[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 103 (Monday, June 25, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H7039-H7041]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    OSCAR G. JOHNSON DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL FACILITY

  Mr. HARE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 2602) to name the Department of Veterans Affairs medical facility 
in Iron Mountain, Michigan, as the ``Oscar G. Johnson Department of 
Veterans Affairs Medical Facility''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2602

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

     SECTION 1. NAME OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL 
                   FACILITY, IRON MOUNTAIN, MICHIGAN.

       The Department of Veterans Affairs medical facility in Iron 
     Mountain, Michigan, shall after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act be known and designated as the ``Oscar G. Johnson 
     Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility''. Any 
     reference to that medical facility in any law, regulation, 
     map, document, record, or other paper of the United States 
     shall be considered to be a reference to the Oscar G. Johnson 
     Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Hare) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ginny Brown-
Waite) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.
  Mr. HARE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Medal of Honor recipients have performed selfless acts of courage. 
When reading their citations, we are deeply humbled by the courage and 
selflessness of their actions to save their comrades and to defend this 
great country.
  H.R. 2602 would name the Department of Veterans Affairs medical 
facility in Iron Mountain, Michigan, as the Oscar G. Johnson Department 
of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility.
  The following is from the citation for Sergeant Johnson, who at the 
time of his action was a private first class in the United States Army. 
It was September, 1944, and the Allied Forces were attempting to break 
the German defense line in Italy known as the ``Gothic Line'':
  He practically single handedly protected the left flank of his 
company's position in the offensive to break the German Gothic Line. 
Company B was the extreme left assault unit of the corps. The advance 
was stopped by heavy fire from Monticelli Ridge, and the company took 
fire behind an embankment.
  Sergeant Johnson, a mortar gunner, having expended his ammunition, 
assumed the duties of a rifleman. As leader of a squad of seven men, he 
was ordered to establish a combat post 50 yards to the left of the 
company to cover its exposed flank.
  Repeated enemy counterattacks, supported by artillery, mortar, and 
machine gun fire from the high ground to his front, had by the 
afternoon of 16 September killed or wounded all of his men. Collecting 
weapons and ammunition from his fallen comrades, in the face of hostile 
fire, he held his exposed position and inflicted heavy casualties upon 
the enemy, who several times came close enough to throw hand grenades 
at him.
  On the night of September 16, the enemy launched its heaviest attack 
on Company B, putting its greatest pressure against the lone defender 
of the left flank. In spite of mortar fire which crashed about him and 
machine gun bullets which whipped the chest of his shallow trench, 
Sergeant Johnson stood erect and repulsed the attack with grenades and 
small arms fire.
  He remained awake and alert throughout the night, frustrating all 
attempts at infiltration. On 17 September, 25 German soldiers 
surrendered to him. Two men, sent to reinforce him that afternoon, were 
caught in a devastating mortar and artillery barrage.
  With no thought for his own safety, Sergeant Johnson rushed to the 
shell hole where they lay half buried and seriously wounded, covered 
their position by his fire, and assisted a medical corpsman in 
rendering aid. That night he secured their removal to the rear and 
remained on watch until his company was relieved.
  Five companies of the German paratroop regiment had been repeatedly 
committed to the attack on Company B without success. Twenty dead 
Germans were found in front of his position. By his heroic stand and 
utter disregard for personal safety, Sergeant Johnson was in large 
measure responsible for defeating the enemy's attempts to turn the 
exposed left flank. What an incredible hero, Mr. Speaker.
  Mr. Johnson is no longer with us, but we can keep alive his memory by 
naming the facility in his honor.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of H.R. 2602, a bill to designate the VA medical 
facility in Iron Mountain, Michigan, as the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical 
Facility. This legislation was introduced by my colleague from 
Michigan, Representative Bart Stupak, and it will honor a soldier who 
served his country with gallantry and distinction under fire during 
World War II near Scarperia, Italy. I appreciate Congressman Stupak's 
hard work and initiative on this legislation.
  On September 16, 1944, Sergeant Johnson, a mortar gunner, expended 
his ammunition and assumed the duties of a rifleman. As the leader of 
the squad of seven men, he was ordered to establish a position 50 yards 
to the left of his company to cover its exposed flank. Repeated enemy 
counterattacks had by that afternoon killed or wounded all of his men. 
Collecting weapons and ammunition from his fallen comrades, he 
continued to hold his exposed position and inflicted heavy casualties 
on the enemy throughout the night. On September 17, 25 German soldiers 
surrendered to him; 25 soldiers surrendered to one very brave soldier.
  Two men were sent out to reinforce him that afternoon, but were 
caught in devastating mortar fire. Sergeant Johnson secured their 
removal and continued to hold his position until his company was 
relieved on September 18. Twenty dead Germans were found in front of 
his position. By his heroic stand and utter disregard for personal 
safety, Sergeant Johnson was in large measure responsible for defeating 
the enemy's attempts to turn the exposed left flank.
  Mr. Speaker, I will submit Sergeant Johnson's complete Medal of Honor 
citation into the Record.

                           Johnson, Oscar G.

       Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company B, 363d 
     Infantry, 91st Infantry Division. Place and date: Near 
     Scarperia, Italy, 1618 September 1944. Entered service at: 
     Foster City, Mich. Birth: Foster City, Mich. G.O. No.: 58, 19 
     July 1945. Citation: (then Pfc.) He practically single-handed 
     protected the left flank of his company's position in the 
     offensive to break the German's gothic line. Company B was 
     the extreme left assault unit of the corps. The advance was 
     stopped by heavy fire from Monticelli Ridge, and the company 
     took cover behind an embankment. Sgt. Johnson, a mortar 
     gunner, having expended his ammunition, assumed the duties of 
     a rifleman. As leader of a squad of 7 men he was ordered to 
     establish a combat post 50 yards to the left of the company 
     to cover its exposed flank. Repeated enemy counterattacks, 
     supported by artillery, mortar, and machinegun fire from the 
     high ground to his front, had by the afternoon of 16 
     September killed or wounded all his men. Collecting weapons 
     and ammunition from his fallen comrades, in the face of 
     hostile fire, he held his exposed position and inflicted 
     heavy casualties upon the enemy, who several times came close 
     enough to throw hand grenades. On the night of 1617 
     September, the enemy launched his heaviest attack on Company 
     B, putting his greatest pressure against the lone defender of 
     the left flank. In spite of mortar fire which crashed about 
     him and machinegun bullets which whipped the crest of his 
     shallow trench, Sgt. Johnson stood erect and repulsed the 
     attack with grenades and small arms fire. He remained awake 
     and on the alert throughout the night, frustrating all 
     attempts at infiltration. On 17 September, 25 German soldiers 
     surrendered to him. Two men, sent to reinforce him that 
     afternoon, were caught in a devastating mortar and artillery 
     barrage. With no thought of his own safety, Sgt. Johnson 
     rushed to the shell hole where they lay half buried and 
     seriously wounded, covered their position by his fire, and 
     assisted a Medical Corpsman in rendering aid. That night he 
     secured their removal to the rear and remained on watch until 
     his company was relieved. Five companies of a German 
     paratroop regiment had been repeatedly committed to the 
     attack on Company B

[[Page H7040]]

     without success. Twenty dead Germans were found in front of 
     his position. By his heroic stand and utter disregard for 
     personal safety, Sgt. Johnson was in a large measure 
     responsible for defeating the enemy's attempts to turn the 
     exposed left flank.

  Mr. Speaker, Sergeant Johnson continued to serve his country after 
the war. He served as a foreman of a National Guard vehicle maintenance 
shop in Lansing, Michigan, giving his Nation 30 years of service with 
the National Guard. On May 13, Mr. Johnson died in Iron Mountain, 
Michigan, leaving behind a legacy of heroism and gallantry.
  I support H.R. 2602 as a fitting tribute to a good man who served his 
Nation well, not just in war but also throughout his life. I certainly 
urge all of the Members to support this and would remind the Members 
that certainly Mr. Johnson is one of the many reasons why we do call 
this, Mr. Johnson's era, the ``Greatest Generation.''
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HARE. Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to yield such time 
as he may consume to the author of this wonderful piece of legislation, 
Congressman Bart Stupak from the State of Michigan.
  Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.
  I rise today in support of H.R. 2602, a bill to name the Veterans 
Affairs medical facility in Iron Mountain, Michigan, after Oscar G. 
Johnson. I am proud to have authored this legislation and proud to 
bring it to the floor. Oscar Johnson was a friend of mine, and he was a 
legend in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
  I would like to thank Chairman Filner and Ranking Member Buyer for 
their support of this legislation.
  As was mentioned, Oscar Johnson was a Congressional Medal of Honor 
winner and a Dickinson County native. He was awarded the Congressional 
Medal of Honor for his actions in combat near Scarperia, Italy, in 
September, 1944.

                              {time}  1645

  I will not go through all the details, as that has already been done 
by the previous two speakers who have eloquently outlined the heroic 
actions of Oscar Johnson. Mr. Hare and Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite did an 
excellent job in doing that. I would like to add a few other thoughts.
  As was indicated, Sergeant Johnson's service to his country did not 
stop after he returned home from World War II. In fact, Mr. Johnson 
continued to serve honorably as a foreman of the National Guard vehicle 
maintenance shop in Lansing, Michigan, our State capital.
  During his 30 years of service, Mr. Johnson worked alongside and 
guided young soldiers, Vietnam-era veterans, and newly enlisted women 
in our military service. Oscar Johnson quickly became a beloved member 
of his local community and exemplified the dedication and sacrifice 
made by all the men and women who served in the Armed Forces, 
especially during World War II. He was a local hero and a great 
American. Mr. Johnson is one of 68 World War II Medal of Honor 
recipients to have survived combat.
  Mr. Johnson passed away in 1998 and developed a reputation for 
conducting himself with modesty, dignity and honor.
  At this time, I will enter into the Record an article entitled, ``A 
Soldier's Story,'' which appeared in the Iron Mountain Daily News after 
his death in 1998. This article eloquently describes Mr. Johnson's 
heroic actions during World War II and his commitment to this country.

                           A Soldier's Story

                           (By Jim Anderson)

       Oscar Johnson was reluctant, in a newspaper interview, to 
     relate the details of a World War II battle that earned him 
     the Congressional Medal of Honor.
       ``The way they describe my role, it sounds like I might 
     have been a little better than I was,'' he said.
       The story of the battle, as told in his medal presentation, 
     is extraordinary.
       Johnson, a soldier from Foster City, practically single-
     handedly defended the left flank of his company's position 
     from a German paratroop regiment.
       The certificate accompanying his Medal of Honor, the 
     nation's highest military decoration, tells it as follows:
       Near Scarperia, Italy in September 1944, Johnson's company 
     (Company B) was stopped by heavy fire from Monticelli Ridge 
     and took cover behind an embankment. Johnson, a mortar 
     gunner, having expended his ammunition, assumed the duties of 
     a rifleman.
       As leader of a squad of seven men, he was ordered to 
     establish a combat post 50 yards to the left of Company B to 
     cover its exposed flank. Repeated enemy counterattacks, 
     supported by artillery, mortar and machine gun fire from the 
     high ground, had by the afternoon of Sept. 16 killed or 
     wounded all his men.
       Collecting weapons and ammunition from his fallen comrades, 
     in the face of hostile fire, he held his exposed position and 
     inflicted heavy casualties upon the enemy, who several times 
     came close enough to throw hand grenades.
       That night, the enemy launched a heavy attack on Company B, 
     putting its greatest pressure against the lone defender of 
     the left flank.
       In spite of mortar fire that crashed about him and machine 
     gun bullets that whipped the crest of his shallow trench, 
     Johnson stood erect and repulsed the attack with grenades and 
     small-arms fire.
       He remained awake and on the alert throughout the night, 
     frustrating all attempts at infiltration.
       On Sept. 17, 25 German soldiers surrendered to him. Two men 
     were sent to reinforce him that afternoon, but were caught in 
     a mortar and artillery barrage.
       Johnson, ignoring his own safety, rushed to the shell-hole 
     where they lay half-buried and seriously wounded, covered 
     their position by his fire, and assisted a medic in rendering 
     aid. That night, he secured their removal to the rear and 
     remained on watch until his company was relieved.
       Five companies of the German paratroop regiment had been 
     repeatedly committed to the attack against Company B without 
     success. Twenty dead Germans were found in front of Johnson's 
     position.
       According to his presidential citation, Johnson's heroic 
     stand and utter disregard for personal safety was in large 
     measure responsible for defeating the enemy's attempts to 
     turn the exposed left flank.
       Oscar Johnson, one of the rare recipients of the Medal of 
     Honor to have survived combat, died Wednesday at the age of 
     77.
       He had gone on, after the war, to serve as foreman of a 
     National Guard vehicle maintenance shop in Lansing. During 30 
     years of duty with the Guard, he saw a lot of changes.
       ``During the '50s, we got a lot of boys joining to avoid 
     the draft,'' he said in a 1980 Panax Newspapers interview. 
     ``A lot of them were farm boys who knew a lot about 
     equipment. I enjoyed working with them. Now we get guys in 
     who have to be taught to drive a stick-shift.''
       The biggest change, he said, was working with women.
       ``I can't say anything bad about them,'' he said. ``They 
     make real good jeep drivers and they seem to have more 
     responsibility toward their vehicles. They don't think a 
     thing about pulling out a battery or crawling underneath with 
     an oil pan.''
       He said the Vietnam-era veterans he worked with at the 
     Guard were really no different than the veterans of World War 
     II or the Korean War.
       ``The biggest difference is that they don't get as much 
     attention,'' he said.
       After his Guard service, Johnson retired in Dickinson 
     County.
       He was a regular church-goer.
       A couple of years ago, he attended a Good Friday service at 
     First Lutheran Church in Iron Mountain. I'm sure he attended 
     many others--this happened to be one I managed to make.
       Part of the service is the reading of the ``Good Friday 
     Solemn Reproaches,'' representing the agony and reproaches of 
     the crucified Savior.
       This line is included:
       ``I grafted you into the tree of my chosen Israel, and you 
     turned on them with persecution and mass murder.''
       Those lines might have been echoing in my thoughts when I 
     noticed Oscar.
       The sight of his ruddy face and white hair made it 
     especially clear that it took his sacrifices, and those of 
     countless others, to stop the unspeakable horrors inflicted 
     on Jews in Europe.
       Near the end of the service, after a silence is kept for 
     meditation on the mystery of redemption, there is a time to 
     visit a cross at the altar.
       Traditionally, one is to bow before the cross, touch it, or 
     kiss it.
       Oscar Johnson approached the cross, walking with a slight 
     limp as he did in his later years, but with a sure confidence 
     and grace.
       He didn't bow before the cross, touch it, or kiss it.
       What he did was this. He gave it a casual, respectful 
     soldier's salute and limped back to his pew.
       To this day, the memory of that simple gesture brings 
     forward tears.
       Maybe it's true, as Johnson claimed, that the Medal of 
     Honor story made him sound a little better than he was.
       It must also be true that he was more.

  So it is fitting tonight that we honor Oscar Johnson, his years of 
service and his family by naming the Veterans Affairs Medical Facility 
in Iron Mountain Michigan the ``Oscar G. Johnson Department of Veterans 
Affairs Medical Facility.''
  This legislation has been endorsed by the city of Iron Mountain, the 
Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American

[[Page H7041]]

Legion, Disabled American Veterans and the Military Order of the Purple 
Heart.
  Mr. Johnson was the last Congressional Medal of Honor winner living 
in the Upper Peninsula. As I stated earlier, he was a friend of mine. I 
first introduced this legislation in 2000, it is now 2007. It is time 
for the family and friends to have the honor of Oscar Johnson having 
his name attached to the VA Medical Facility in Iron Mountain, 
Michigan.
  I would also like to thank the entire Michigan U.S. House delegation 
for cosponsoring this legislation, and our two Senators, Stabenow and 
Levin, for their support of this legislation. And I thank the previous 
speakers.


                             General Leave

  Mr. HARE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 
5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H.R. 2602.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HARE. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to unanimously support 
H.R. 2602.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hare) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 2602.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________