HR1136 - Commending retired U.S. Navy Commander Everett Alvarez Jr. for his service in the Vietnam War.

      H.R. No. 1136       R E S O L U T I O N          WHEREAS, Retired U.S. Navy Commander Everett Alvarez Jr.   rendered exceptional service to his country during the Vietnam War;   and          WHEREAS, Everett Alvarez earned an electrical engineering   degree from Santa Clara University, and in 1960, he answered his   nation's call to duty by joining the U.S. Navy; in 1964, he was   serving as a fighter pilot on the USS Constellation aircraft   carrier during a time of heightening tensions in the South China   Sea; two U.S. destroyers stationed in the Gulf of Tonkin were fired   upon by North Vietnamese forces in early August, and on August 5,   Mr. Alvarez was helping to carry out a retaliatory bombing mission   when his Douglas A-4 Skyhawk was hit by enemy fire; as the cockpit   filled with smoke, he made one final radio transmission before   ejecting from his plane and plunging into the sea; and          WHEREAS, The first American to be shot down over North   Vietnam, Mr. Alvarez became a prisoner of war, entering what would   become the second-longest period of captivity for an American   service member in the Vietnam conflict; demonstrating   extraordinary courage and resilience, he spent most of his eight   years and seven months of captivity at Hoa Lo Prison, where he was   repeatedly beaten and tortured and communicated with his fellow   POWs by tapping out coded messages on the prison walls; he was   released on February 12, 1973; in recognition of his heroism, he   was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Silver Star, two   Purple Hearts, two Legions of Merit, and two Bronze Star Medals; in   2024, President Joe Biden signed into law the Everett Alvarez, Jr.   Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2023, which awarded Commander   Alvarez with the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian   award in the U.S.; in January 2025, the secretary of the navy   announced that a warship would be named the USS Everett Alvarez in   Commander Alvarez's honor; and          WHEREAS, After he returned from Vietnam, Commander Alvarez   served as deputy director of the Peace Corps, as deputy   administrator of the U.S. Veterans Administration, and as vice   president for government services with the Hospital Corporation of   America; additionally, he is chief executive officer of the Alvarez   LLC consulting firm he founded, he earned a juris doctor degree from   the George Washington School of Law, and he authored two books about   his captivity and his life afterward; an advocate for the veterans   community, he is involved with wounded warrior initiatives with his   wife, Tammy; and          WHEREAS, Everett Alvarez exemplified the highest ideals of   the United States armed forces during his time in uniform, and for   his valor, sacrifice, and selfless commitment, Americans owe him a   lasting debt of gratitude; now, therefore, be it          RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas   Legislature hereby commend retired U.S. Navy Commander Everett   Alvarez Jr. for his dedicated service in the Vietnam War and extend   to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further          RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be   prepared for Commander Alvarez as an expression of high regard by   the Texas House of Representatives.     Shaheen     Burrows Guerra Morales Shaw   Alders Guillen Morgan   Allen Harless Muñoz   Anchía Harris Noble   Ashby Harris Davila Olcott   Barry Harrison Oliverson   Bell of Kaufman Hayes Ordaz   Bell of Montgomery Hefner Orr   Bernal Hernandez Patterson   Bhojani Hickland Paul   Bonnen Hinojosa Perez of El Paso   Bowers Holt Perez of Harris   Bryant Hopper Phelan   Buckley Howard Pierson   Bucy Hull Plesa   Bumgarner Hunter Raymond   Button Isaac Reynolds   Cain Johnson Richardson   Campos Jones of Dallas Rodríguez Ramos   Canales Jones of Harris Romero   Capriglione Kerwin Rose   Cole King Rosenthal   Collier Kitzman Schatzline   Cook LaHood Schofield   Cortez Lalani Schoolcraft   Craddick Lambert Shaheen   Cunningham Landgraf Shofner   Curry Leach Simmons   Darby Leo Wilson Slawson   A. Davis of Dallas Little Smithee   Y. Davis of Dallas Longoria Spiller   Dean Lopez of Bexar Swanson   DeAyala Lopez of Cameron Talarico   Dorazio Louderback Tepper   Dutton Lowe Thompson   Dyson Lozano Tinderholt   Fairly Lujan Toth   Flores Luther Troxclair   Frank Manuel Turner   Gámez Martinez VanDeaver   Garcia of Bexar Martinez Fischer Vasut   Garcia of Dallas McLaughlin Villalobos   Garcia Hernandez McQueeney Virdell   Gates Metcalf Vo   Gerdes Meyer Walle   Geren Meza Ward Johnson   Gervin-Hawkins Money Wharton   González of Dallas Moody Wilson   González of El Paso Morales of Harris Wu   Goodwin Morales of Maverick Zwiener     ______________________________   Speaker of the House                 I certify that H.R. No. 1136 was adopted by the House on May 15,   2025, by a non-record vote.     ______________________________   Chief Clerk of the House