IC 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3492 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 2, 2016 

Referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

AN ACT 

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, 

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S 3492 RFH 

1 SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF COLONEL DEMAS T. CRAW VA 

2 CLINIC IN TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN. 

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

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

5 in Long Lake Township, Michigan. 

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

7 Demas T. Craw enlisted in the United States Army 

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

9 trained with the 12th Cavalry at Camp Stanley, 

10 Texas. 

11 (3) Colonel Craw achieved the position of senior 

12 pilot and was awarded— 

13 (A) the Medal of Honor for action in 

14 North Africa; 

15 (B) the World War I Victory Medal; 

16 (C) the World War II Victory Medal; 

17 (D) the European-African-Middle Eastern 

18 Campaign Medal; 

19 (E) the Mexican Service Medal; 

20 (F) the American Defense Service Medal; 

21 (G) the Purple Heart; 

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

23 (I) the Observer Badge. 

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

25 Honor said, ‘‘For conspicuous gallantry and intre26 pidity in action above and beyond the call of duty. 

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

2 Morocco, Col. Craw volunteered to accompany the 

3 leading wave of assault boats to the shore and pass 

4 through the enemy lines to locate the French com5 mander with a view to suspending hostilities. This 

6 request was first refused as being too dangerous but 

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

8 undertake and accomplish the mission he was al9 lowed to go. Encountering heavy fire while in the 

10 landing boat and unable to dock in the river because 

11 of shell fire from shore batteries, Col. Craw, accom12 panied by 1 officer and 1 soldier, succeeded in land13 ing on the beach at Mehdia Plage under constant 

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

15 bantam truck toward French headquarters, progress 

16 of the party was hindered by fire from our own 

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

18 instantly killed by a sustained burst of machinegun 

19 fire at pointblank range from a concealed position 

20 near the road.’’. 

21 (5) Colonel Craw was killed in action on No22 vember 8, 1942, while attempting to deliver a mes23 sage to broker a cease fire with France. 

24 (b) DESIGNATION.—The Traverse City VA Commu25 nity-Based Outpatient Clinic of the Department of Vetmstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS

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S 3492 RFH 

1 erans Affairs in Traverse City, Michigan, shall after the 

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

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

4 (c) REFERENCE.—Any reference in any law, regula5 tion, map, document, paper, or other record of the United 

6 States to the community-based outpatient clinic referred 

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

8 to the Colonel Demas T. Craw VA Clinic. 

Passed the Senate December 1, 2016. 

Attest: JULIE E. ADAMS, 

Secretary. 

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