[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 56 (Tuesday, May 7, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H2115-H2116]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 CLARENCE B. CRAFT POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the 
rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4486) 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.''
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 4486

       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.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Virginia (Mrs. Jo Ann Davis) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Davis) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Jo Ann 
Davis).


                             General Leave

  Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and 
extend their remarks on H.R. 4486.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Virginia?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time 
as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4486, introduced by the gentleman from Arkansas 
(Mr. Boozman) designates the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located in Fayetteville, Arkansas, as the ``Clarence B. Craft 
Post Office Building.'' Members of the entire House delegation from the 
State of Arkansas are cosponsors of this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, an American hero passed away on Thursday, March 28, in 
Fayetteville, Arkansas. Private First Class Clarence Craft received the 
Congressional Medal of Honor from President Harry Truman for his 
faithful and courageous service to this country during World War II. He 
was 80 years old.

                              {time}  1415

  Mr. Craft went on to become a regular volunteer at the local VA 
hospital in Fayetteville where he logged more than 9,300 hours helping 
fellow veterans. He also was a dedicated member of Fayetteville 
American Legion Post 27 where he was an active member for over 56 
years.
  Though we may honor Private Craft for his storied military career, 
Mr. Craft preferred to talk about his family whom he so dearly loved. 
Mr. Craft will be missed by all who knew him; and every American owes a 
debt of gratitude to him for his valiant service to this country.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of H.R. 4486.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Government Reform, 
I rise in support of H.R. 4486, legislation naming a postal facility 
after Clarence B. Craft. H.R. 4486, introduced by the gentleman from 
Arkansas (Mr. Boozman) on April 18, 2002, is supported and cosponsored 
by the entire Arkansas State congressional delegation.
  The obituary in the Morning News said that Clarence B. Craft was born 
on September 23, 1921, in San Bernardino, California, and died on March 
28, 2002, in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It reported that he was retired 
from construction and that he was a recipient of the Medal of Honor. 
Indeed, Clarence B. Craft's life was distinguished by true heroism and 
service to his country, both during World War II and afterwards.
  According to the citation accompanying Clarence Craft's Medal of 
Honor, on May 31, 1945, as a private first class in the U.S. Army, he, 
and I quote, ``was a rifleman when his platoon spearheaded an attack on 
Hen Hill, the tactical position on which the line of enemy defense on 
Okinawa was hinged. For 12 days our forces had been installed and 
repeated heavy assaults had been thrown back by the enemy with serious 
casualties. Against odds that appeared suicidal, Private First Class 
Craft launched a remarkable one-man attack. He stood up in full view of 
the enemy and began shooting with deadly marksmanship whenever he saw 
hostile movement. Private First Class Craft killed at least 25 of the 
enemy. But his contribution to the campaign on Okinawa was of much more 
far-reaching consequence, for Hen Hill was the key to the entire 
defense line which rapidly crumbled after his utterly fearless and 
heroic attack.''
  Yet despite this display of heroism, Clarence Craft never thought of 
himself as a hero. He would often tell people that he did not do 
anything that any other GI would not do in my spot.
  Clarence Craft's service did not end in World War II. According to 
the obituary that appeared in the Northwest Arkansas Times, he spent 
the last 25 years of his life in Arkansas, where he served others 
through volunteerism at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center and 
National Cemetery. There is a Clarence B. Craft primary care center on 
the hospital grounds. In addition, Mr. Craft was recognized for his 
almost 9,000 hours of service between 1992 and 2000 with a volunteer 
service award from the Veterans Affairs Office. United States Senator 
Blanche Lincoln observed that ``Clarence Craft's continued commitment 
to his country and his community was impressive. Even after he retired, 
he went on to donate thousands of hours to helping fellow veterans. 
That is a tremendous example of selflessness above and beyond his 
heroism fighting for our country.''
  Mr. Speaker, Clarence Craft was the epitome of what a good citizen 
should be, a man who served his country through heroic deeds in war and 
dedicated volunteerism in peace. By naming the post office at 1590 East 
Joyce Boulevard in Fayetteville, Arkansas, for him, we will be 
remembering a true American hero and a great citizen.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 
such time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from 
Arkansas (Mr. Boozman), the sponsor of this legislation.

[[Page H2116]]

  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Virginia for 
yielding me the time.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4486, which I introduced, will name the post office 
on East Joyce Avenue in Fayetteville, Arkansas after a great American 
hero, Clarence Craft. I introduced this legislation with all of my 
colleagues from the Arkansas delegation and I would like to thank the 
gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Snyder), the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. 
Berry), and the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Ross) for their support.
  Private First Class Craft received the Congressional Medal of Honor 
for his actions in World War II during the battle of Hen Hill. He led 
his battalion to breach enemy defenses on May 31, 1945. Craft was a 
rifleman with Company G, 382nd Infantry, 96th Infantry Division.
  Craft, along with five fellow soldiers, was dispatched to the hill to 
feel out enemy resistance. The group had proceeded only a short 
distance up the slope when rifle, machine gun fire and a barrage of 
grenades wounded three and pinned down the others. Against odds that 
appeared suicidal, Craft stood up in full view of the enemy, and, 
according to his citation, began shooting with deadly marksmanship 
wherever he saw hostile movement. He steadily advanced up the hill, 
killing Japanese soldiers with rapid fire and driving others to run for 
cover. When Craft reached the crest of the hill, he threw grenades at 
extremely short ranges into the enemy positions. His assault lifted the 
pressure from his company for the moment, allowing members of his 
platoon to comply with his motions to advance up the hill and 
eventually overtake the Japanese. When the fighting was over, it is 
estimated that Craft killed at least 25 of the enemy, but reports say 
his contribution to the campaign on Okinawa was much greater. Hen Hill 
was the key to the entire defense line, which rapidly crumbled after 
his utterly fearless and heroic attack.
  Mr. Craft went on to serve a second tour in Korea after his heroics 
at Hen Hill. Then after retirement Craft continued serving his country 
by volunteering at the Fayetteville VA Hospital. He logged over 9,300 
hours in only 10 years helping fellow veterans who were hospitalized. 
It is not only the veterans in the hospitals who remember Mr. Craft but 
the staff also benefited from his service as it is reported that his 
smile, his jokes and his pleasant, humble demeanor put all immediately 
at ease and made everyone's time at the hospital more agreeable. Craft 
also spent many years serving in the Fayetteville American Legion Post 
27, where he had been an active member for almost 56 years.
  Mr. Craft was a loved and valued member of the Fayetteville, Arkansas 
community. It is important that we never forget the contributions that 
Mr. Craft made, not only to America but to Fayetteville and to the 
State of Arkansas. By naming the post office on East Joyce Avenue after 
Mr. Craft, we are ensuring that not only will his legacy continue but 
that his name will live on for future generations.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such 
time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from Arkansas 
(Mr. Snyder).
  Mr. SNYDER. Mr. Speaker, we hear these stories and we read the 
stories of these men, men like Clarence Craft, and they seem like 
movies. They seem like fiction. But Mr. Craft was a real person, he was 
a humble person, and the story was real. It was my pleasure to have met 
him and talked with him some years ago. Time goes by and each year we 
lose more of our World War II veterans, we lose more of our Korean War 
veterans, but we must remember the stories, stories like Mr. Craft's. 
We must remember the history. We must remember the sacrifice. The 
naming of this facility will perpetuate his memory but it will also 
perpetuate the memory of the sacrifice of all of our veterans of World 
War II and of the many wars that they have served in.
  Congratulations today to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Boozman) 
and to Mr. Craft and his family.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for 
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time 
as I may consume.
  I urge my colleagues to adopt this measure to honor what we have 
heard today to be a great American hero and a true patriot.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Culberson). The question is on the 
motion offered by the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Jo Ann Davis) 
that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4486.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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