Warner, Kaine Legislation to Rename Lynchburg Veterans Affairs Clinic After Local WWII Hero Passes House, Heads to President

WASHINGTON - Legislation introduced by U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) to rename the Lynchburg VA Clinic after Private First Class Desmond T. Doss, a highly revered Medal of Honor recipient from Lynchburg who saved dozens of lives in World War II, passed the U.S. House of Representatives today in a voice vote and is now headed to the president's desk for signature.

"Private First Class Desmond Doss was a true American hero. Renaming the Lynchburg VA Clinic after him is a fitting tribute to a man who demonstrated unwavering commitment to his fellow soldiers and to his country," said the senators. "We are proud to see this legislation head to the president's desk to be signed into law so that future generations of Virginians can be reminded of and inspired by Desmond Doss' bravery and service."

Born in Lynchburg, Virginia, Private First Class Doss was inducted into the Army in April of 1942 following the attack on Pearl Harbor. As a Seventh-Day Adventist, Private First Class Doss could have tried to refuse enlistment on grounds of being a conscientious objector. Instead, he enlisted as a self-described "conscientious cooperator," going on to pursue medical roles in the Army.

While serving with his platoon in 1944 in Guam and the Philippines, he was awarded two Bronze Star Medals for exceptional valor in aiding wounded soldiers under fire. Later on, during the Battle of Okinawa, he saved the lives of 75 wounded infantrymen atop the area known by the 96th Division as the Maeda Escarpment or Hacksaw Ridge - an act of heroism that earned him a Medal of Honor, awarded by President Harry Truman. Private First Class Doss was wounded four times in Okinawa, and was evacuated on May 21, 1945, aboard the USS Mercy and was brought to Hawaii.

The legislation to rename the local VA clinic previously passed the Senate in August with the support of a number of veterans organizations and groups, including: the Lynchburg Area Veterans Council Inc.; Salem VA Medical Center; American Legion Post 16; Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 196; Military Order of the Purple Heart, Chapter 1607; Marine Corps League Detachment 759; Military Order of the World Wars, Piedmont Chapter; Veterans of Foreign Wars, Desmond T. Doss Post 12179; the National Center for Healthy Veterans, Valor Farm; and Monument Terrace Troop Rally. The legislation was sponsored in the House by U.S. Rep. Bob Good (R-VA).

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