Memorial & Fact Sheet
Hinesville, Georgia · Named by Public Law 118-61 (138 Stat. 1021), signed May 13, 2024
| Name & Rank | Service | Born | Killed in Action | Notable Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFC John Gibson | U.S. Marine Corps 1st Marine Division |
Sep 12, 1946 Riceboro, GA | Feb 7, 1968 Republic of Vietnam |
Purple Heart; Combat Action Ribbon; Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/ Palm |
| SP4 Dan Ninkey James (promoted posthumously) | U.S. Army Infantry |
Mar 20, 1948 Riceboro, GA | Dec 29, 1968 Republic of Vietnam |
Bronze Star Medal (3 awards); Purple Heart; Combat Infantryman Badge |
| SP4 William Edward Sapp | U.S. Army Co. A, 1/14 Inf, 4th Inf Div |
Mar 12, 1943 Hinesville, GA | Jun 7, 1968 West of Kontum, RVN |
Bronze Star w/ “V” (Valor); Purple Heart; Combat Infantryman Badge |
| LCpl Frankie Lee Smiley | U.S. Marine Corps Co. A, 7th Engr Bn, 1st Mar Div |
May 18, 1944 Liberty County, GA | Aug 25, 1968 Republic of Vietnam |
Purple Heart; Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/ Palm; RVN Military Merit Medal |
SP4 Sapp volunteered for the point position west of Kontum and, though mortally wounded, continued to fight from his litter and rallied his comrades — actions for which he received the Bronze Star with Valor.
Public Law 118-61 (H.R. 593, 118th Congress) directs that the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Hinesville, Georgia, “shall…be known and designated as the ‘John Gibson, Dan James, William Sapp, and Frankie Smiley VA Clinic.’” It passed the House on November 13, 2023, the Senate on May 2, 2024, and was signed into law on May 13, 2024.
Although Public Law 118-61 renamed the clinic for the four heroes, the building's primary exterior signage continues to display the unauthorized “Ralph H. Johnson Healthcare System” name. By VA's own FOIA response, no signage variance was submitted as the agency's design manual required. A federal lawsuit now seeks to compel full compliance.