IIB 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7347 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
SEPTEMBER 24, 2020 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
AN ACT 
To designate the medical center of the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs in Ann Arbor, Michigan, as the ‘‘Lieuten-
ant Colonel Charles S. Kettles Department of Veterans 
Affairs Medical Center’’. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL 
CHARLES S. KETTLES DEPARTMENT OF VET-
ERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Kettles was 
born in Ypsilanti, Michigan, on January 9, 1930. 
(2) Lieutenant Colonel Kettles was drafted to 
the Army at age 21, and after attending Officer 
Candidate School, earned his commission as an 
armor officer in the United States Army Reserve on 
February 28, 1953. 
(3) Lieutenant Colonel Kettles graduated from 
the Army Aviation School in 1953 before serving ac-
tive duty tours in South Korea, Japan, and Thai-
land. 
(4) Lieutenant Colonel Kettles volunteered for 
active duty in 1963 when the United States was en-
gaged in the Vietnam War. 
(5) Some of the awards and decorations earned 
by Lieutenant Colonel Kettles include the following: 
(A) The Medal of Honor. 
(B) The Distinguished Service Cross. 
(C) The Legion of Merit. 
(D) The Distinguished Flying Cross. 
(E) The Bronze Star Medal with one oak 
leaf cluster. 
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(F) The Air Medal with numeral 27. 
(G) The Korean Service Medal. 
(H) The Vietnam Service Medal with one 
silver service star and one bronze service star. 
(I) The Master Aviator Badge. 
(6) The Medal of Honor citation for Lieutenant 
Colonel Kettles states, ‘‘Major Charles S. Kettles 
distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and 
intrepidity while serving as Flight Commander, 
176th Aviation Company (Airmobile) (Light), 14th 
Combat Aviation Battalion, Americal Division near 
Duc Pho, Republic of Vietnam. On 15 May 1967, 
Major Kettles, upon learning that an airborne infan-
try unit had suffered casualties during an intense 
firefight with the enemy, immediately volunteered to 
lead a flight of six UH–1D helicopters to carry rein-
forcements to the embattled force and to evacuate 
wounded personnel. Enemy small arms, automatic 
weapons, and mortar fire raked the landing zone, in-
flicting heavy damage to the helicopters; however, 
Major Kettles refused to depart until all helicopters 
were loaded to capacity. He then returned to the 
battlefield, with full knowledge of the intense enemy 
fire awaiting his arrival, to bring more reinforce-
ments, landing in the midst of enemy mortar and 
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automatic weapons fire that seriously wounded his 
gunner and severely damaged his aircraft. Upon de-
parting, Major Kettles was advised by another heli-
copter crew that he had fuel streaming out of his 
aircraft. Despite the risk posed by the leaking fuel, 
he nursed the damaged aircraft back to base. Later 
that day, the Infantry Battalion Commander re-
quested immediate, emergency extraction of the re-
maining 40 troops, including four members of Major 
Kettles’ unit who were stranded when their heli-
copter was destroyed by enemy fire. With only one 
flyable UH–1 helicopter remaining, Major Kettles 
volunteered to return to the deadly landing zone for 
a third time, leading a flight of six evacuation heli-
copters, five of which were from the 161st Aviation 
Company. During the extraction, Major Kettles was 
informed by the last helicopter that all personnel 
were onboard, and departed the landing zone accord-
ingly. Army gunships supporting the evacuation also 
departed the area. Once airborne, Major Kettles was 
advised that eight troops had been unable to reach 
the evacuation helicopters due to the intense enemy 
fire. With complete disregard for his own safety, 
Major Kettles passed the lead to another helicopter 
and returned to the landing zone to rescue the re-
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maining troops. Without gunship, artillery, or tac-
tical aircraft support, the enemy concentrated all 
firepower on his lone aircraft, which was imme-
diately damaged by a mortar round that shattered 
both front windshields and the chin bubble and was 
further raked by small arms and machine gun fire. 
Despite the intense enemy fire, Major Kettles main-
tained control of the aircraft and situation, allowing 
time for the remaining eight soldiers to board the 
aircraft. In spite of the severe damage to his heli-
copter, Major Kettles once more skillfully guided his 
heavily damaged aircraft to safety. Without his cou-
rageous actions and superior flying skills, the last 
group of soldiers and his crew would never have 
made it off the battlefield. Major Kettles’ selfless 
acts of repeated valor and determination are in 
keeping with the highest traditions of military serv-
ice and reflect great credit upon himself and the 
United States Army.’’. 
(b) DESIGNATION.—The medical center of the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs in Ann Arbor, Michigan, 
shall after the date of the enactment of this Act be known 
and designated as the ‘‘Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Ket-
tles Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center’’ or 
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the ‘‘Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Kettles VA Medical 
Center’’. 
(c) REFERENCE.—Any reference in any law, regula-
tion, map, document, paper, or other record of the United 
States to the medical center referred to in subsection (b) 
shall be considered to be a reference to the Lieutenant 
Colonel Charles S. Kettles Department of Veterans Affairs 
Medical Center. 
Passed the House of Representatives September 23, 
2020. 
Attest: 
CHERYL L. JOHNSON, 
Clerk. 
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