,,ii #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #djgj ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,june #be1 #bjbj,mr4 ,peters 7for himself and ,ms4 ,stabenow7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to designate the medical center of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs in ,ann ,arbor1 ,michigan1 as the ,lieutenant ,colonel ,charles ,s4 ,kettles ,department of ,veterans ,affairs ,medical ,center4 #a4 ,designation of ,lieutenant ,colonel ,charles ,s4 ,kettles ,department of ,veterans ,affairs ,medical ,center 7a7 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,lieutenant ,colonel ,charles ,s4 ,kettles was born in ,ypsilanti1 ,michigan1 on ,january #i1 #aicj4 7#b7 ,lieutenant ,colonel ,kettles was drafted to the ,army at age #ba1 and after attending ,officer ,candidate ,school1 earned his commission as an armor officer in the ,united ,states ,army ,reserve on ,february #bh1 #aiec4 7#c7 ,lieutenant ,colonel ,kettles graduated from the ,army ,aviation ,school in #aiec before serving active duty tours in ,south ,korea1 ,japan1 and ,thailand4 7#d7 ,lieutenant ,colonel ,kettles volunteered for active duty in #aifc when the ,united ,states was engaged in the ,vietnam ,war4 7#e7 ,some of the awards and decorations earned by ,lieutenant ,colonel ,kettles include the following3 7,a7 ,the ,medal of ,honor4 7,b7 ,the ,distinguished ,service ,cross4 7,c7 ,the ,legion of ,merit4 7,d7 ,the ,distinguished ,flying ,cross4 7,e7 ,the ,bronze ,star ,medal with one oak leaf cluster4 7,f7 ,the ,air ,medal with numeral #bg4 7,g7 ,the ,korean ,service ,medal4 7,h7 ,the ,vietnam ,service ,medal with one silver service star and one bronze service star4 7,i7 ,the ,master ,aviator ,badge4 7#f7 ,the ,medal of ,honor citation for ,lieutenant ,colonel ,kettles states1 ,major ,charles ,s4 ,kettles distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as ,flight ,commander1 #agfth ,aviation ,company 7,airmobile7 7,light71 #adth ,combat ,aviation ,battalion1 ,americal ,division near ,duc ,pho1 ,republic of ,vietnam4 ,on #ae ,may #aifg1 ,major ,kettles1 upon learning that an airborne infantry unit had suffered casualties during an intense firefight with the enemy1 immediately volunteered to lead a flight of six ,,uh-#a;,d helicopters to carry reinforcements to the embattled force and to evacuate wounded personnel4 ,enemy small arms1 automatic weapons1 and mortar fire raked the landing zone1 inflicting heavy damage to the helicopters2 however1 ,major ,kettles refused to depart until all helicopters were loaded to capacity4 ,he then returned to the battlefield1 with full knowledge of the intense enemy fire awaiting his arrival1 to bring more reinforcements1 landing in the midst of enemy mortar and automatic weapons fire that seriously wounded his gunner and severely damaged his aircraft4 ,upon departing1 ,major ,kettles was advised by another helicopter crew that he had fuel streaming out of his aircraft4 ,despite the risk posed by the leaking fuel1 he nursed the damaged aircraft back to base4 ,later that day1 the ,infantry ,battalion ,commander requested immediate1 emergency extraction of the remaining #dj troops1 including four members of ,major ,kettles' unit who were stranded when their helicopter was destroyed by enemy fire4 ,with only one flyable ,,uh-#a helicopter remaining1 ,major ,kettles volunteered to return to the deadly landing zone for a third time1 leading a flight of six evacuation helicopters1 five of which were from the #afast ,aviation ,company4 ,during the extraction1 ,major ,kettles was informed by the last helicopter that all personnel were onboard1 and departed the landing zone accordingly4 ,army gunships supporting the evacuation also departed the area4 ,once airborne1 ,major ,kettles was advised that eight troops had been unable to reach the evacuation helicopters due to the intense enemy fire4 ,with complete disregard for his own safety1 ,major ,kettles passed the lead to another helicopter and returned to the landing zone to rescue the remaining troops4 ,without gunship1 artillery1 or tactical aircraft support1 the enemy concentrated all firepower on his lone aircraft1 which was immediately damaged by a mortar round that shattered both front windshields and the chin bubble and was further raked by small arms and machine gun fire4 ,despite the intense enemy fire1 ,major ,kettles maintained control of the aircraft and situation1 allowing time for the remaining eight soldiers to board the aircraft4 ,in spite of the severe damage to his helicopter1 ,major ,kettles once more skillfully guided his heavily damaged aircraft to safety4 ,without his courageous actions and superior flying skills1 the last group of soldiers and his crew would never have made it off the battlefield4 ,major ,kettles' selfless acts of repeated valor and determination are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the ,united ,states ,army44 7b7 ,designation ,the medical center of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs in ,ann ,arbor1 ,michigan1 shall after the date of the enactment of this ,act be known and designated as the ,lieutenant ,colonel ,charles ,s4 ,kettles ,department of ,veterans ,affairs ,medical ,center or the ,lieutenant ,colonel ,charles ,s4 ,kettles ,,va ,medical ,center4 7c7 ,reference ,any reference in any law1 regulation1 map1 document1 paper1 or other record of the ,united ,states to the medical center referred to in subsection 7b7 shall be considered to be a reference to the ,lieutenant ,colonel ,charles ,s4 ,kettles ,department of ,veterans ,affairs ,medical ,center4