[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 144 (Tuesday, September 17, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H5281-H5283]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       COLONEL OLA LEE MIZE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS CLINIC

  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 5464) to name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based 
outpatient clinic in Guntersville, Alabama, as the ``Colonel Ola Lee 
Mize Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5464

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

[[Page H5282]]

  


     SECTION 1. NAME OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMUNITY-
                   BASED OUTPATIENT CLINIC, GUNTERSVILLE, ALABAMA.

       The Department of Veterans Affairs community-based 
     outpatient clinic located at 100 Judy Smith Drive, 
     Guntersville, Alabama, shall after the date of the enactment 
     of this Act be known and designated as the ``Colonel Ola Lee 
     Mize Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic''. Any reference 
     to such clinic in any law, regulation, map, document, paper, 
     or other record of the United States shall be considered to 
     be a reference to the Colonel Ola Lee Mize Department of 
     Veterans Affairs Clinic.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Bost) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on 
H.R. 5464.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5464, a bill to name the 
Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in 
Guntersville, Alabama, as the Colonel Ola Lee Mize Department of 
Veterans Affairs Clinic.
  Ola Mize was born on August 28, 1931, in Albertville, Alabama. 
Although he was initially rejected by the U.S. Army for being 
underweight, after much persistence, he joined the Army in 1950 and was 
assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division.
  When the Korean war broke out, rather than pursuing an education, Ola 
Mize decided to reenlist. On the night of June 10, 1953, Sergeant 
Mize's unit was defending an outpost, Outpost Harry, when they came 
under artillery fire. This fire was shortly followed by an assault by a 
battalion-sized force of Chinese troops, which quickly overran the 
Americans' position.
  Sergeant Mize then took his rifle and began taking defensive action, 
killing around 40 enemy troops.
  When nearly all the officers were casualties, he took the initiative 
to establish a defensive position. Sergeant Mize and his team went from 
bunker to bunker, firing at the enemy, confusing them into thinking 
Americans had a larger defense position than they actually did.
  With all the chaos going on around him, he worked tirelessly to 
assist the wounded and put them into makeshift shelters away from enemy 
fire.
  The next morning, Sergeant Mize led a counterattack, wiping out the 
remaining enemy.
  For his action, Ola Mize was awarded the Medal of Honor by President 
Eisenhower on September 7, 1954. After receiving the Medal of Honor, he 
continued his service, being awarded the Silver Star for Valor and for 
his service in Vietnam.
  Ola Mize retired from the Army as a colonel in 1981.
  Stories of heroes like Colonel Mize should continue to be told to 
generations of Americans.
  By naming the VA clinic in his honor, we will surely do just that. 
Colonel Mize's service to our country and his legacy will always be 
remembered, and I thank the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt), the 
sponsor, as well as the entire Alabama delegation for leading this 
effort.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5464, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 5464, a bill to 
designate the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient 
clinic in Guntersville, Alabama, as the Colonel Ola Lee Mize Department 
of Veterans Affairs Clinic.
  Colonel Mize's story is one of heroism and perseverance. His actions 
saved lives and helped turn the tide of conflict. I am glad to support 
this bill to honor his service.
  Like many servicemembers, Mr. Mize joined the Army seeking to support 
his family. He was the son of Alabama sharecroppers and had to leave 
school in the ninth grade. Despite initially being rejected due to his 
small stature, he persevered and was accepted.
  After a peacetime tour of duty, Mr. Mize reenlisted when the Korean 
war began.
  As a member of the Army's Company K, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd 
Infantry Division, and now a sergeant, Mr. Mize was stationed to defend 
a strategic posting known as Outpost Harry. His actions in this posting 
are nothing short of heroic.
  He bravely answered the call to help a medic rescue an injured 
soldier at a listening post and brought him back to safety.
  Sergeant Mize then fought his way to assist an American machine gun 
nest that had been overrun. On his way, he was blown down three 
separate times by artillery and grenade blasts, but he returned to his 
astounded men alive.
  Sergeant Mize brought down as many as 65 enemy soldiers and helped 
rescue the outpost for the American forces. Of 56 Americans involved in 
the Outpost Harry fighting, only 8 survived, but Sergeant Mize's 
actions helped ensure that number was as high as it was.
  In a testament to his loyalty to his men, Sergeant Mize initially 
refused the Medal of Honor when he was told that he would be honored 
with it, saying it should go to mark their bravery instead.
  When he did finally accept it from President Eisenhower in 1954, he 
accepted it on behalf of his men.
  Despite demonstrating more than enough valor for one lifetime, 
Colonel Mize received a commission with the U.S. Special Forces and 
served four tours of duty, including three in Vietnam with the Army 
Green Berets.
  In addition to his Medal of Honor, throughout his military career, he 
was awarded the Legion of Merit twice, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star 
five times, and the Purple Heart, among others.
  After an assignment to the Special Forces School, he retired as a 
full colonel in 1981.
  As a nation, we must remember Colonel Mize's sense of duty, loyalty 
to his men, and heroism. I can think of no better way to honor him.
  Mr. Speaker, I support this important piece of legislation. I ask 
that my colleagues do the same, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt), the sponsor of 
this bill.
  Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this 
legislation, H.R. 5464, to rename the Guntersville, Alabama, community-
based veterans outpatient clinic to the Colonel Ola Lee Mize Department 
of Veterans Affairs Clinic.
  I was proud to introduce this bill in honor of Colonel Ola Lee Mize, 
a true American hero from Alabama's Fourth Congressional District, 
which I am honored to represent.
  Ola Lee Mize was a native of Alabama's Fourth Congressional District. 
He was born and raised in Albertville, a town next to Guntersville, 
where this clinic is located.
  In 1954, as it has been stated, Colonel Mize was awarded the Medal of 
Honor, which is the highest military honor, by President Dwight D. 
Eisenhower for his heroic actions in saving a wounded soldier and 
leading a successful military operation in defense of Outpost Harry, as 
it has been described by my colleagues.
  According to reports, on that day, of the 56 Americans involved in 
the Outpost Harry battle, only 8 survived. Colonel Mize served his 
country with honor for more than 30 years in the United States Army.
  Among his many other accomplishments were numerous additional 
deployments, including multiple tours in Vietnam as a Green Beret, 
rising to the rank of colonel and serving as commander of the Special 
Forces School at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

                              {time}  1800

  In addition to the Medal of Honor, Colonel Mize's other military 
declarations include two Legion of Merits, the Silver Star, five Bronze 
Stars, and the Purple Heart.
  Following his retirement from the Army in 1982, Colonel Mize spent 
his remaining years in Gadsden, Alabama, in neighboring Etowah County, 
until he passed away in 2014.
  He is survived by his wife, Betty Mize, and a daughter, Teresa 
Peterson, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

[[Page H5283]]

  Like I said before, Colonel Mize was a true American hero, and the 
people of Alabama's Fourth Congressional District are proud to call him 
our own. We will not forget the legacy he left behind, and neither 
should any American. That is why renaming the veterans clinic in 
Guntersville will honor Colonel Mize's service and inspire future 
generations of Alabamians.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues, Chairman Bost and Ranking Member 
Takano, for their work in bringing this legislation to the floor today.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting 
this legislation.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in 
passing H.R. 5464 to designate the Department of Veterans Affairs 
community-based outpatient clinic in Guntersville, Alabama, as the 
Colonel Ola Lee Mize Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of our Members to support this 
legislation, and 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. Bost) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 5464.
  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.

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