[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 558 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 558

 To designate the Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in Big 
 Spring, Texas, as the George H. O'Brien, Jr., Department of Veterans 
                        Affairs Medical Center.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 8, 2011

Mr. Neugebauer introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To designate the Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in Big 
 Spring, Texas, as the George H. O'Brien, Jr., Department of Veterans 
                        Affairs Medical Center.

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

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) George H. O'Brien, Jr., was born on September 10, 1926, 
        in Fort Worth, Texas.
            (2) O'Brien served as a seaman in the United States 
        Merchant Marine during the period beginning in December 1944 
        and ending in May 1946.
            (3) While attending college at the Texas Technological 
        College (now known as ``Texas Tech University''), O'Brien 
        enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve in July 
        1949.
            (4) After graduating from college in 1950, O'Brien was 
        ordered to active duty and departed for Korea in September 
        1952.
            (5) Following his discharge from the service, O'Brien 
        settled in Big Spring, Texas, to raise his family.
            (6) O'Brien often participated in volunteer programs at the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in Big Spring, 
        Texas.
            (7) O'Brien was awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest 
        honor in the United States awarded for valor to members of the 
        Armed Forces, for his actions during the Battle for the Hook, 
        on October 27, 1952, in Korea for conspicuous gallantry and 
        intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call 
        of duty as a rifle platoon commander of Company H, 3d 
        Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Reinforced).
            (8) Although wounded several times during intense fighting 
        to regain a vitally important hill position on the main line of 
        resistance, then-Second Lieutenant O'Brien bravely led his 
        platoon into deadly small arms, artillery, and mortar fire 
        against a numerically superior force.
            (9) During the battle, O'Brien repeatedly engaged the enemy 
        at close range, killing at least 3 enemy soldiers, eventually 
        securing the position until relieved.
            (10) In addition to being awarded the Medal of Honor during 
        his service in Korea, O'Brien received 2 Purple Heart Medals 
        for wounds received during combat, the Korean Service Medal 
        with 2 bronze stars, the United Nations Service Medal, and 
        several other military honors.
            (11) O'Brien was awarded the Medal of Honor personally by 
        President Dwight D. Eisenhower and is the only Medal of Honor 
        recipient from Big Spring, Texas.
            (12) Upon his release from the United States Marine Corps, 
        O'Brien began a career as a petroleum geologist in Texas and 
        served on the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation and the Medal 
        of Honor Society.
            (13) O'Brien died on March 11, 2005, in Midland, Texas.

SEC. 2. GEORGE H. O'BRIEN, JR., DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL 
              CENTER.

    (a) Designation.--The Department of Veterans Affairs medical center 
located in Big Spring, Texas, shall be known and designated as the 
``George H. O'Brien, Jr., Department of Veterans Affairs Medical 
Center''.
    (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, 
paper, or other record of the United States to the Department of 
Veterans Affairs medical center referred to in subsection (a) shall be 
deemed to be a reference to the ``George H. O'Brien, Jr., Department of 
Veterans Affairs Medical Center''.
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