[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 52 (Wednesday, May 1, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3628-S3629]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
By Mr. HUTCHINSON:
S. 2433. A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 1590 East Joyce Boulevard in Fayetteville, Arkansas,
as the ``Clarence B. Craft Post Office Building''; to the Committee on
Governmental Affairs.
Mr. HUTCHINSON. Madam President, I rise today to introduce
legislation to designate a United States postal facility in
Fayetteville, AK in honor of one of America's greatest heroes and
fellow Arkansan, Clarence B. Craft. This bill would name the facility
at 1590 East Joyce Boulevard as the ``Clarence B. Craft Post Office
Building.'' Mr. Craft passed away on March 28, 2002, but left behind a
legacy of kindness and courage. Prior to his passing he was one of only
148 living persons to be warded our Nation's highest award for actions
above and beyond the call of duty, the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Clarence Craft was an extremely humble person, and rarely talked about
the accolades that made him a ``special man'' as he was described by
those who knew him well. He spent the last twenty-five years of his
life in northwest Arkansas giving selflessly of his time as a volunteer
for
[[Page S3629]]
the Veterans' Affairs Medical Center in Fayetteville. He was a true and
dedicated friend to the veterans, one who lifted their spirits with
personal visits, often visiting every patient in the hospital.
Clarence Craft's actions on May 31, 1945, are truly deserving of this
recognition. On the island of Okinawa, then-Private First Class Craft
launched a one-man attack against the Japanese defense on Hen Hill.
Opposed by forces heavily armed with rifles, machine guns, mortars and
grenades, Clarence Craft killed at least 25 enemy soldiers. His heroic
efforts were the key to the U.S. forces' penetration of a defense that
had repelled repeated, heavy assaults by battalion-sized U.S.
formations for twelve days, and resulted in the entire defensive line
crumbling.
I enthusiastically encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle
to support this bill in honoring Clarence B. Craft, an American hero.
I ask unanimous consent that the text of the legislation be printed
in the Record.
There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the
Record, as follows:
S. 2433
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. CLARENCE B. CRAFT POST OFFICE BUILDING.
(a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 1590 East Joyce Boulevard in Fayetteville,
Arkansas, shall be known and designated as the ``Clarence B.
Craft Post Office Building''.
(b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the
facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be
a reference to the Clarence B. Craft Post Office Building.
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