[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4533 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]
H.R.4533
One Hundred Fifteenth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE SECOND SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday,
the third day of January, two thousand and eighteen
An Act
To designate the health care system of the Department of Veterans
Affairs in Lexington, Kentucky, as the ``Lexington VA Health Care
System'' and to make certain other designations.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1)(A) Private First Class Franklin Runyon Sousley was born on
September 19, 1925, in Hilltop, Kentucky. Sousley served as a
marine in the United States Marine Corps during the period
beginning on January 5, 1944, and ending March 21, 1945. Sousley
graduated from Fleming County High School in May 1943 and chose to
enlist in the United States Marine Corps. Upon completion of
military basic training, he was assigned to Company E, 2d
Battalion, 28th Marines, of the 5th Marines Division at Camp
Pendleton, California, as an automatic rifleman.
(B) Private Sousley was promoted to a private first class on
November 22, 1944. Pfc. Sousley landed on Iwo Jima on Friday,
February 19, 1945, and actively fought in the battle for the
islands. During the intense fighting, members of the United States
Armed Forces secured Mount Suribachi and hoisted a United States
flag on top of the summit on February 23, 1945. On February 23,
1945, Pfc. Sousley, alongside Corporal Harlon Block, HM John
Bradley, Pfc. Rene Gagnon, Pfc. Ira Hayes, and Sergeant Michael
Strank followed orders to raise a larger United States flag so it
could be seen over the island. The iconic photograph taken of the
six men, while they raised the United States flag attached to a
heavy Japanese pipe has led to an immortalized symbol of American
bravery, perseverance, and sacrifice endured by members of the
United States Armed Forces during the intense battles of World War
II. Pfc. Sousley was killed in combat by a Japanese sniper around
Kitano Point on March 21, 1945.
(C) Originally buried in the 5th Marine Division Cemetery at
Iwo Jima in plot 9, row 8, grave 2189, on March 22, 1945, his
remains were returned to the United States on May 8, 1947, where he
was finally laid to rest at Elizaville Cemetery in Fleming County,
Kentucky. Pfc. Sousley was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart,
the Combat Action Ribbon, the Presidential Unit Citation with \5/
16\" Silver Star, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific
Campaign Medal with \3/16\" Bronze Star, and the World War II
Victory Medal.
(2)(A) Mr. Troy Bowling was born on July 2, 1926, in Hamilton,
Ohio and completed his life's service on June, 17, 2017, at the age
of 90 years old. At age 17, Mr. Bowling began his service as a
United States Marine and was a proud member of the Easy Company,
2nd Battalion, 27th Marines, 5th Division. During the United States
campaign to end the war against Japan, Mr. Bowling's unit was among
the first to arrive on the beachheads of Iwo Jima.
(B) While attempting to secure Mt. Suribachi, his unit came
under intense and concentrated fire, completely overwhelming his
unit. Two projectiles struck Mr. Bowling in the chest and leg,
leaving him critically wounded on the battlefield. At that moment,
Mr. Bowling said he looked to the heavens and committed to serving
mankind for the rest of his life if he survived.
(C) Miraculously, a combat photographer and medical team then
carried Mr. Bowling to the safety of a landing craft where he
witnessed the planting of the American flag atop Mt. Suribachi--an
iconic image that persists as one of the most legendary and
triumphant moments of the war. The United States Marines eventually
took control of the island; however, this victory came at a heavy
cost as more than 6,800 United States service members gave their
lives during the battle of Iwo Jima.
(D) In keeping faith with his commitment to God made during
that battle, Mr. Bowling devoted more than 78,000 hours of
volunteer service to others at the Lexington VA Medical Center. For
more than 66 years, Mr. Bowling has risen through the ranks within
the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) organization, holding nearly
every position possible, including State Commander. Mr. Bowling
received the George H. Seal Award for outstanding volunteer, which
he received at the 2005 National DAV Convention in Las Vegas and
the Lifetime Service Achievement Award from the Department of
Veteran Affairs. Mr. Bowling was also nominated and selected to be
inducted in the Kentucky Veterans Hall of Fame for his lifetime of
service to veterans.
SEC. 2. LEXINGTON VA HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
(a) Designation.--The health care system of the Department of
Veterans Affairs in Lexington, Kentucky, shall after the date of the
enactment of this Act be known and designated as the ``Lexington VA
Health Care System''.
(b) References.--Any reference in any law, regulation, map,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the health
care system referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a
reference to the ``Lexington VA Health Care System''.
SEC. 3. TROY BOWLING CAMPUS.
(a) Designation.--The health care facility of the Department of
Veterans Affairs located at 1101 Veterans Drive in Lexington, Kentucky,
shall after the date of the enactment of this Act be known and
designated as the ``Troy Bowling Campus''.
(b) References.--Any reference in any law, regulation, map,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the health
care facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a
reference to the ``Troy Bowling Campus''.
SEC. 4. FRANKLIN R. SOUSLEY CAMPUS.
(a) Designation.--The health care facility of the Department of
Veterans Affairs located at 2250 Leestown Road in Lexington, Kentucky,
shall after the date of the enactment of this Act be known and
designated as the ``Franklin R. Sousley Campus''.
(b) References.--Any reference in any law, regulation, map,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the health
care facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a
reference to the ``Franklin R. Sousley Campus''.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.