II 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3492 

To designate the Traverse City VA Community-Based Outpatient Clinic of 

the Department of Veterans Affairs in Traverse City, Michigan, as the 

‘‘Colonel Demas T. Craw VA Clinic’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 1, 2016 

Mr. PETERS (for himself and Ms. STABENOW) introduced the following bill; 

which was considered, read the third time, and passed 

A BILL 

To designate the Traverse City VA Community-Based Outpatient Clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs 

in Traverse City, Michigan, as the ‘‘Colonel Demas T. 

Craw 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 COLONEL DEMAS T. CRAW VA 

4 CLINIC IN TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN. 

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

6 (1) Demas T. Craw was born on April 9, 1900, 

7 in Long Lake Township, Michigan. 


lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•S 3492 CPS

1 (2) While residing in Traverse City, Michigan, 

2 Demas T. Craw enlisted in the United States Army 

3 at Columbus Barracks, Ohio, on April 18, 1918, and 

4 trained with the 12th Cavalry at Camp Stanley, 

5 Texas. 

6 (3) Colonel Craw achieved the position of senior 

7 pilot and was awarded— 

8 (A) the Medal of Honor for action in 

9 North Africa; 

10 (B) the World War I Victory Medal; 

11 (C) the World War II Victory Medal; 

12 (D) the European-African-Middle Eastern 

13 Campaign Medal; 

14 (E) the Mexican Service Medal; 

15 (F) the American Defense Service Medal; 

16 (G) the Purple Heart; 

17 (H) the Royal Order of George I; and 

18 (I) the Observer Badge. 

19 (4) Colonel Craw’s citation for the Medal of 

20 Honor said, ‘‘For conspicuous gallantry and intre21 pidity in action above and beyond the call of duty. 

22 On November 8, 1942, near Port Lyautey, French 

23 Morocco, Col. Craw volunteered to accompany the 

24 leading wave of assault boats to the shore and pass 

25 through the enemy lines to locate the French comVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:02 Dec 02, 2016 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3492.CPS S3492

lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•S 3492 CPS

1 mander with a view to suspending hostilities. This 

2 request was first refused as being too dangerous but 

3 upon the officer’s insistence that he was qualified to 

4 undertake and accomplish the mission he was al5 lowed to go. Encountering heavy fire while in the 

6 landing boat and unable to dock in the river because 

7 of shell fire from shore batteries, Col. Craw, accom8 panied by 1 officer and 1 soldier, succeeded in land9 ing on the beach at Mehdia Plage under constant 

10 low-level strafing from 3 enemy planes. Riding in a 

11 bantam truck toward French headquarters, progress 

12 of the party was hindered by fire from our own 

13 naval guns. Nearing Port Lyautey, Col. Craw was 

14 instantly killed by a sustained burst of machinegun 

15 fire at pointblank range from a concealed position 

16 near the road.’’. 

17 (5) Colonel Craw was killed in action on No18 vember 8, 1942, while attempting to deliver a mes19 sage to broker a cease fire with France. 

20 (b) DESIGNATION.—The Traverse City VA Commu21 nity-Based Outpatient Clinic of the Department of Vet22 erans Affairs in Traverse City, Michigan, shall after the 

23 date of the enactment of this Act be known and designated 

24 as the ‘‘Colonel Demas T. Craw VA Clinic’’. 


lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•S 3492 CPS

1 (c) REFERENCE.—Any reference in any law, regula2 tion, map, document, paper, or other record of the United 

3 States to the community-based outpatient clinic referred 

4 to in subsection (b) shall be considered to be a reference 

5 to the Colonel Demas T. Craw VA Clinic. 

Æ 


lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS