SE Georgia News

The House passed a bill introduced by Rep. Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (R-GA), supported by Georgia's Congressional Delegation, aiming to rename Hinesville's VA Clinic as the "John Gibson, Dan James, William Sapp, and Frankie Smiley VA Clinic," recognizing four local Vietnam War heroes through community-led efforts. The legislation, H.R. 593, honors these veterans’ sacrifices and aligns with a strong community push for their deserving recognition. The renaming act is anticipated to reinforce the spirit of appreciation and respect towards the soldiers who laid down their lives for the country.

In a detailed account of his perspective,in to a speech given on the House Floor by Carter, he stated: "You heard the bios that Chairman Bost just read of these young men, all in their twenties, all of them with their life ahead of them, all of them gave the ultimate sacrifice. Think of what they could have experienced in their life - children, graduations, family memories – but they gave their lives. All four of them gave their lives so that we can enjoy the freedoms that we enjoy in this country. I sat through that meeting that day, and I listened to the families. I listened to the friends tell the stories of their loved ones. I was convinced this needs to happen."

Moving forward with individual war narratives,according to a press release by Carter's office, John Gibson, a US Marine Corps Private First Class, arrived in Vietnam in 1967 and tragically fell victim to small arms fire during the Tet Offensive at the age of twenty-one. Dan James, drafted into the US Army and stationed with the 25th Infantry Division in Vietnam, lost his life to small arms fire at age twenty. William Sapp, serving in the US Army's 4th Infantry Division in Vietnam, succumbed to multiple fragmentation wounds at twenty-five. Frankie Lee Smiley, a US Marine Corps Lance Corporal, met his end from small arms fire while in Vietnam at the age of twenty-four.

Shifting our focus towards the clinic’s current operations,according to VA.gov, the Hinesville VA Clinic offers health services, including primary care, mental health support, PTSD treatment, radiology, and women’s care.

In terms of legislative progression,according to the Coastal Courier, once HR 593 passes through the Senate and gains approval, it will move to President Biden's desk for signing which if occurs will officially rename the clinic to John Gibson, Dan James, William Sapp and Frankie Smiley VA Clinic.

Focusing on broader organizational context,according to the Coastal Courier,the Hinesville VA Outpatient Clinic is part of Ralph Johnson Healthcare System within Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston,S.C.