeast Asia were routinely subjected to brutal 
mistreatment, including beatings, torture, starvation, and 
denial of medical attention and outside information, and 
were frequently isolated from each other and prohibited 
from communicating with one another; 
Whereas the prisoners, at great personal risk, nevertheless 
devised a means to communicate with each other through 
a code transmitted by tapping on cell walls; 
Whereas the prisoners held in the Hanoi Hilton included 
then-Major Samuel R. Johnson, United States Air Force, 
now a member of Congress from the 3rd Congressional 
District of Texas, who was shot down on April 16, 1966, 
while flying his 25th mission over North Vietnam; 
Whereas Samuel R. Johnson spent more than half of his time 
as a prisoner in solitary confinement, and conducted him-
self with such valor as to be labeled by the enemy as a 
die-hard resister, and, notwithstanding the tremendous 
suffering inflicted upon him, demonstrated an unfailing 
devotion to duty, honor, and country; 
Whereas during Samuel R. Johnson’s military career, he was 
awarded 2 Silver Stars, 2 Legions of Merit, the Distin-
guished Flying Cross, a Bronze Star with ‘‘V’’ device for 
valor, 2 Purple Hearts, 4 Air Medals, and 3 Outstanding 
Unit awards; 
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