I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4533 
To designate the health care system of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
in Lexington, Kentucky, as the ‘‘Lexington VA Health Care System’’ 
and to make certain other designations. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 4, 2017 
Mr. BARR (for himself, Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky, Mr. YARMUTH, Mr. GUTH-
RIE, Mr. MASSIE, and Mr. COMER) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To designate the health care system of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs in Lexington, Kentucky, as the ‘‘Lex-
ington VA Health Care System’’ and to make certain 
other designations. 
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 the following: 
(1)(A) Private First Class Franklin Runyon 
Sousley was born on September 19, 1925, in Hilltop, 
Kentucky. Sousley served as a marine in the United 
States Marine Corps during the period beginning on 
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January 5, 1944, and ending March 21, 1945. 
Sousley graduated from Fleming County High 
School in May 1943 and chose to enlist in the 
United States Marine Corps. Upon completion of 
military basic training, he was assigned to Company 
E, 2d Battalion, 28th Marines, of the 5th Marines 
Division at Camp Pendleton, California, as an auto-
matic rifleman. 
(B) Private Sousley was promoted to a private 
first class on November 22, 1944. Pfc. Sousley land-
ed on Iwo Jima on Friday, February 19, 1945, and 
actively fought in the battle for the islands. During 
the intense fighting, members of the United States 
Armed Forces secured Mount Suribachi and hoisted 
a United States flag on top of the summit on Feb-
ruary 23, 1945. On February 23, 1945, Pfc. 
Sousley, alongside Corporal Harlon Block, HM John 
Bradley, Pfc. Rene Gagnon, Pfc. Ira Hayes, and 
Sergeant Michael Strank followed orders to raise a 
larger United States flag so it could be seen over the 
island. The iconic photograph taken of the 6 men, 
while they raised the United States flag attached to 
a heavy Japanese pipe has led to an immortalized 
symbol of American bravery, perseverance, and sac-
rifice endured by members of the United States 
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Armed Forces during the intense battles of World 
War II. Pfc. Sousley was killed in combat by a Jap-
anese sniper around Kitano Point on March 21, 
1945. 
(C) Originally buried in the 5th Marine Divi-
sion Cemetery at Iwo Jima in plot 9, row 8, grave 
2189, on March 22, 1945, his remains were re-
turned to the United States on May 8, 1947, where 
he was finally laid to rest at Elizaville Cemetery in 
Fleming County, Kentucky. Pfc. Sousley was post-
humously awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat 
Action Ribbon, the Presidential Unit Citation with 
5⁄16″ Silver Star, the American Campaign Medal, the 
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 3⁄16″ Bronze 
Star, and the World War II Victory Medal. 
(2)(A) Mr. Troy E. Bowling was born on July 
2, 1926, in Hamilton, Ohio and completed his life’s 
service on June, 17, 2017, at the age of 90 years 
old. At age 17, Mr. Bowling began his service as a 
United States Marine and was a proud member of 
the Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 27th Marines, 
5th Division. During the United States campaign to 
end the war against Japan, Mr. Bowling’s unit was 
among the first to arrive on the beachheads of Iwo 
Jima. 
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(B) While attempting to secure Mt. Suribachi, 
his unit came under intense and concentrated fire, 
completely overwhelming his unit. Two projectiles 
struck Mr. Bowling in the chest and leg, leaving him 
critically wounded on the battlefield. At that mo-
ment, Mr. Bowling said he looked to the heavens 
and committed to serving mankind for the rest of 
his life if he survived. 
(C) Miraculously, a combat photographer and 
medical team then carried Mr. Bowling to the safety 
of a landing craft where he witnessed the planting 
of the American flag atop Mt. Suribachi—an iconic 
image that persists as one of the most legendary and 
triumphant moments of the war. The United States 
Marines eventually took control of the island; how-
ever, this victory came at a heavy cost as more than 
6,800 United States service members gave their lives 
during the battle of Iwo Jima. 
(D) In keeping faith with his commitment to 
God made during that battle, Mr. Bowling devoted 
more than 78,000 hours of volunteer service to oth-
ers at the Lexington VA Medical Center. For more 
than 66 years, Mr. Bowling has risen through the 
ranks within the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) 
organization, holding nearly every position possible, 
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including State Commander. Mr. Bowling received 
the George H. Seal Award for outstanding volunteer, 
which he received at the 2005 National DAV Con-
vention in Las Vegas and the Lifetime Service 
Achievement Award from the Department of Vet-
eran Affairs. Mr. Bowling was also nominated and 
selected to be inducted in the Kentucky Veterans 
Hall of Fame for his lifetime of service to veterans. 
SEC. 2. LEXINGTON VA HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. 
(a) DESIGNATION.—The health care system of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs in Lexington, Kentucky, 
shall after the date of the enactment of this Act be known 
and designated as the ‘‘Lexington VA Health Care Sys-
tem’’. 
(b) REFERENCES.—Any reference in any law, regula-
tion, map, document, paper, or other record of the United 
States to the health care system referred to in subsection 
(a) shall be deemed to be a reference to the ‘‘Lexington 
VA Health Care System’’. 
SEC. 3. TROY E. BOWLING CAMPUS. 
(a) DESIGNATION.—The health care facility of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs located at 1101 Veterans 
Drive in Lexington, Kentucky, shall after the date of the 
enactment of this Act be known and designated as the 
‘‘Troy E. Bowling Campus’’. 
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(b) REFERENCES.—Any reference in any law, regula-
tion, map, document, paper, or other record of the United 
States to the health care facility referred to in subsection 
(a) shall be deemed to be a reference to the ‘‘Troy E. 
Bowling Campus’’. 
SEC. 4. FRANKLIN R. SOUSLEY CAMPUS. 
(a) DESIGNATION.—The health care facility of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs located at 2250 Leestown 
Road in Lexington, Kentucky, shall after the date of the 
enactment of this Act be known and designated as the 
‘‘Franklin R. Sousley Campus’’. 
(b) REFERENCES.—Any reference in any law, regula-
tion, map, document, paper, or other record of the United 
States to the health care facility referred to in subsection 
(a) shall be deemed to be a reference to the ‘‘Franklin 
R. Sousley Campus’’. 
Æ 
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