II 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 475 

To designate the clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Gallup, 

New Mexico, as the Hiroshi ‘‘Hershey’’ Miyamura VA Clinic. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 16, 2023 

Mr. HEINRICH (for himself and Mr. LUJA ́N) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

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 Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF HIROSHI ‘‘HERSHEY’’ 

4 MIYAMURA DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF5 FAIRS CLINIC. 

6 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 

7 (1) Hiroshi ‘‘Hershey’’ Miyamura was born on 

8 October 6, 1925, in Gallup, New Mexico. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
2 

•S 475 IS

1 (2) A second generation Japanese American, 

2 Hershey Miyamura first served in the United States 

3 Army near the end of World War II. 

4 (3) Hershey Miyamura served in the Army at 

5 a time when many of his fellow Japanese Americans, 

6 and that includes his future wife, were detained in 

7 internment camps in the United States. 

8 (4) Hershey Miyamura served in the storied 

9 442nd Infantry Regiment, which was composed of 

10 soldiers with Japanese ancestry and became one of 

11 the most decorated units in the history of the United 

12 States military. 

13 (5) Following the start of the Korean War in 

14 1950, the Army recalled Hershey Miyamura, who 

15 had remained as a member of the reserve compo16 nents of the Army, back into active duty. 

17 (6) During an overnight firefight from April 24 

18 to April 25, 1951, then-Corporal Miyamura covered 

19 the withdrawal of his entire company from advanc20 ing enemy forces as a machine gun squad leader. 

21 (7) The selfless actions by Hershey Miyamura 

22 that night allowed all 16 of his men to withdraw 

23 safely before he was severely wounded and captured 

24 as a prisoner of war. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
3 

•S 475 IS

(8) Nearly 21 1 ⁄2 years later, following his release 

2 and return to the United States, President Eisen3 hower presented Hershey Miyamura with the Con4 gressional Medal of Honor in a ceremony at the 

5 White House. 

6 (9) The lifelong dedication of Hershey 

7 Miyamura to the United States never ceased. It con8 tinued long after his decorated military service 

9 ended. 

10 (10) After he received his honorable discharge 

11 from the Army, Hershey Miyamura opened a service 

12 station along Route 66 in his hometown of Gallup, 

13 New Mexico. 

14 (11) Hershey Miyamura remained active in his 

15 community until his dying days, advocating for his 

16 fellow veterans and inspiring young people with lec17 tures on patriotism, faith, and service. 

18 (b) DESIGNATION.—The clinic of the Department of 

19 Veterans Affairs located at 2075 South NM Highway 602, 

20 Gallup, New Mexico, shall after the date of the enactment 

21 of this Act be known and designated as the ‘‘Hiroshi ‘Her22 shey’ Miyamura Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic’’ 

23 or the ‘‘Hiroshi ‘Hershey’ Miyamura VA Clinic’’. 

24 (c) REFERENCES.—Any reference in any law, regula25 tion, map, document, paper, or other record of the United 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
4 

•S 475 IS

1 States to the clinic referred to in subsection (b) shall be 

2 considered to be a reference to the ‘‘Hiroshi ‘Hershey’ 

3 Miyamura VA Clinic’’. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS