[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.J. Res. 38 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. J. RES. 38

Authorizing special awards to World War I and World War II veterans of 
                  the United States Navy Armed Guard.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 12, 2003

  Mr. Larsen of Washington introduced the following joint resolution; 
         which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                            JOINT RESOLUTION


 
Authorizing special awards to World War I and World War II veterans of 
                  the United States Navy Armed Guard.

Whereas the members of the United States Navy Armed Guard sailed the oceans and 
        seas on merchant ships during World War I and World War II to protect 
        important cargo from capture or destruction by the enemy;
Whereas naval officers, gunners, radiomen, signalmen, medics, and radarmen 
        serving on American merchant ships comprised the United States Navy 
        Armed Guard, a force that grew to 144,970 personnel during World War II;
Whereas the mariners who served in the United States Navy Armed Guard fought 
        bravely, often under heavy fire, and many even as the decks of their 
        ships were awash and sinking beneath the ocean waves;
Whereas, of the 6,236 merchant ships (including the 2,710 famous Liberty Ships) 
        on which detachments of the United States Navy Armed Guard served during 
        World War II, 720 ships (including 216 Liberty Ships) were sunk, and 
        many more were damaged by enemy action;
Whereas approximately 1,810 members of the United States Navy Armed Guard died 
        and many more were wounded in the service of their country in World War 
        II, a casualty rate that grimly rivals the casualty rate of any other 
        defined force of the Armed Forces during World War II;
Whereas, on April 4, 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a 
        proclamation, ``with each Commander in Chief to follow doing the same'', 
        designating May 22, 1945, as National Maritime Day in honor of those who 
        sailed the oceans and seas transporting supplies of every sort to both 
        the peaceful and war-torn nations of the world;
Whereas the nations of the world owe their freedom, in part, to the sacrifices 
        of the members of the United States Navy Armed Guard, and many of those 
        nations have awarded special medals to veterans of the United States 
        Navy Armed Guard in recognition of their heroic actions;
Whereas the United States Government has failed to follow the lead of those 
        nations in recognizing the members of the United States Navy Armed Guard 
        with a special medal that honors them as the American heroes that they 
        are;
Whereas the United States Government has recognized the military character of 
        the service in the United States Navy Armed Guard by awarding each 
        member that served during World War II at least 1 of the 3 World War II 
        campaign medals for service in the American Theater, the Asiatic-Pacific 
        Theater, and the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater;
Whereas the mariners who served in the United States Navy Armed Guard aboard 
        United States cargo ships during World War I, and those who served 
        honorably to protect civilians and freight on vessels under foreign 
        flags during both World War I and World War II, were equally dedicated, 
        intrepid, and heroic, and are equally deserving of recognition with a 
        special medal;
Whereas Chief Boatswain Mate John Eopolucci of the United States Navy Armed 
        Guard was the first United States serviceman to die in World War I, and
Whereas the United States has not adequately recognized the heroism and 
        sacrifices of the members of the United States Navy Armed Guard during 
        World War I and World War II; and
Whereas there are no white crosses to designate the burial places of United 
        States Navy Armed Guards who died at sea serving their country, and 
        these men have never been appropriately honored for their service: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. JOHN EOPOLUCCI UNITED STATES NAVY ARMED GUARD SEVICE MEDAL.

    (a) In General.--The President is authorized and urged to award--
            (1) to each person who served at sea as a member of the 
        United States Navy Armed Guard during World War I or World War 
        II, a special medal of a design appropriate for recognizing 
        service in the United States Navy Armed Guard, as service in a 
        special force of the United States Navy, together with 
        accompanying ribbons and appurtenances and a Presidential Unit 
        Citation; and
            (2) to each person who served exclusively on shore duty as 
        a member of the United States Navy Armed Guard during World War 
        I or World War II, a special pin or badge of a design 
        appropriate for recognizing service in the United States Navy 
        Armed Guard as service in a military organization of the United 
        States Navy.
    (b) Name of Award.--The medal awarded pursuant to subsection (a) 
shall be known as the John Eopolucci United States Navy Armed Guard 
Service Medal.
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