City of Philadelphia - File #: 140873

• File #: 140873
• Version: 0
• Type: Resolution
• Status: ADOPTED
• File created: 10/30/2014
• In control: CITY COUNCIL
• Final action: 10/30/2014
• Title: Commemorating the dedication of an Official State Historical Marker that recognizes and honors Edison High School and its former students who died in the Vietnam War.
• Sponsors: Councilmember Oh, Councilmember Squilla, Councilmember Henon, Councilmember Quiñones Sánchez, Councilmember Neilson, Councilmember Kenney, Councilmember Kenney, Councilmember Greenlee, Councilmember Greenlee, Councilmember Goode, Councilmember Tasco, Councilmember Blackwell, Councilmember Blackwell, Councilmember Reynolds Brown, Councilmember Reynolds Brown, Councilmember Bass, Councilmember Bass, Councilmember O'Brien, Councilmember O'Brien

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
10/30/2014	0	CITY COUNCIL	Introduced and Ordered Placed on This Week's Final Passage Calendar	Pass
10/30/2014	0	CITY COUNCIL	ADOPTED

Title
Commemorating the dedication of an Official State Historical Marker that recognizes and honors Edison High School and its former students who died in the Vietnam War.

Body
WHEREAS, 2014 is the 50th year anniversary of the Gulf of Tonkin Incidents that marked the beginning of the Vietnam War; and

WHEREAS, American veterans of the Vietnam War served honorably throughout the war, fighting courageously for the nation's highest ideas - freedom, democracy and self-determination; and

WHEREAS, Sixty-four (64) of Edison High School's former students made the ultimate sacrifice during the Vietnam War - the first on November 6, 1965 and the last on January 17, 1971; and

WHEREAS, Edison High School has the highest number of losses of any school in the nation during the Vietnam War; and

WHEREAS, In the late 1960s, many students of Edison High School collectively bought the first wooden memorial plaque for the names of their fallen brothers; and

WHEREAS, In 1989, through private funds and fundraising, the staff and students dedicated a more permanent bronze memorial plaque for public display; and

WHEREAS, The tradition of respect has continued to the present day when annual candle lighting ceremonies are held to honor these young men whose lives ended too soon; and

WHEREAS, These ceremonies are centered around sharing the proud legacy of Edison High School with the current staff and student body; and

WHEREAS, On November 8, 2014, the Pennsylvania Historical Museum Commission together with Dr. Darryrl Johnson, Edison Class of 1972, Military Veteran and Teacher at Thomas Edison High School and John C. Fareira Skills Center gather to dedicate an official state historical marker commemorating Thomas Edison High School and the Vietnam War; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby commemorates the dedication of an official state historical marker that recognizes and honors Edison High School...