WHEREAS, throughout the history of our Great State and Nation, countless courageous individuals have bravely answered the call to patriotic duty; and
WHEREAS, Vietnam veterans endured unspeakable hardships and endangered their lives fighting for our American values and in the pursuit of democracy; and
WHEREAS, the Vietnam war lasted for 19 years and 180 days, making it one of the longest military conflicts in United States’ history. The United States became involved in the Vietnam War after the arrival of American military personnel in South Vietnam in the 1950s and ended with the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975; and
WHEREAS, as the war continued, American involvement increased to astounding numbers: over 3.4 million troops were deployed; nearly 60,000 killed in action; over 150,000 were wounded; and today, an estimated 2,000 are still unaccounted for; and
WHEREAS, we cannot measure the debt of gratitude we owe to those brave men and women who served, were wounded, or died in battle in defense of the values we hold precious; and
WHEREAS, Vietnam Veterans Day presents the opportunity for the people of Alaska to honor and thank our Vietnam veterans for their service to our country.
NOW THEREFORE, I, Mike Dunleavy, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF ALASKA, do hereby proclaim March 29, 2020 as:
Vietnam Veterans Day
in Alaska, encourage all Alaskans to recognize the extreme burden the Vietnam War placed on those who served and to honor both those who made the ultimate sacrifice and those who are still with us today.
