REP. MIKE THOMPSON OFFICIALLY RENAMES YOUTVILLE VETS HOME POST OFFICE IN HONOR OF PRIVATE FIRST CLASS ALEJANDRO R. RUIZ SR.
August 29, 2012
Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-1), joined by veterans, local leaders and United States Postal Service (USPS) officials today officially renamed the Yountville Veterans Home Post Office the “Private First Class Alejandro R. Ruiz Post Office Building.”
“Private First Class Alejandro R. Ruiz was an American hero, a courageous man and a resident of the Yountville Veterans Home,” said Thompson. “And so, today it is my honor to officially, and forever name our veterans home's postal facility the ‘Private First Class Alejandro R. Ruiz Post Office Building.'”
Thompson introduced legislation in November to honor Alejandro R. Ruiz Sr., a Medal of Honor winner who spent his career in the U.S. Army and served in World War II. After retirement, Ruiz lived at the Yountville Veterans Home, located in Napa County, California, until he passed away in 2009 at the age of 85.
“We are grateful for Congressman Thompson's vigilance on ensuring this post office remains open and we are delighted to honor PFC Ruiz in this renaming ceremony,” said Robin Umberg, CalVet Undersecretary for Veterans Homes. “PFC Ruiz will be forever memorialized on our Yountville campus.”
“With this special dedication ceremony, we are paying tribute to a man who gave of himself for his country and his comrades in arms,” said Jack Boster, Manager of Post Office Operations for the Bay Valley District. “The fact that a brave American soldier's name will go on this post office, a post office that is the cornerstone of the community where people and veterans from the hospital come to connect with others through the mail, is very fitting.”
On April 28, 1945, Private First Class Ruiz was deployed to Okinawa. While patrolling in a ravine, his unit was ambushed by heavy and camouflaged machine gun fire. Every soldier except Ruiz and his squad leader was killed or injured. With his entire unit pinned down, Ruiz grabbed an automatic rifle and started his solo charge on the bunker. When he reached the bunker his rifle misfired. After beating back enemy soldiers he quickly ran back to where his unit was pinned down to retrieve another weapon. On his second charge towards the bunker he was shot in the leg by enemy fire. By himself he eliminated 12 enemy soldiers and saved the lives of the platoon members.
Thompson's bill, H.R. 3004, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 260 California Drive in Yountville, California, as the "Private First Class Alejandro R. Ruiz Post Office Building" was signed by the President on May 15th, 2012. Thompson's legislation was cosponsored by the other 52 members of the California Congressional Delegation, and both California Senators supported the bill.
Ruiz was born in Loving, New Mexico to Mexican immigrants. Of the 3,400 Medals of Honor that Presidents of the United States have awarded, only 44 have been awarded to someone of Hispanic descent. Of the 55,000 residents to have lived at the Yountville Veterans Home, only five have been awarded the Medal of Honor.
Congressman Mike Thompson is proud to represent California's 1st Congressional District, which includes Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, and portions of Sonoma and Yolo counties. He is a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Rep. Thompson is also a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition, Co-Chair of the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus, and Co-Chair of the Congressional Military Veterans Caucus.
“Private First Class Alejandro R. Ruiz was an American hero, a courageous man and a resident of the Yountville Veterans Home,” said Thompson. “And so, today it is my honor to officially, and forever name our veterans home's postal facility the ‘Private First Class Alejandro R. Ruiz Post Office Building.'”
Thompson introduced legislation in November to honor Alejandro R. Ruiz Sr., a Medal of Honor winner who spent his career in the U.S. Army and served in World War II. After retirement, Ruiz lived at the Yountville Veterans Home, located in Napa County, California, until he passed away in 2009 at the age of 85.
“We are grateful for Congressman Thompson's vigilance on ensuring this post office remains open and we are delighted to honor PFC Ruiz in this renaming ceremony,” said Robin Umberg, CalVet Undersecretary for Veterans Homes. “PFC Ruiz will be forever memorialized on our Yountville campus.”
“With this special dedication ceremony, we are paying tribute to a man who gave of himself for his country and his comrades in arms,” said Jack Boster, Manager of Post Office Operations for the Bay Valley District. “The fact that a brave American soldier's name will go on this post office, a post office that is the cornerstone of the community where people and veterans from the hospital come to connect with others through the mail, is very fitting.”
On April 28, 1945, Private First Class Ruiz was deployed to Okinawa. While patrolling in a ravine, his unit was ambushed by heavy and camouflaged machine gun fire. Every soldier except Ruiz and his squad leader was killed or injured. With his entire unit pinned down, Ruiz grabbed an automatic rifle and started his solo charge on the bunker. When he reached the bunker his rifle misfired. After beating back enemy soldiers he quickly ran back to where his unit was pinned down to retrieve another weapon. On his second charge towards the bunker he was shot in the leg by enemy fire. By himself he eliminated 12 enemy soldiers and saved the lives of the platoon members.
Thompson's bill, H.R. 3004, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 260 California Drive in Yountville, California, as the "Private First Class Alejandro R. Ruiz Post Office Building" was signed by the President on May 15th, 2012. Thompson's legislation was cosponsored by the other 52 members of the California Congressional Delegation, and both California Senators supported the bill.
Ruiz was born in Loving, New Mexico to Mexican immigrants. Of the 3,400 Medals of Honor that Presidents of the United States have awarded, only 44 have been awarded to someone of Hispanic descent. Of the 55,000 residents to have lived at the Yountville Veterans Home, only five have been awarded the Medal of Honor.
Congressman Mike Thompson is proud to represent California's 1st Congressional District, which includes Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, and portions of Sonoma and Yolo counties. He is a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Rep. Thompson is also a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition, Co-Chair of the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus, and Co-Chair of the Congressional Military Veterans Caucus.
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Issues:Veterans