[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1237 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1237

  To authorize and request the President to award the Medal of Honor 
posthumously to Major Dominic S. Gentile of the United States Army Air 
             Forces for acts of valor during World War II.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 18, 2013

 Mrs. Beatty introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To authorize and request the President to award the Medal of Honor 
posthumously to Major Dominic S. Gentile of the United States Army Air 
             Forces for acts of valor during World War II.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION AND REQUEST FOR AWARD OF MEDAL OF HONOR TO 
              DOMINIC S. GENTILE FOR ACTS OF VALOR DURING WORLD WAR II.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Major Dominic S. Gentile of the United States Army Air 
        Forces destroyed at least 30 enemy aircraft during World War 
        II, making him one of the highest scoring fighter pilots in 
        American history and earning him the title of ``Ace of Aces''.
            (2) Major Gentile was the first American fighter pilot to 
        surpass Captain Eddie Rickenbacker's WWI record of 26 enemy 
        aircraft destroyed.
            (3) Major Gentile was awarded several medals in recognition 
        of his acts of valor during World War II, including two 
        Distinguished Service Crosses, seven Distinguished Flying 
        Crosses, the Silver Star, the Air Medal, and received similar 
        honors from Great Britain, Italy, Belgium, and Canada.
            (4) Major Gentile was born in Piqua, Ohio, and died January 
        23, 1951, after which he was posthumously appointed to the rank 
        of major.
            (5) Major Gentile is buried in Columbus, Ohio. Gentile Air 
        Force Station in Kettering, Ohio, is named in his honor and he 
        was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1995.
    (b) Authorization.--Notwithstanding the time limitations specified 
in section 3744 of title 10, United States Code, or any other time 
limitation with respect to the awarding of certain medals to persons 
who served in the Armed Forces, the President is authorized and 
requested to award the Medal of Honor posthumously under section 3741 
of such title to former Major Dominic S. Gentile of the United States 
Army Air Forces for the acts of valor during World War II described in 
subsection (c).
    (c) Acts of Valor Described.--The acts of valor referred to in 
subsection (b) are the actions of then Major Dominic S. Gentile who, as 
a pilot of a P-51 Mustang in the Army's 336th Fighter Squadron, Fourth 
Fighter Group, of the Eighth Air Force in Europe during World War II, 
distinguished himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the 
risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty by destroying at 
least 30 enemy aircraft during his service in the United State Army Air 
Forces.
                                 <all>