[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1815 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1815

To designate the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salt 
                            Lake City, Utah.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            November 4, 2003

Mr. Bennett (for himself and Mr. Hatch) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To designate the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salt 
                            Lake City, Utah.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL 
              CENTER, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) On October 5, 1945, President Harry Truman presented 
        George E. Wahlen with the Medal of Honor for his efforts as a 
        medical corpsman on behalf of his comrades at the battle of Iwo 
        Jima.
            (2) In a 26-day period, George E. Wahlen was seriously 
        wounded 3 times. However, he continued to risk his life to 
        provide aid to wounded members of his company.
            (3) The official citation presented by President Truman 
        reads: ``For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk 
        of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving 
        with the 2d Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division, 
        during action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima in the 
        Volcano group on 3 March 1945. Painfully wounded in the bitter 
        action on 26 February, Wahlen remained on the battlefield, 
        advancing well forward of the frontlines to aid a wounded 
        marine and carrying him back to safety despite a terrific 
        concentration of fire. Tireless in his ministrations, he 
        consistently disregarded all danger to attend his fighting 
        comrades as they fell under the devastating rain of shrapnel 
        and bullets, and rendered prompt assistance to various elements 
        of his combat group as required. When an adjacent platoon 
        suffered heavy casualties, he defied the continuous pounding of 
        heavy mortars and deadly fire of enemy rifles to care for the 
        wounded, working rapidly in an area swept by constant fire and 
        treating 14 casualties before returning to his own platoon. 
        Wounded again on 2 March, he gallantly refused evacuation, 
        moving out with his company the following day in a furious 
        assault across 600 yards of open terrain and repeatedly 
        rendering medical aid while exposed to the blasting fury of 
        powerful Japanese guns. Stouthearted and indomitable, he 
        persevered in his determined efforts as his unit waged fierce 
        battle and, unable to walk after sustaining a third agonizing 
        wound, resolutely crawled 50 yards to administer first aid to 
        still another fallen fighter. By his dauntless fortitude and 
        valor, Wahlen served as a constant inspiration and contributed 
        vitally to the high morale of his company during critical 
        phases of this strategically important engagement. His heroic 
        spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of overwhelming enemy fire 
        upheld the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.''
            (4) George E. Wahlen is currently the only living recipient 
        of the Medal of Honor in Utah. Born on August 8, 1924, in 
        Ogden, Utah, George E. Wahlen served his country in three wars. 
        He continues to serve as a voice on behalf of the veterans of 
        Utah.
    (b) Designation of Medical Center.--The Department of Veterans 
Affairs Medical Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, shall after the date of 
the enactment of this Act be known and designated as the ``George E. 
Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center''. Any reference 
to such facility in any law, regulation, map, document, record, or 
other paper of the United States shall be considered to be a reference 
to the George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
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