Tampa’s VA Hospital – Rename?
By Robert F. Sawallesh
Background and Images
See http://www.tampa.va.gov/ and http://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/smith/profile/index.html.
Since 1972, the Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa has been improving the health of the men
and women who have so proudly served our nation. For the past several years the hospital has
treated some of the most severely active duty wounded and injured ever to survive a war.
VA Hospital services are available to more than 116,000 veterans living in a four-county
area of Florida.
The hospital is the busiest of four polytrauma facilities in the nation. Hundreds of active
duty wounded and injured from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been treated at the Tampa
VA Hospital.
It is suggested that the Tampa Veterans’ Hospital be renamed the “SFC Paul R. Smith
Veterans’ Hospital.” With the combined veterans mission and wartime mission now is
the time to consider renaming the Tampa VA hospital.
Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and
intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with an armed enemy near Baghdad
International Airport, Baghdad, Iraq on 4 April 2003. He was killed in action and
awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. His home town was Tampa, Florida.
Presently, the VA hospital in Tampa is named after US Representative James A. Haley.
Google Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith.
Robert F. Sawallesh of Valrico, FL is a retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel. He served
with the 9th Infantry Division in the Vietnam War.