Bill passes to rename stretch of I-10 after Medal of Honor recipient

Monday I spoke in favor of H.R. 2559, which passed in the House with unanimous bipartisan support. The bill would rename part of I-10 in Kendall County in honor of PFC Milton A. Lee, who died in combat in Vietnam on April 26, 1968 at the age of 19. Lee was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in a ceremony at the White House in 1970 for ‘conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.’ He is buried at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio. The bill must still be passed in the Senate before it becomes law.

It is a privilege to recognize veteran, patriot and Medal of Honor recipient Milton A. Lee today. Earlier this year I introduced H.R. 2559 which designates a portion of I-10 in Boerne, Texas, as ‘PFC Milton A. Lee Medal of Honor Highway.’

PFC Lee was born on February 28, 1949, in Shreveport, Louisiana. While he was not born in Texas, Lee entered the Army in San Antonio, served honorably in the Vietnam War and is laid to rest at Ft. Sam Houston, which is located in my district.

PFC Lee served as a radio telephone operator with the 3rd platoon, Company B. during an intense, surprise hostile attack by North Vietnamese Army fighters. The 3rd platoon maneuvered to a position of cover to treat their wounded and reorganize. Meanwhile, PFC Lee moved through the heavy enemy fire to give lifesaving first aid to his wounded fellow soldiers.

During the subsequent assault, PFC Lee continuously kept close radio contact with the company commander and relayed precise and understandable information to his platoon leader. While advancing toward the objective, PFC Lee observed 4 North Vietnamese soldiers with automatic weapons and a rocket launcher lying in wait for his platoon.

PFC Lee immediately and with great risk to his own personal safety, passed his radio to another soldier and charged through the barrage of fire. Without hesitation he continued his attack, and successfully overran the enemy position, killing all occupants and capturing 4 automatic weapons and a rocket launcher. PFC Lee continued his one-man assault on another enemy position through a heavy barrage of enemy automatic weapons fire. Although wounded, he continued to press the attack and crawled forward into a firing position to deliver accurate cover fire for his platoon. This enabled his platoon to maneuver and destroy the position. Not until the position was overrun did PFC Lee falter in his steady volume of fire and succumb to his wounds.

PFC Lee's heroic actions saved the lives of many in his platoon and were instrumental in the destruction of a key position of the enemy’s defense. PFC Lee's gallantry at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty epitomizes the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit on himself, the 502nd Infantry, and the U.S. Army.

So I support this bill in honor of an American hero. In giving his life for our country in such a selfless and heroic fashion, PFC Lee is deserving of our naming a portion of a federal highway in his honor.