S. 475: A bill to designate the clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Gallup, New Mexico, as the Hiroshi “Hershey” Miyamura VA Clinic.

118TH CONGRESS
   1ST SESSION
                      S. 475

                     AN ACT
To designate the clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs
    in Gallup, New Mexico, as the Hiroshi ‘‘Hershey’’
    Miyamura VA Clinic.

 1      Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
 2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
                                     2
1    SECTION        1.    DESIGNATION    OF   HIROSHI   ‘‘HERSHEY’’

2                        MIYAMURA DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-

3                        FAIRS CLINIC.

 4       (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following:
 5                 (1) Hiroshi ‘‘Hershey’’ Miyamura was born on
 6       October 6, 1925, in Gallup, New Mexico.
 7                 (2) A second generation Japanese American,
 8       Hershey Miyamura first served in the United States
 9       Army near the end of World War II.
10                 (3) Hershey Miyamura served in the Army at
11       a time when many of his fellow Japanese Americans,
12       and that includes his future wife, were detained in
13       internment camps in the United States.
14                 (4) Hershey Miyamura served in the storied
15       442nd Infantry Regiment, which was composed of
16       soldiers with Japanese ancestry and became one of
17       the most decorated units in the history of the United
18       States military.
19                 (5) Following the start of the Korean War in
20       1950, the Army recalled Hershey Miyamura, who
21       had remained as a member of the reserve compo-
22       nents of the Army, back into active duty.
23                 (6) During an overnight firefight from April 24
24       to April 25, 1951, then-Corporal Miyamura covered
25       the withdrawal of his entire company from advanc-
26       ing enemy forces as a machine gun squad leader.
      † S 475 ES
                                    3
 1                 (7) The selfless actions by Hershey Miyamura
 2       that night allowed all 16 of his men to withdraw
 3       safely before he was severely wounded and captured
 4       as a prisoner of war.
 5                 (8) Nearly 21⁄2 years later, following his release
 6       and return to the United States, President Eisen-
 7       hower presented Hershey Miyamura with the Con-
 8       gressional Medal of Honor in a ceremony at the
 9       White House.
10                 (9)   The   lifelong   dedication   of   Hershey
11       Miyamura to the United States never ceased. It con-
12       tinued long after his decorated military service
13       ended.
14                 (10) After he received his honorable discharge
15       from the Army, Hershey Miyamura opened a service
16       station along Route 66 in his hometown of Gallup,
17       New Mexico.
18                 (11) Hershey Miyamura remained active in his
19       community until his dying days, advocating for his
20       fellow veterans and inspiring young people with lec-
21       tures on patriotism, faith, and service.
22       (b) DESIGNATION.—The clinic of the Department of
23 Veterans Affairs located at 2075 South NM Highway 602,
24 Gallup, New Mexico, shall after the date of the enactment
25 of this Act be known and designated as the ‘‘Hiroshi ‘Her-


      † S 475 ES
                             4
1 shey’ Miyamura Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic’’
2 or the ‘‘Hiroshi ‘Hershey’ Miyamura VA Clinic’’.
3       (c) REFERENCES.—Any reference in any law, regula-
4 tion, map, document, paper, or other record of the United
5 States to the clinic referred to in subsection (b) shall be
6 considered to be a reference to the ‘‘Hiroshi ‘Hershey’
7 Miyamura VA Clinic’’.
        Passed the Senate July 13, 2023.
        Attest:




                                                Secretary.




     † S 475 ES
118TH CONGRESS
   1ST SESSION     S. 475
               AN ACT
To designate the clinic of the Department of Vet-
  erans Affairs in Gallup, New Mexico, as the
  Hiroshi ‘‘Hershey’’ Miyamura VA Clinic.

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