[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1815 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1815
To designate the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salt
Lake City, Utah.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 4, 2003
Mr. Bennett (for himself and Mr. Hatch) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To designate the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salt
Lake City, Utah.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL
CENTER, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.
(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
(1) On October 5, 1945, President Harry Truman presented
George E. Wahlen with the Medal of Honor for his efforts as a
medical corpsman on behalf of his comrades at the battle of Iwo
Jima.
(2) In a 26-day period, George E. Wahlen was seriously
wounded 3 times. However, he continued to risk his life to
provide aid to wounded members of his company.
(3) The official citation presented by President Truman
reads: ``For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk
of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving
with the 2d Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division,
during action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima in the
Volcano group on 3 March 1945. Painfully wounded in the bitter
action on 26 February, Wahlen remained on the battlefield,
advancing well forward of the frontlines to aid a wounded
marine and carrying him back to safety despite a terrific
concentration of fire. Tireless in his ministrations, he
consistently disregarded all danger to attend his fighting
comrades as they fell under the devastating rain of shrapnel
and bullets, and rendered prompt assistance to various elements
of his combat group as required. When an adjacent platoon
suffered heavy casualties, he defied the continuous pounding of
heavy mortars and deadly fire of enemy rifles to care for the
wounded, working rapidly in an area swept by constant fire and
treating 14 casualties before returning to his own platoon.
Wounded again on 2 March, he gallantly refused evacuation,
moving out with his company the following day in a furious
assault across 600 yards of open terrain and repeatedly
rendering medical aid while exposed to the blasting fury of
powerful Japanese guns. Stouthearted and indomitable, he
persevered in his determined efforts as his unit waged fierce
battle and, unable to walk after sustaining a third agonizing
wound, resolutely crawled 50 yards to administer first aid to
still another fallen fighter. By his dauntless fortitude and
valor, Wahlen served as a constant inspiration and contributed
vitally to the high morale of his company during critical
phases of this strategically important engagement. His heroic
spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of overwhelming enemy fire
upheld the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.''
(4) George E. Wahlen is currently the only living recipient
of the Medal of Honor in Utah. Born on August 8, 1924, in
Ogden, Utah, George E. Wahlen served his country in three wars.
He continues to serve as a voice on behalf of the veterans of
Utah.
(b) Designation of Medical Center.--The Department of Veterans
Affairs Medical Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, shall after the date of
the enactment of this Act be known and designated as the ``George E.
Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center''. Any reference
to such facility in any law, regulation, map, document, record, or
other paper of the United States shall be considered to be a reference
to the George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
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