I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4150 
To designate the Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in Big 
Spring, Texas, as the George H. O’Brien, Jr., Department of Veterans 
Affairs Medical Center. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 19, 2009 
Mr. NEUGEBAUER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To designate the Department of Veterans Affairs medical 
center in Big Spring, Texas, as the George H. O’Brien, 
Jr., 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, 
SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that— 
(1) George H. O’Brien, Jr., was born on Sep-
tember 10, 1926, in Fort Worth, Texas. 
(2) O’Brien served as a seaman in the United 
State Merchant Marine during the period beginning 
in December 1944 and ending in May 1946. 
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(3) While attending college at the Texas Tech-
nological College (now known as ‘‘Texas Tech Uni-
versity’’), O’Brien enlisted in the United States Ma-
rine Corps Reserve in July 1949. 
(4) After graduating from college in 1950, 
O’Brien was ordered to active duty and departed for 
Korea in September 1952. 
(5) Following his discharge from the service, 
O’Brien settled in Big Spring, Texas, to raise his 
family. 
(6) O’Brien often participated in volunteer pro-
grams at the Department of Veterans Affairs med-
ical center in Big Spring, Texas. 
(7) O’Brien was awarded the Medal of Honor, 
the highest honor in the United States awarded for 
valor to members of the Armed Forces, for his ac-
tions during the Battle for the Hook, on October 27, 
1952, in Korea for conspicuous gallantry and intre-
pidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the 
call of duty as a rifle platoon commander of Com-
pany H, 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Divi-
sion (Reinforced). 
(8) Although wounded several times during in-
tense fighting to regain a vitally important hill posi-
tion on the main line of resistance, then-Second 
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Lieutenant O’Brien bravely led his platoon into 
deadly small arms, artillery, and mortar fire against 
a numerically superior force. 
(9) During the battle, O’Brien repeatedly en-
gaged the enemy at close range, killing at least 3 
enemy soldiers, eventually securing the position until 
relieved. 
(10) In addition to being awarded the Medal of 
Honor during his service in Korea, O’Brien received 
2 Purple Heart Medals for wounds received during 
combat, the Korean Service Medal with 2 bronze 
stars, the United Nations Service Medal, and several 
other military honors. 
(11) O’Brien was awarded the Medal of Honor 
personally by President Dwight D. Eisenhower and 
is the only Medal of Honor recipient from Big 
Spring, Texas. 
(12) Upon his release from the United States 
Marine Corps, O’Brien began a career as a petro-
leum geologist in Texas and served on the Marine 
Corps Scholarship Foundation and the Medal of 
Honor Society. 
(13) O’Brien died on March 11, 2005, in Mid-
land, Texas. 
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SEC. 2. GEORGE H. O’BRIEN, JR., DEPARTMENT OF VET-
ERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER. 
(a) DESIGNATION.—The Department of Veterans Af-
fairs medical center located in Big Spring, Texas, shall 
be known and designated as the ‘‘George H. O’Brien, Jr., 
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center’’. 
(b) REFERENCES.—Any reference in a law, map, reg-
ulation, document, paper, or other record of the United 
States to the Department of Veterans Affairs medical cen-
ter referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a 
reference to the ‘‘George H. O’Brien, Jr., Department of 
Veterans Affairs Medical Center’’. 
Æ 
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