WHEREAS, throughout our country's history, courageous men and women of the Evergreen State have answered the call to protect and defend justice, liberty and the freedom we bold so precious; and
WHEREAS, rising above the call of duty at the risk of grave injury and loss of life, a celebrated few of these fearless service members distinguished themselves as heroes in the eyes of their comrades tlu·ough their bravery and self- sacrifice; and
WHEREAS, in 1862, the United States Congress established the Medal of Honor as the highest award to be given to members of our country's military forces in recognition of their incredible valor during armed conflict; and
WHEREAS, Washington honors the 46 Medal of Honor recipients from Hazard Stevens during the Civil War to the War on Terror in Afghanistan; and
WHEREAS, on January 12, 2019, Joe Jackson, an Air Force Lieutenant Colonel who received the Medal of Honor for his heroism during an attempted rescue of a tl1ree man USAF Combat Control Team from the special forces camp at Kham Due, died at his home in
Washington state at the age of 9 5; and
WHEREAS, in 1990, Congress designated March 25 annually as National Medal of Honor Day;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Jay Inslee, Governor of the state of Washington, do hereby proclaim March 25, 2019, as
Medal of Honor Day
in Washington, and I encourage all people in our state to remember with honor and celebrate with respect the brave heroes who have earned this recognition tlu·ough fearless self-sacrifice in defense of our country and the ideals on which it was founded.