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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

  
 
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    WHEREAS, The Vietnam War was fought in Vietnam from 1961 to 
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1975, and involved North Vietnam and the Viet Cong in conflict 
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with the United States Armed Forces and South Vietnam; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, The United States became involved by serving in an 
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advisory role to the South Vietnamese in 1961; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, In 1965, United States Armed Forces ground combat 
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units arrived in Vietnam and by the end of that year there were 
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80,000 United States troops in Vietnam with a peak of 
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approximately 500,000 troops reached in 1969; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, On January 27, 1973, the Treaty of Paris was 
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signed, which required the release of all United States 
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prisoners-of-war held in North Vietnam and the withdrawal of 
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all United States Armed Forces from South Vietnam; and by March 
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30, 1973, the United States Armed Forces completed the 
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withdrawal of combat troops from Vietnam; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, More than 58,000 members of the United States 
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Armed Forces lost their lives in Vietnam and more than 300,000 
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members of the Armed Forces were wounded; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, In 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was 
 


 






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dedicated in the District of Columbia to commemorate those 
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members of the United States Armed Forces who died or were 
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declared missing-in-action in Vietnam; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, Members of the United States Armed Forces who 
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served bravely and faithfully for the United States during the 
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Vietnam War were caught upon their return home in the crossfire 
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of public debate about the involvement of the United States in 
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the Vietnam War; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, The 96th General Assembly supports the United 
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States House of Representatives in the establishment of a 
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"Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day" as an appropriate way to 
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honor those members of the United States Armed Forces who 
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served in Vietnam during the Vietnam War; and
 
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    WHEREAS, The 96th General Assembly agrees that March 30 
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would be an appropriate day to establish "Welcome Home Vietnam 
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Veterans Day" from this day forth; therefore, be it
  
 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE 
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SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we proclaim March 30 as "Welcome 
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Home Vietnam Veterans Day"; and be it further
  
 
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    RESOLVED, That all citizens of Illinois are encouraged to 
 


 






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join communities across America in honoring our Vietnam 
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Veterans.