[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4070 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4070

 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''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 25, 2020

  Mr. Peters (for himself and Ms. Stabenow) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 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''.

    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.
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