[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 15574-15575]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    COLONEL DEMAS T. CRAW VA CLINIC

  Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 3492, introduced earlier 
today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 3492) to designate the Traverse City VA 
     Community-Based Outpatient Clinic of the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs in Traverse City, Michigan, as the ``Colonel 
     Demas T. Craw VA Clinic.''

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. SULLIVAN. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third 
time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and 
laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 3492) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, 
was read the third time, and passed, as follows:

                                S. 3492

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

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF COLONEL DEMAS T. CRAW VA CLINIC IN 
                   TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) Demas T. Craw was born on April 9, 1900, in Long Lake 
     Township, Michigan.
       (2) While residing in Traverse City, Michigan, Demas T. 
     Craw enlisted in the United States Army at Columbus Barracks, 
     Ohio, on April 18, 1918, and trained with the 12th Cavalry at 
     Camp Stanley, Texas.
       (3) Colonel Craw achieved the position of senior pilot and 
     was awarded--
       (A) the Medal of Honor for action in North Africa;
       (B) the World War I Victory Medal;
       (C) the World War II Victory Medal;
       (D) the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal;
       (E) the Mexican Service Medal;
       (F) the American Defense Service Medal;
       (G) the Purple Heart;

[[Page 15575]]

       (H) the Royal Order of George I; and
       (I) the Observer Badge.
       (4) Colonel Craw's citation for the Medal of Honor said, 
     ``For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above 
     and beyond the call of duty. On November 8, 1942, near Port 
     Lyautey, French Morocco, Col. Craw volunteered to accompany 
     the leading wave of assault boats to the shore and pass 
     through the enemy lines to locate the French commander with a 
     view to suspending hostilities. This request was first 
     refused as being too dangerous but upon the officer's 
     insistence that he was qualified to undertake and accomplish 
     the mission he was allowed to go. Encountering heavy fire 
     while in the landing boat and unable to dock in the river 
     because of shell fire from shore batteries, Col. Craw, 
     accompanied by 1 officer and 1 soldier, succeeded in landing 
     on the beach at Mehdia Plage under constant low-level 
     strafing from 3 enemy planes. Riding in a bantam truck toward 
     French headquarters, progress of the party was hindered by 
     fire from our own naval guns. Nearing Port Lyautey, Col. Craw 
     was instantly killed by a sustained burst of machinegun fire 
     at pointblank range from a concealed position near the 
     road.''.
       (5) Colonel Craw was killed in action on November 8, 1942, 
     while attempting to deliver a message to broker a cease fire 
     with France.
       (b) Designation.--The Traverse City VA Community-Based 
     Outpatient Clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in 
     Traverse City, Michigan, shall after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act be known and designated as the 
     ``Colonel Demas T. Craw VA Clinic''.
       (c) Reference.--Any reference in any law, regulation, map, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     community-based outpatient clinic referred to in subsection 
     (b) shall be considered to be a reference to the Colonel 
     Demas T. Craw VA Clinic.

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