#aae? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4 ,r4
 #decc  ,,an ,,act  ,to designate !     
heal? c>e sy/em ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans
 ,affairs 9 ,lex+ton1 ,k5tucky1 z !     
,lex+ton ,,va ,heal? ,c>e ,sy/em & to   
make c]ta9 o!r designations4  #a4 ,f9d+s
 ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3 7#a7 7,a7     
,private ,fir/ ,class ,frankl9 ,runyon  
,s\sley 0 born on ,septemb] #ai1 #aibe1 
9 ,hilltop1 ,k5tucky4 ,s\sley s]v$ z a  
m>9e 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,m>9e ,corps dur+
 ! p]iod beg9n+ on ,janu>y #e1 #aidd1 & 
end+ ,m>* #ba1 #aide4 ,s\sley graduat$ f
 ,flem+ ,c\nty ,high ,s*ool 9 ,may #aidc
 & *ose to enli/ 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,m>9e
 ,corps4 ,^u completion ( milit>y basic 
tra9+1 he 0 assign$ to ,company ,e1 #b;d
 ,battalion1 #bh? ,m>9es1 ( ! #e? ,m>9es
 ,division at ,camp ,p5dleton1          
,cali=nia1 z an automatic rifleman4     
7,b7 ,private ,s\sley 0 promot$ to a    
private fir/ class on ,novemb] #bb1     
#aidd4 ,pfc4 ,s\sley l&$ on ,iwo ,jima  
on ,friday1 ,febru>y #ai1 #aide1 &      
actively f\ght 9 ! battle = ! isl&s4    

,dur+ ! int5se fight+1 memb]s ( ! ,unit$
 ,/ates ,arm$ ,=ces secur$ ,m\nt        
,suriba*i & hoi/$ a ,unit$ ,/ates flag  
on top ( ! summit on ,febru>y #bc1      
#aide4 ,on ,febru>y #bc1 #aide1 ,pfc4   
,s\sley1 alongside ,corporal ,h>lon     
,block1 ,,hm ,john ,bradley1 ,pfc4 ,r5e 
,gagnon1 ,pfc4 ,ira ,hayes1 & ,s]geant  
,mi*ael ,/rank foll[$ ord]s to raise a  
l>g] ,unit$ ,/ates flag s x c\ld be se5 
ov] ! isl&4 ,! iconic photograph tak5 ( 
! six m51 :ile !y rais$ ! ,unit$ ,/ates 
flag atta*$ to a heavy ,japanese pipe   
has l$ to an immortaliz$ symbol (       
,am]ican brav]y1 p]sev]ance1 & sacrifice
 endur$ by memb]s ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates     
,arm$ ,=ces dur+ ! int5se battles ( ,_w 
,w> ,,ii4 ,pfc4 ,s\sley 0 kill$ 9 combat
 by a ,japanese snip] ar\nd ,kitano     
,po9t on ,m>* #ba1 #aide4  7,c7         
,orig9ally buri$ 9 ! #e? ,m>9e ,division
 ,cemet]y at ,iwo ,jima 9 plot #i1 r[   
#h1 grave #bahi1 on ,m>* #bb1 #aide1 8  
rema9s 7 return$ to ! ,unit$ ,/ates on  
,may #h1 #aidg1 :]e he 0 f9ally laid to 

re/ at ,elizaville ,cemet]y 9 ,flem+    
,c\nty1 ,k5tucky4 ,pfc4 ,s\sley 0       
po/hum\sly aw>d$ ! ,purple ,he>t1 !     
,combat ,action ,ribbon1 ! ,presid5tial 
,unit ,citation ) #e_/af ,silv] ,/>1 !  
,am]ican ,campaign ,m$al1 !             
,asiatic-,pacific ,campaign ,m$al )     
#c_/af ,bronze ,/>1 & ! ,_w ,w> ,,ii    
,victory ,m$al4  7#b7  7,a7 ,mr4 ,troy  
,b[l+ 0 born on ,july #b1 #aibf1 9      
,hamilton1 ,ohio & complet$ 8 life's    
s]vice on ,june1 #ag1 #bjag1 at ! age ( 
#ij ye>s old4 ,at age #ag1 ,mr4 ,b[l+   
began 8 s]vice z a ,unit$ ,/ates ,m>9e &
 0 a pr\d memb] ( ! ,easy ,company1 #bnd
 ,battalion1 #bg? ,m>9es1 #e? ,division4
 ,dur+ ! ,unit$ ,/ates campaign to end !
 w> aga9/ ,japan1 ,mr4 ,b[l+'s unit 0   
among ! fir/ to arrive on ! bea*heads ( 
,iwo ,jima4  7,b7 ,:ile attempt+ to     
secure ,mt4 ,suriba*i1 8 unit came "u   
int5se & conc5trat$ fire1 completely    
ov]:elm+ 8 unit4 ,two projectiles /ruck 
,mr4 ,b[l+ 9 ! *e/ & leg1 leav+ him     
critically w\nd$ on ! battlefield4 ,at t

 mom5t1 ,mr4 ,b[l+ said he look$ to !   
heav5s & committ$ to s]v+ mank9d = ! re/
 ( 8 life if he surviv$4  7,c7          
,miracul\sly1 a combat photograph] &    
m$ical team !n c>ri$ ,mr4 ,b[l+ to !    
safety ( a l&+ craft :]e he witness$ !  
plant+ ( ! ,am]ican flag atop ,mt4      
,suriba*i--an iconic image t p]si/s z "o
 ( ! mo/ leg5d>y & triumphant mom5ts ( !
 w>4 ,! ,unit$ ,/ates ,m>9es ev5tually  
took control ( ! isl&2 h[ev]1 ?is       
victory came at a heavy co/ z m ?an     
#f1hjj ,unit$ ,/ates s]vice memb]s gave 
_! lives dur+ ! battle ( ,iwo ,jima4    
7,d7 ,9 keep+ fai? ) 8 commitm5t to ,god
 made dur+ t battle1 ,mr4 ,b[l+ devot$ m
 ?an #gh1jjj h\rs ( volunte] s]vice to  
o!rs at ! ,lex+ton ,,va ,m$ical ,c5t]4  
,= m ?an #ff ye>s1 ,mr4 ,b[l+ has ris5  
?r\gh ! ranks )9 ! ,disabl$ ,am]ican    
,vet]ans 7,,dav7 organization1 hold+    
ne>ly e position possible1 includ+ ,/ate
 ,comm&]4 ,mr4 ,b[l+ receiv$ ! ,george  
,h4 ,seal ,aw>d = out/&+ volunte]1 :i*  
he receiv$ at ! #bjje ,national ,,dav   

,conv5tion 9 ,las ,vegas & ! ,lifetime  
,s]vice ,a*ievem5t ,aw>d f ! ,dep>tm5t (
 ,vet]an ,affairs4 ,mr4 ,b[l+ 0 also    
nom9at$ & select$ to be induct$ 9 !     
,k5tucky ,vet]ans ,hall ( ,fame = 8     
lifetime ( s]vice to vet]ans4  #b4      
,lex+ton ,,va ,heal? ,c>e ,sy/em  7a7   
,designation ,! heal? c>e sy/em ( !     
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs 9         
,lex+ton1 ,k5tucky1 %all aft] ! date ( !
 enactm5t ( ?is ,act be kn[n & designat$
 z ! ,lex+ton ,,va ,heal? ,c>e ,sy/em4  
7b7 ,ref]5ces ,any ref]5ce 9 any law1   
regulation1 map1 docum5t1 pap]1 or o!r  
record ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates to ! heal? c>e 
sy/em ref]r$ to 9 subsection 7a7 %all be
 deem$ to be a ref]5ce to ! ,lex+ton    
,,va ,heal? ,c>e ,sy/em4  #c4 ,troy     
,b[l+ ,campus  7a7 ,designation ,! heal?
 c>e facility ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans  
,affairs locat$ at #aaja ,vet]ans ,drive
 9 ,lex+ton1 ,k5tucky1 %all aft] ! date 
( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act be kn[n &       
designat$ z ! ,troy ,b[l+ ,campus4  7b7 
,ref]5ces ,any ref]5ce 9 any law1       

regulation1 map1 docum5t1 pap]1 or o!r  
record ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates to ! heal? c>e 
facility ref]r$ to 9 subsection 7a7 %all
 be deem$ to be a ref]5ce to ! ,troy    
,b[l+ ,campus4  #d4 ,frankl9 ,r4 ,s\sley
 ,campus  7a7 ,designation ,! heal? c>e 
facility ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans       
,affairs locat$ at #bbej ,lee/[n ,road 9
 ,lex+ton1 ,k5tucky1 %all aft] ! date ( 
! enactm5t ( ?is ,act be kn[n &         
designat$ z ! ,frankl9 ,r4 ,s\sley      
,campus4  7b7 ,ref]5ces ,any ref]5ce 9  
any law1 regulation1 map1 docum5t1 pap]1
 or o!r record ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates to !   
heal? c>e facility ref]r$ to 9          
subsection 7a7 %all be deem$ to be a    
ref]5ce to ! ,frankl9 ,r4 ,s\sley       
,campus4  ,pass$ ! ,h\se (              
,repres5tatives ,febru>y #ac1           
#bjah4;,cl]k4