Steve Buyer: “Today, I rise in support of H.R. 4307, a bill to rename the Artesia Community Outpatient Clinic after Alejandro Renteria…”

“Today, I rise in support of H.R. 4307, a bill to rename the Artesia Community Outpatient Clinic after Alejandro Renteria Ruiz, a much decorated World War II veteran who served in the Pacific theater and is a recipient of the Medal of Honor. Ruiz received the Medal of Honor during the World War II conquest of the Japanese island of Okinawa on April 28, 1945. Master Sgt. Ruiz summoned the courage to charge a Japanese pillbox under a hail of machine gun fire and was able to neutralize it. He singlehandedly saved the lives of his 165th infantry comrades and eliminated an obstacle that would have checked his unit's advance. When his comrades recommended him for the Medal of Honor, Ruiz did not want to hear their accolades, instead choosing to focus on daily battles in Okinawa. Such courage and humility makes for an extraordinary person and soldier. Ruiz is a hero who continued to serve his nation in the military, serving in the Korean War and retiring as a Master Sergeant in the mid 1960s.”