Colonel Ola Lee Mize Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic

Floor Speech

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Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation, H.R. 5464, to rename the Guntersville, Alabama, community- based veterans outpatient clinic to the Colonel Ola Lee Mize Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic.

I was proud to introduce this bill in honor of Colonel Ola Lee Mize, a true American hero from Alabama's Fourth Congressional District, which I am honored to represent.

Ola Lee Mize was a native of Alabama's Fourth Congressional District. He was born and raised in Albertville, a town next to Guntersville, where this clinic is located.

In 1954, as it has been stated, Colonel Mize was awarded the Medal of Honor, which is the highest military honor, by President Dwight D. Eisenhower for his heroic actions in saving a wounded soldier and leading a successful military operation in defense of Outpost Harry, as it has been described by my colleagues.

According to reports, on that day, of the 56 Americans involved in the Outpost Harry battle, only 8 survived. Colonel Mize served his country with honor for more than 30 years in the United States Army.

Among his many other accomplishments were numerous additional deployments, including multiple tours in Vietnam as a Green Beret, rising to the rank of colonel and serving as commander of the Special Forces School at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

In addition to the Medal of Honor, Colonel Mize's other military declarations include two Legion of Merits, the Silver Star, five Bronze Stars, and the Purple Heart.

Following his retirement from the Army in 1982, Colonel Mize spent his remaining years in Gadsden, Alabama, in neighboring Etowah County, until he passed away in 2014.

He is survived by his wife, Betty Mize, and a daughter, Teresa Peterson, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Like I said before, Colonel Mize was a true American hero, and the people of Alabama's Fourth Congressional District are proud to call him our own. We will not forget the legacy he left behind, and neither should any American. That is why renaming the veterans clinic in Guntersville will honor Colonel Mize's service and inspire future generations of Alabamians.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues, Chairman Bost and Ranking Member Takano, for their work in bringing this legislation to the floor today.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.

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