S.Amdt. 4178

SA 4178. Mr. SCHUMER submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
by him to the bill S. 2943, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2017 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the end of subtitle G of title V, add the following:

SEC. 590. INCLUSION ON THE VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL WALL OF
THE NAMES OF THE 74 MEMBERS OF THE CREW OF THE
U.S.S. FRANK E. EVANS WHO PERISHED ON JUNE 3,
1969.

(a) Finding.--Congress makes the following findings:
(1) On June 3, 1969, 74 sailors aboard the U.S.S. Frank E.
Evans perished when their vessel was struck in the South
China Sea during a Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
exercise. The U.S.S. Frank E. Evans had been providing fire
for combat operations in Vietnam prior to the exercise that
resulted in this catastrophic accident and was scheduled to
return upon completion of the exercise.
(2) The families of the lost 74 have been fighting for
decades for their loved ones to receive the recognition they
deserve. Exceptions have been granted to inscribe names on
the Vietnam Memorial Wall for other members of the Armed
Forces who were killed outside of the designated combat zone,
including in 1983 when President Reagan ordered that 68
Marines who died on a flight outside of the combat zone be
added to the Wall. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus also
expressed support for the inclusion of the 74 names of those
lost on the U.S.S. Frank E. Evans in June 1969.
(3) Those crewmembers aboard were essential to United
States military efforts in Vietnam, and their presence in the
South China Sea was directly related to their combat
deployment. This heroism and sacrifice should not go
unrecognized because of an arbitrary line on a map, as their
combat-related service deserves comparable acknowledgment.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall is a symbolic beacon of
reflection and healing for generations. It is a sanctuary of
honor for our members of the Armed Forces and family alike.
(b) Report.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall provide
the Required Review of Vietnam Era Ships detailing the
findings of the ship logs and operational analysis of the
U.S.S. Frank E. Evans.
(c) Approval of Inclusion.--Not later than 180 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
Defense shall, in coordination with the Secretary of the
Interior, approve the inclusion on the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial Wall of the names of the 74 sailors of the U.S.S.
Frank E. Evans who perished on June 3, 1969.
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