[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 94 (Tuesday, June 17, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H5381-H5383]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      PFC FLOYD K. LINDSTROM DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS CLINIC

  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3375) to designate the community-based outpatient clinic of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs to be constructed at 3141 Centennial 
Boulevard, Colorado Springs, Colorado, as the ``PFC Floyd K. Lindstrom 
Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3375

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

     SECTION 1. PFC FLOYD K. LINDSTROM DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
                   AFFAIRS CLINIC.

       (a) Designation.--The community-based outpatient clinic of 
     the Department of Veterans Affairs to be constructed at 3141 
     Centennial Boulevard, Colorado Springs, Colorado, shall be 
     known and designated as the ``PFC Floyd K. Lindstrom 
     Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in a law, regulation, map, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     building referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be 
     a reference to the ``PFC Floyd K. Lindstrom Department of 
     Veterans Affairs Clinic''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Colorado (Mr. Lamborn) and the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. 
Clyburn) each will control 20 minutes.

[[Page H5382]]

  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Colorado.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on 
H.R. 3375.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Colorado?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3375, which would name the 
Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic at 
3141 Centennial Boulevard in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the PFC Floyd 
K. Lindstrom Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic.
  We are here today to honor the life and sacrifice of Private First 
Class Floyd K. Lindstrom by naming a new VA community-based outpatient 
clinic in southern Colorado after him.
  PFC Lindstrom was raised by his mother in Colorado Springs, which is 
part of the Fifth Congressional District that I am honored to 
represent. There, he spent much of his youth working summers on the 
Stratton farm and playing basketball. As a young man, he delivered 
fruit and produce between California and Colorado, while helping to 
support his mother and sister.
  Just after his 30th birthday, PFC Lindstrom answered the Nation's 
call to serve by enlisting in the United States Army on June 22, 1942. 
He was trained as a machine gunner; assigned to 2nd Platoon, H Company, 
3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Infantry Division; and 
arrived in North Africa in the early months of 1943. That is when my 
father was also in North Africa.
  On July 12, 1943, PFC Lindstrom's convoy was in Sicily and came under 
attack from enemy aircraft when he saw an out-of-control truck heading 
for a friendly dismounted soldier. Noticing that the soldier was 
unaware of the threat, Lindstrom abandoned the safety of his protective 
cover and redirected the truck, saving his fellow soldier's life. For 
these actions, Lindstrom was awarded the Silver Star.
  This wasn't the only time he displayed extraordinary heroism and 
selfless sacrifice.

                              {time}  1545

  On November 11, 1943, PFC Lindstrom's unit was providing machine gun 
support for a rifle company attacking a hill near Mignano, Italy. When 
a German counterattack forced friendly forces to retreat to a defensive 
position, Lindstrom demonstrated complete fearlessness in the face of 
almost certain death by singlehandedly assaulting and knocking out an 
enemy machine gun position. That display of aggressive spirit and 
conspicuous gallantry was credited with breaking up the counterattack, 
and Lindstrom was subsequently nominated for the Medal of Honor.
  I would like to read the last sentence from the citation for PFC 
Lindstrom when he received his Medal of Honor:

       His spectacular performance completely broke up the German 
     counterattack. PFC Lindstrom demonstrated aggressive spirit 
     and complete fearlessness in the face of almost certain 
     death.

  Mr. Speaker, at this time, I will introduce into the Record the 
citation for his Medal of Honor.

                        Medal of Honor citation

       Private First Class Lindstrom's official Medal of Honor 
     citation reads:
       For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life 
     above and beyond the call of duty. On 11 November 1943, this 
     soldier's platoon was furnishing machinegun support for a 
     rifle company attacking a hill near Mignano, Italy, when the 
     enemy counterattacked, forcing the riflemen and half the 
     machinegun platoon to retire to a defensive position. Pfc. 
     Lindstrom saw that his small section was alone and 
     outnumbered 5 to 1, yet he immediately deployed the few 
     remaining men into position and opened fire with his single 
     gun. The enemy centered fire on him with machinegun, machine 
     pistols, and grenades. Unable to knock out the enemy nest 
     from his original position, Pfc. Lindstrom picked up his own 
     heavy machinegun and staggered 15 yards up the barren, rocky 
     hillside to a new position, completely ignoring enemy small 
     arms fire which was striking all around him. From this new 
     site, only 10 yards from the enemy machinegun, he engaged it 
     in an intense duel. Realizing that he could not hit the 
     hostile gunners because they were behind a large rock, he 
     charged uphill under a steady stream of fire, killed both 
     gunners with his pistol and dragged their gun down to his own 
     men, directing them to employ it against the enemy. 
     Disregarding heavy rifle fire, he returned to the enemy 
     machinegun nest for 2 boxes of ammunition, came back and 
     resumed withering fire from his own gun. His spectacular 
     performance completely broke up the German counterattack. 
     Pfc. Lindstrom demonstrated aggressive spirit and complete 
     fearlessness in the face of almost certain death.

  Mr. LAMBORN. Following that event, PFC Lindstrom was given the option 
of staying with his fellow soldiers or taking a significantly safer 
assignment as a guard far removed from enemy lines. Consistent with his 
previous actions, Lindstrom refused to put his own safety ahead of his 
fellow soldiers and chose to remain with his unit. Less than 3 months 
later, he was killed during a German counterattack at Anzio, Italy. On 
April 20, 1944, PFC Lindstrom was posthumously awarded the Medal of 
Honor for his courageous actions near Mignano.
  He is now interred in Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs, 
Colorado.
  The new VA community-based outpatient clinic in Colorado Springs is 
set to open in the next few months and was only made possible through 
many years of hard work by the veterans of southern Colorado and the 
support of my colleagues here in Congress. The new facility will double 
the size of existing clinics while providing health care that is more 
comprehensive and convenient to the veterans of southern Colorado. It 
is only fitting for the new clinic to be named after one of Colorado 
Springs'--and the Nation's--greatest heroes.
  I can think of no one more deserving of this honor than Private 1st 
Class Floyd K. Lindstrom. It is my pleasure to offer H.R. 3375, and I 
am grateful for the leadership and support of the VA Committee Chairman 
Jeff Miller, Ranking Member Michaud, and the entire Colorado 
delegation.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this great hero by 
supporting this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my support of H.R. 3375, a bill to 
name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient 
clinic that will be constructed at 3141 Centennial Boulevard, Colorado 
Springs, Colorado, as the PFC Floyd K. Lindstrom Department of Veterans 
Affairs Clinic.
  Floyd Lindstrom was born on June 21, 1912. He was a truckdriver for 
the local store and frequently drove back and forth to California. He 
joined the Army from Colorado Springs in June 1942. By November 11, 
1943, he was serving as a Private 1st Class in the 3rd Infantry 
Division. On that day, near Mignano, Italy, he singlehandedly charged 
and captured a German machine gun. PFC Lindstrom was killed in action 3 
months later on February 3, 1944, at the age of 31. He is buried in 
Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
  For his bravery and service, PFC Lindstrom was awarded two Italian 
military crosses, the Purple Heart, and a Silver Star. On April 20, 
1944, he was posthumously awarded the United States military's highest 
decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions near Mignano, Italy, 
during World War II.
  PFC Lindstrom went above and beyond the call of duty. He made the 
ultimate sacrifice for our Nation. It is most appropriate that the VA 
community-based outpatient clinic in Colorado Springs, Colorado, be 
named in honor of this local hero.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, the gentleman 
from South Carolina, for his words and his support on this bill. This 
has special meaning to me because my father fought, also, in North 
Africa, Sicily, and Italy, and he recently passed away as one of the 
members of the Greatest Generation. Floyd Lindstrom, though, never came 
back. I believe he was engaged. He had a fiancee or a girlfriend, but 
he never came back.
  So it is only fitting that we honor the veterans who have served in 
the past on a building that is going to be serving the needs of our 
veterans in the

[[Page H5383]]

present. And I believe this will also inspire generations in the future 
as they know the story of Floyd Lindstrom.
  With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers at this time. I 
yield back the balance of my time, and I urge all of my colleagues to 
support H.R. 3375.
  Mr. LAMBORN. I ask my colleagues to also support H.R. 3375, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 3375.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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