Senators work to rename Gallup Veterans Affairs clinic
AVeterans Affairs clinic may be added to a street, park and high school that bear Hiroshi “Hershey” Miyamura’s name.
New Mexico Democratic Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján introduced legislation this past week to rename the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs CommunityBased Outpatient Clinic in Gallup the Hiroshi “Hershey” Miyamura VA Clinic.
A native of Gallup, Miyamura earned the Medal of Honor and other prestigious honors for his service in the Korean War. He also served in World War II in the 442nd Infantry Regiment, which was almost entirely made up of soldiers who were born in the U.S. to Japanese immigrants. Miyamura’s future wife, Tsuruko “Terry” Tsuchimori, was sent to a Japanese internment camp during the war. Miyamura died in November.
The Medal of Honor was bestowed on Miyamura for his actions on April 24, 1951, when he was the machine-gun squad leader in a defensive position near Taejon-Ni, Korea.
When Chinese forces “fanatically attacked” the team’s position, Miyamura ordered his men to withdraw, according to the Medal of Honor citation. Miyamura killed more than 50 enemy soldiers before he was captured and held as a prisoner of war for more than two years, according to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.
“I will never forget the interactions I was so lucky to have with Hershey over the years,” Heinrich said in a statement. “I was especially proud to join him nearly a decade ago to cut the ribbon and open this clinic that provides vital health care services to veterans from Gallup and surrounding areas.”
In 2015, Miyamura worked with members of the state’s congressional delegation to open the VA clinic in Gallup and he attended the ground-breaking ceremony for the facility
that would commemorate him if the bill passes.
Luján called the legislation a “small token of gratitude.”
“As a Korean War Medal of Honor recipient, a father, mentor, and friend, Hiroshi “Hershey” Miyamura’s legacy represents the very best of New Mexico,” the senator said in a statement. FRAUGHT FREIGHT: Millions of tons of energy-related chemicals travel through New Mexico by train each year, and in the wake of the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, Rep. Gabe Vasquez, D-N.M., wants operators to adopt stronger safety measures.
The first-term congressman last week sent a letter to BNSF and Union Pacific Railroads asking them to follow the recommendations the Department of Transportation made this past week. Those recommendations include enhanced inspections and better communication with state and local agencies about hazardous cargo so that first responders can be prepared in case of a spill.
“Over 4 million tons of energyrelated and chemical products travel across New Mexico rail lines each year,” Vasquez said. “While this cargo is essential to our economy, derailments can be catastrophic and costly. Safety must be the top priority for BNSF and Union Pacific.”
BNSF and Union Pacific operate more than 2,200 miles in New Mexico.
A freight train derailed in eastern Ohio earlier this month, releasing hazardous chemicals, causing nearby residents to evacuate.
MAIN STREET: Snacks, trendy T-shirts and spices were on tap for Vasquez as he toured Las Cruces’ Main Street last week.
The first-term congressman visited the southern New Mexico city along with Isabella Casillas Guzman, the administrator of the Small Business Administration.
They stopped at Sage Spices, Organ Mountain Outfitters and Grounded, a cafe, before attending a roundtable with a group of small business owners to discuss their successes and challenges.
“My goal is to ensure that we can build local, generational wealth by supporting entrepreneurship,” he said in a statement. “Understanding their challenges, as well as their successes, allows me to support policies that directly impact job creation in New Mexico.”