[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 165 (Wednesday, September 23, 2020)]
[House]
[Page H4733]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 LIEUTENANT COLONEL CHARLES S. KETTLES DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
                             MEDICAL CENTER

  Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee 
on Veterans' Affairs be discharged from further consideration of the 
bill (H.R. 7347) to designate the medical center of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs in Ann Arbor, Michigan, as the ``Lieutenant Colonel 
Charles S. Kettles Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center'', and 
ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 7347

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

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL CHARLES S. 
                   KETTLES DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL 
                   CENTER.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Kettles was born in 
     Ypsilanti, Michigan, on January 9, 1930.
       (2) Lieutenant Colonel Kettles was drafted to the Army at 
     age 21, and after attending Officer Candidate School, earned 
     his commission as an armor officer in the United States Army 
     Reserve on February 28, 1953.
       (3) Lieutenant Colonel Kettles graduated from the Army 
     Aviation School in 1953 before serving active duty tours in 
     South Korea, Japan, and Thailand.
       (4) Lieutenant Colonel Kettles volunteered for active duty 
     in 1963 when the United States was engaged in the Vietnam 
     War.
       (5) Some of the awards and decorations earned by Lieutenant 
     Colonel Kettles include the following:
       (A) The Medal of Honor.
       (B) The Distinguished Service Cross.
       (C) The Legion of Merit.
       (D) The Distinguished Flying Cross.
       (E) The Bronze Star Medal with one oak leaf cluster.
       (F) The Air Medal with numeral 27.
       (G) The Korean Service Medal.
       (H) The Vietnam Service Medal with one silver service star 
     and one bronze service star.
       (I) The Master Aviator Badge.
       (6) The Medal of Honor citation for Lieutenant Colonel 
     Kettles states, ``Major Charles S. Kettles distinguished 
     himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while 
     serving as Flight Commander, 176th Aviation Company 
     (Airmobile) (Light), 14th Combat Aviation Battalion, Americal 
     Division near Duc Pho, Republic of Vietnam. On 15 May 1967, 
     Major Kettles, upon learning that an airborne infantry unit 
     had suffered casualties during an intense firefight with the 
     enemy, immediately volunteered to lead a flight of six UH-1D 
     helicopters to carry reinforcements to the embattled force 
     and to evacuate wounded personnel. Enemy small arms, 
     automatic weapons, and mortar fire raked the landing zone, 
     inflicting heavy damage to the helicopters; however, Major 
     Kettles refused to depart until all helicopters were loaded 
     to capacity. He then returned to the battlefield, with full 
     knowledge of the intense enemy fire awaiting his arrival, to 
     bring more reinforcements, landing in the midst of enemy 
     mortar and automatic weapons fire that seriously wounded his 
     gunner and severely damaged his aircraft. Upon departing, 
     Major Kettles was advised by another helicopter crew that he 
     had fuel streaming out of his aircraft. Despite the risk 
     posed by the leaking fuel, he nursed the damaged aircraft 
     back to base. Later that day, the Infantry Battalion 
     Commander requested immediate, emergency extraction of the 
     remaining 40 troops, including four members of Major Kettles' 
     unit who were stranded when their helicopter was destroyed by 
     enemy fire. With only one flyable UH-1 helicopter remaining, 
     Major Kettles volunteered to return to the deadly landing 
     zone for a third time, leading a flight of six evacuation 
     helicopters, five of which were from the 161st Aviation 
     Company. During the extraction, Major Kettles was informed by 
     the last helicopter that all personnel were onboard, and 
     departed the landing zone accordingly. Army gunships 
     supporting the evacuation also departed the area. Once 
     airborne, Major Kettles was advised that eight troops had 
     been unable to reach the evacuation helicopters due to the 
     intense enemy fire. With complete disregard for his own 
     safety, Major Kettles passed the lead to another helicopter 
     and returned to the landing zone to rescue the remaining 
     troops. Without gunship, artillery, or tactical aircraft 
     support, the enemy concentrated all firepower on his lone 
     aircraft, which was immediately damaged by a mortar round 
     that shattered both front windshields and the chin bubble and 
     was further raked by small arms and machine gun fire. Despite 
     the intense enemy fire, Major Kettles maintained control of 
     the aircraft and situation, allowing time for the remaining 
     eight soldiers to board the aircraft. In spite of the severe 
     damage to his helicopter, Major Kettles once more skillfully 
     guided his heavily damaged aircraft to safety. Without his 
     courageous actions and superior flying skills, the last group 
     of soldiers and his crew would never have made it off the 
     battlefield. Major Kettles' selfless acts of repeated valor 
     and determination are in keeping with the highest traditions 
     of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and 
     the United States Army.''.
       (b) Designation.--The medical center of the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs in Ann Arbor, Michigan, shall after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act be known and designated as the 
     ``Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Kettles Department of 
     Veterans Affairs Medical Center'' or the ``Lieutenant Colonel 
     Charles S. Kettles VA Medical Center''.
       (c) 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 (b) shall be 
     considered to be a reference to the Lieutenant Colonel 
     Charles S. Kettles Department of Veterans Affairs Medical 
     Center.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, was read 
the third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the 
table.

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