[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 83 (Monday, May 21, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H4261-H4263]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              HERSHEL ``WOODY'' WILLIAMS VA MEDICAL CENTER

  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 3663) to designate the medical center of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs in Huntington, West Virginia, as the 
Hershel ``Woody'' Williams VA Medical Center.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3663

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

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF HERSHEL ``WOODY'' WILLIAMS VA 
                   MEDICAL CENTER IN HUNTINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA.

       (a) Designation.--The medical center of the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs in Huntington, West Virginia, shall after 
     the date of the enactment of this Act be known and designated 
     as the ``Hershel `Woody' Williams VA Medical Center''.
       (b) 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 (a) shall be 
     considered to be a reference to the Hershel ``Woody'' 
     Williams VA Medical Center.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Roe) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Walz) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Tennessee?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3663, to designate the 
medical center of the Department of Veterans

[[Page H4262]]

Affairs in Huntington, West Virginia, as the Hershel ``Woody'' Williams 
VA Medical Center.
  This bill is sponsored by my friend and colleague Evan Jenkins, and I 
am grateful to him for introducing this legislation in honor of an 
American hero.
  Hershel ``Woody'' Williams enlisted in the Marine Corps on May 26, 
1943, in Charleston, West Virginia. Following his training, Corporal 
Williams was deployed to participate in the invasion of Iwo Jima. On 
February 23, 1945, a system of enemy pill boxes pinned down his unit.
  With a 70-pound flamethrower and covering fire from only four 
riflemen, Corporal Williams braved the viscous barrage and charged 
forward alone. He fought 4 hours, successfully destroying several enemy 
strongholds and saving the lives of countless marines.
  Corporal Williams fought the entirety of the 5-week battle for the 
island despite suffering a wound for which he was awarded a Purple 
Heart. For his actions and his heroism in the face of brutal combat, 
President Truman awarded Corporal Williams a Medal of Honor on October 
5, 1945.
  After 20 years of service, he retired from the Marine Corps Reserve 
and worked with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Now he serves on 
the Governor's West Virginia Military Advisory Board and runs the 
Hershel ``Woody'' Williams Medal of Honor Foundation, a not-for-profit 
that erects monuments to honor Gold Star families and provides 
scholarships to eligible Gold Star children.
  Today, Corporal Williams is the only surviving marine to have 
received the Medal of Honor during the Second World War, and I am 
privileged to support H.R. 3663 in his honor.
  This legislation satisfies all of the committee's naming criteria and 
is sponsored by the entire West Virginia congressional delegation, and 
is supported by many VSOs.
  As an aside, Mr. Speaker, I had the privilege of attending an event 
in Kingsport, Tennessee, where Corporal Williams was the sponsor for 
our memorial that is there in Kingsport, Tennessee.
  I want to thank my West Virginia colleagues for bringing this up. I 
thank Congressman Evan Jenkins for introducing this bill, and I urge 
all of my colleagues to support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I, too, rise in support of designating the VA medical center in 
Huntington, West Virginia, the Hershel ``Woody'' Williams VA Medical 
Center.
  You are going to hear more detail from the gentleman from West 
Virginia, but it is once again proving the point that these are not 
exercises in futility. This is how America honors and remembers. Our 
children need to know who these people were when their name shows up on 
the VA medical center.
  On this one, I think the gentleman from West Virginia knows this, but 
we were discussing this over here, all of us in Minnesota got to know 
who he was last February when the world was watching. Some of us 
remember the moment when people said: ``Who is that marine who walked 
out and tossed the coin at the Super Bowl?'' It was this gentleman.
  I remember the sense of pride and the sense of awe, and we kind of 
got things into perspective because they told a little background on 
his story: that we were going to watch a game, and this gentleman was 
out there fighting for the freedoms to allow that game to happen.
  It was a wonderful moment. I am certainly proud and grateful to 
encourage people to cast a ``yes'' vote on this piece of legislation, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman 
from West Virginia (Mr. Jenkins).
  Mr. JENKINS of West Virginia. Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman, for 
yielding.
  Today, we are voting on H.R. 3663, which would rename the Huntington 
VA Medical Center in honor of Corporal Hershel ``Woody'' Williams.

  I first met Woody more than 20 years ago when I was elected to the 
State legislature. Over the more than two decades I have known him, 
Woody has never stopped fighting for his fellow veterans. I am honored 
to call him a constituent and a friend.
  At 94 years young, Woody is still a vocal advocate for our veterans 
and their families. Whether it be at countless legislative committee 
hearings, veterans recognition and appreciation events, or Veterans Day 
and Memorial Day commemorations, Woody is there fighting for our 
veterans.
  Woody is an unbelievably brave and kind man. Not only did he 
demonstrate extraordinary heroism at Iwo Jima, but he has dedicated his 
life to serving veterans and our community. Each year our local Boy 
Scouts--our local Scout council--gets all newly elected Eagle Scouts 
together and Woody is invited to come and spend time with the boys to 
share a few thoughts.
  When my two sons became Eagles, Woody shook their hands. He looked 
them in the eye and challenged them to conduct their life according to 
the Scout oath and motto, to do their duty to God and country, which is 
exactly how he has lived his life.
  Throughout West Virginia and the Nation, Woody is best known for his 
brave efforts in the Pacific Theater during World War II.

                              {time}  1630

  Corporal Williams was a demolition sergeant serving with the 21st 
Marines, 3rd Marine Division when American troops landed on Iwo Jima.
  I would like to read now from Corporal Williams' Medal of Honor 
citation: ``Quick to volunteer his services when our tanks were 
maneuvering vainly to open a lane for the infantry through the network 
of reinforced concrete pillboxes, buried mines, and black volcanic 
sands, Corporal Williams daringly went forward alone to attempt the 
reduction of devastating machine gun fire from the unyielding 
positions.
  ``Covered only by four riflemen, he fought desperately for 4 hours 
under terrific enemy small arms fire and repeatedly returned to his own 
lines to prepare demolition charges and obtain serviced flamethrowers, 
struggling back frequently to the rear of hostile encampments to wipe 
out one position after another.
  ``Corporal Williams' aggressive fighting spirit and valiant devotion 
to duty throughout this fiercely contested action sustain and enhance 
the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.''
  Woody Williams believed in something greater than himself. His 
country asked, and he answered. Corporal Williams was there, in that 
place, at that time, when his country needed him the most.
  Following his military service, Woody continued to serve our Nation 
as a veterans service representative for the Department of Veterans 
Affairs. He also founded the Hershel Woody Williams Medal of Honor 
Foundation to recognize the sacrifices of our Nation's Gold Star 
families.
  Woody is an example of the best that West Virginia and our Nation 
have to offer, and he is, quite simply, an American hero. Renaming the 
Huntington VA Medical Center to honor his service would be a fitting 
tribute for all he has done for our veterans and their families.
  Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for this opportunity.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman 
from West Virginia (Mr. McKinley), who is my good friend.
  Mr. McKINLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 3663, which 
would name the VA medical center in Huntington, West Virginia, after a 
true American hero and my personal friend, Hershel ``Woody'' Williams.
  Woody is recognized as the last living Medal of Honor recipient from 
the notoriously horrific Battle of Iwo Jima; but in West Virginia, 
Woody is known far more for his work on behalf of veterans.
  Upon his retirement from the Marines, Woody served 33 years as a 
counselor with the Department of Veterans Affairs. He served as the 
commandant of the veterans nursing home in Barboursville, West 
Virginia, for years, providing care to aging veterans. Then, in 2012, 
he helped start a Medal of Honor foundation dedicated to honoring Gold 
Star families and their fallen loved ones.
  The foundation has erected monuments in 36 States, like Tennessee, 
and offers scholarships to children in Gold Star families. Woody 
frequently travels to Washington to participate in special ceremonies 
at Arlington National

[[Page H4263]]

Cemetery in honor of our fallen heroes. Earlier this year, as my 
colleague had mentioned, he received national recognition for his 
service to our country when he was asked to perform the coin toss for 
the Super Bowl.
  It is often said that the character of a person isn't measured by 
their actions while in the limelight, but rather by the work they do 
when they are not being in the light, when no one is looking. Woody's 
life is a manifestation of working behind the scenes. He has been 
unwavering in his support for our veterans, and Congress has an 
opportunity to offer him our heartfelt thanks and gratitude.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 
3663, and I thank my colleague, Evan Jenkins, for this introduction of 
the bill and his support for Woody Williams.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman 
from Montana (Mr. Gianforte), who is my good friend.
  Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this 
legislation, as well as legislation I introduced along with the Montana 
Senate delegation to honor three Montana veterans by renaming three 
Department of Veterans Affairs facilities in their honor. These three 
veterans have shown the true spirit and dedication all Montanans and 
Americans should aspire to.
  Ben Steele from Roundup, Montana, joined the Army Air Corps and was 
stationed at Clark Field in the Philippines in 1941 when he was 24. 
Following the Japanese invasion, Ben fought on Bataan and survived the 
Bataan Death March. He was held prisoner for 3\1/2\ years, and sketched 
with charcoal scenes on concrete and secret scraps of paper. Some of 
his work is still on display in the MacArthur Museum in Norfolk. After 
the war, he continued his passion for art and taught at MSU-Billings 
for 33 years.
  Mr. Steele passed away in September of 2016 at the age of 98. The 
only thing he liked more than art was fishing. I am proud that the 
Billings Community Based Specialty Clinic will be renamed in honor of 
Benjamin Charles Steele.
  David Thatcher enlisted in the Army Air Corps in December of 1940. 
Following the attacks on Pearl Harbor, Mr. Thatcher volunteered for a 
secret mission joining Jimmy Doolittle in a bombing mission over Tokyo. 
Serving as a B-25 tail gunner on the Ruptured Duck, Thatcher saved the 
lives of his crew when the plane crashed into the sea trying to make 
landfall in China after the raid. For his actions, Thatcher was awarded 
the Silver Star.
  The Ruptured Duck was piloted by Lieutenant Ted Lawson, who wrote 
``Thirty Seconds over Tokyo.'' Robert Walker played Thatcher in the 
movie.
  Thatcher flew in the African and European theaters for the rest of 
the war. Thatcher worked for the Postal Service for 30 years following 
his Army career and was an avid outdoorsman. He passed away in June, 
2016, at the age of 94. The community-based outpatient clinic in 
Missoula will be designated in his honor.
  The community-based outpatient clinic on Spring Creek Lane in 
Billings will be designated in honor of Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow. Dr. 
Medicine Crow was born in the Crow Indian Reservation in 1913 and was 
the first member of the tribe to receive a master's degree, graduating 
from the University of Southern California in 1939.
  After working in the naval shipyard in Bremerton, Medicine Crow 
joined the Army in 1943 and served as a scout in the 103rd Infantry 
Division in Europe. He became the last surviving war chief of the Crow 
Nation, having successfully led a war party, stolen horses from the 
Nazi SS, disarming an enemy and capturing him without killing him. For 
his service in World War II, he received the Bronze Star and the French 
Legion of Honor.
  After the war, he worked for the Crow Agency and the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs as well as the Little Big Horn College. He has served on 
numerous boards and educational commissions. He even addressed the 
United Nations. He passed away in April of 2016.
  Mr. Speaker, while their friends and families know their great deeds, 
I am honored to share this story with you and the rest of the country.
  Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  In closing, once again, Mr. Speaker, I would just remind everyone 
here that these are not just naming bills. This is our history; it is 
important. The four stories told today are an amazing testament to what 
bill we can do as a people, and these individuals deserve this honor.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Once again, Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my 
colleagues to vote ``yes.'' What I say to Woody is: thank you, thank 
you, thank you.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Marshall). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Roe) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3663.
  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.

                          ____________________