[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7347 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]
H.R.7347
One Hundred Sixteenth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE SECOND SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday,
the third day of January, two thousand and twenty
An Act
To designate the medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs in
Ann Arbor, Michigan, as the ``Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Kettles
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. DESIGNATION OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL CHARLES S. KETTLES
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Kettles was born in
Ypsilanti, Michigan, on January 9, 1930.
(2) Lieutenant Colonel Kettles was drafted to the Army at age
21, and after attending Officer Candidate School, earned his
commission as an armor officer in the United States Army Reserve on
February 28, 1953.
(3) Lieutenant Colonel Kettles graduated from the Army Aviation
School in 1953 before serving active duty tours in South Korea,
Japan, and Thailand.
(4) Lieutenant Colonel Kettles volunteered for active duty in
1963 when the United States was engaged in the Vietnam War.
(5) Some of the awards and decorations earned by Lieutenant
Colonel Kettles include the following:
(A) The Medal of Honor.
(B) The Distinguished Service Cross.
(C) The Legion of Merit.
(D) The Distinguished Flying Cross.
(E) The Bronze Star Medal with one oak leaf cluster.
(F) The Air Medal with numeral 27.
(G) The Korean Service Medal.
(H) The Vietnam Service Medal with one silver service star
and one bronze service star.
(I) The Master Aviator Badge.
(6) The Medal of Honor citation for Lieutenant Colonel Kettles
states, ``Major Charles S. Kettles distinguished himself by
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as Flight
Commander, 176th Aviation Company (Airmobile) (Light), 14th Combat
Aviation Battalion, Americal Division near Duc Pho, Republic of
Vietnam. On 15 May 1967, Major Kettles, upon learning that an
airborne infantry unit had suffered casualties during an intense
firefight with the enemy, immediately volunteered to lead a flight
of six UH-1D helicopters to carry reinforcements to the embattled
force and to evacuate wounded personnel. Enemy small arms,
automatic weapons, and mortar fire raked the landing zone,
inflicting heavy damage to the helicopters; however, Major Kettles
refused to depart until all helicopters were loaded to capacity. He
then returned to the battlefield, with full knowledge of the
intense enemy fire awaiting his arrival, to bring more
reinforcements, landing in the midst of enemy mortar and automatic
weapons fire that seriously wounded his gunner and severely damaged
his aircraft. Upon departing, Major Kettles was advised by another
helicopter crew that he had fuel streaming out of his aircraft.
Despite the risk posed by the leaking fuel, he nursed the damaged
aircraft back to base. Later that day, the Infantry Battalion
Commander requested immediate, emergency extraction of the
remaining 40 troops, including four members of Major Kettles' unit
who were stranded when their helicopter was destroyed by enemy
fire. With only one flyable UH-1 helicopter remaining, Major
Kettles volunteered to return to the deadly landing zone for a
third time, leading a flight of six evacuation helicopters, five of
which were from the 161st Aviation Company. During the extraction,
Major Kettles was informed by the last helicopter that all
personnel were onboard, and departed the landing zone accordingly.
Army gunships supporting the evacuation also departed the area.
Once airborne, Major Kettles was advised that eight troops had been
unable to reach the evacuation helicopters due to the intense enemy
fire. With complete disregard for his own safety, Major Kettles
passed the lead to another helicopter and returned to the landing
zone to rescue the remaining troops. Without gunship, artillery, or
tactical aircraft support, the enemy concentrated all firepower on
his lone aircraft, which was immediately damaged by a mortar round
that shattered both front windshields and the chin bubble and was
further raked by small arms and machine gun fire. Despite the
intense enemy fire, Major Kettles maintained control of the
aircraft and situation, allowing time for the remaining eight
soldiers to board the aircraft. In spite of the severe damage to
his helicopter, Major Kettles once more skillfully guided his
heavily damaged aircraft to safety. Without his courageous actions
and superior flying skills, the last group of soldiers and his crew
would never have made it off the battlefield. Major Kettles'
selfless acts of repeated valor and determination are in keeping
with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great
credit upon himself and the United States Army.''.
(b) Designation.--The medical center of the Department of Veterans
Affairs in Ann Arbor, Michigan, shall after the date of the enactment
of this Act be known and designated as the ``Lieutenant Colonel Charles
S. Kettles Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center'' or the
``Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Kettles VA Medical Center''.
(c) Reference.--Any reference in any law, regulation, map,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the medical
center referred to in subsection (b) shall be considered to be a
reference to the Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Kettles Department of
Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.