HR1206 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1206 LRB097 22528 MST 71295 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to recognize the Heyde-Pillow Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1301 on hosting a celebration honoring the sacrifices of Vietnam veterans; and

WHEREAS, For Vietnam War veterans throughout Southern Illinois, the week of August 13 to 18 will be their time; the week-long celebration has been named "Our Time is Now"; and

WHEREAS, Events will include a reading of names of the more than 58,000 Americans who died in the war; the reading will conclude August 17 at the VFW's Site of the Living Memorial, the area's first Vietnam Memorial; and

WHEREAS, Employees from the Marion VA Medical Center will begin reading names at 6 a.m. on August 13, until 8 p.m.; the remaining readings throughout the week will be done in the same format, with the Illinois names being read last on Friday, August 17, concluding at noon; a ceremony will be performed at the memorial site upon the reading of the names; and

WHEREAS, The memorial bears an inscription honoring all Vietnam veterans; the margins will contain the 77 names of veterans killed in action who hailed from Franklin County and continuing south to the farthest reaches of the State, encompassing more than 40 communities; and

WHEREAS, As time has passed from the end of the war in 1975, Vietnam veterans have supported each other in their fight for rights and benefits; they have extended their support and help to American service men and women returning from the 2 Iraq wars and Afghanistan; and

WHEREAS, The Vietnam veteran's motto is "Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another"; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize the Heyde-Pillow VFW Post 1301 celebration honoring the sacrifices of Vietnam veterans; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Heyde-Pillow VFW Post 1301 as an expression of our esteem and respect.