1Honoring the service and sacrifice of our nation's Vietnam War
2veterans and recognizing the 50th anniversary of the Gulf of
3Tonkin Resolution.

4WHEREAS, Conflict and instability in and around Southeast 
5Asia began well before any direct United States military 
6involvement and continued for nearly a decade afterwards; and

7WHEREAS, Working under the "domino effect" theory, which 
8feared that if one Southeast Asian country fell to communism, 
9many would follow, the United States increased aid to South 
10Vietnam, but stopped short of committing to a large-scale 
11military intervention until 1964; and

12WHEREAS, In August 1964, the destroyer U.S.S. Maddox reported
13being fired upon in the Gulf of Tonkin by North Vietnamese

1torpedo boats; and

2WHEREAS, August 7, 2014, marked the 50th anniversary of the
3passage of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which led to the
4escalation of United States involvement in the Vietnam War; and

5WHEREAS, By 1969, the peak of United States involvement in
6the Vietnam War, more than 500,000 United States military
7personnel were involved in the conflict; and

8WHEREAS, More than 58,000 servicemen and servicewomen
9perished and more than 303,500 Americans were wounded during the
10Vietnam War; and

11WHEREAS, More than 2,000 American servicemen and servicewomen
12remain missing in action; and

13WHEREAS, Opposition to the war led to bitter divisions among
14Americans, both before and after President Richard Nixon ordered
15the withdrawal of United States Armed Forces in 1973; and

16WHEREAS, Seventy-five thousand veterans of the Vietnam War
17became seriously disabled due to war-related injuries; and

18WHEREAS, The Vietnam War remains the most divisive conflict
19in our nation's history; therefore be it

20RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives honor the
21veterans of the Vietnam War by recognizing the significant and
22enduring accomplishments of our nation's veterans; and be it
23further

24RESOLVED, That, in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the
25escalation of the Vietnam War, the House of Representatives
26confirm its commitment to preserving the memory of those who
27made the ultimate sacrifice during the Vietnam War.