[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 324 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        H.R.324

                     One Hundred Thirteenth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE FIRST SESSION

          Begun and held at the City of Washington on Thursday,
           the third day of January, two thousand and thirteen


                                 An Act


 
   To grant the Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the First 
  Special Service Force, in recognition of its superior service 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. FINDINGS.
    Congress finds the following:
        (1) The First Special Service Force (the ``Force''), a military 
    unit composed of volunteers from the United States and Canada, was 
    activated in July 1942 at Fort Harrison near Helena, Montana.
        (2) The Force was initially intended to target military and 
    industrial installations that were supporting the German war 
    effort, including important hydroelectric plants, which would 
    severely limit the production of strategic materials used by the 
    Axis powers.
        (3) From July 1942 through June 1943, volunteers of the Force 
    trained in hazardous, arctic conditions in the mountains of western 
    Montana, and in the waterways of Camp Bradford, Virginia.
        (4) The combat echelon of the Force totaled 1,800 soldiers, 
    half from the United States and half from Canada.
        (5) The Force also contained a service battalion, composed of 
    800 members from the United States, that provided important support 
    for the combat troops.
        (6) A special bond developed between the Canadian and United 
    States soldiers, who were not segregated by country, although the 
    commander of the Force was a United States colonel.
        (7) The Force was the only unit formed during World War II that 
    consisted of troops from Canada and the United States.
        (8) In October 1943, the Force went to Italy, where it fought 
    in battles south of Cassino, including Monte La Difensa and Monte 
    Majo, two mountain peaks that were a critical anchor of the German 
    defense line.
        (9) During the night of December 3, 1943, the Force ascended to 
    the top of the precipitous face of Monte La Difensa, where the 
    Force suffered heavy casualties and overcame fierce resistance to 
    overtake the German line.
        (10) After the battle for La Difensa, the Force continued to 
    fight tough battles at high altitudes, in rugged terrain, and in 
    severe weather.
        (11) After battles on the strongly defended Italian peaks of 
    Sammucro, Vischiataro, and Remetanea, the size of the Force had 
    been reduced from 1,800 soldiers to fewer than 500.
        (12) For 4 months in 1944, the Force engaged in raids and 
    aggressive patrols at the Anzio Beachhead.
        (13) On June 4, 1944, members of the Force were among the first 
    Allied troops to liberate Rome.
        (14) After liberating Rome, the Force moved to southern Italy 
    and prepared to assist in the liberation of France.
        (15) During the early morning of August 15, 1944, members of 
    the Force made silent landings on Les Iles D'Hyeres, small islands 
    in the Mediterranean Sea along the southern coast of France.
        (16) The Force faced a sustained and withering assault from the 
    German garrisons as the Force progressed from the islands to the 
    Franco-Italian border.
        (17) After the Allied forces secured the Franco-Italian border, 
    the United States Army ordered the disbandment of the Force on 
    December 5, 1944, in Nice, France.
        (18) During 251 days of combat, the Force suffered 2,314 
    casualties, or 134 percent of its authorized strength, captured 
    thousands of prisoners, won 5 United States campaign stars and 8 
    Canadian battle honors, and never failed a mission.
        (19) The United States is forever indebted to the acts of 
    bravery and selflessness of the troops of the Force, who risked 
    their lives for the cause of freedom.
        (20) The efforts of the Force along the seas and skies of 
    Europe were critical in repelling the advance of Nazi Germany and 
    liberating numerous communities in France and Italy.
        (21) The bond between the members of the Force from the United 
    States and those from Canada has endured over the decades, as the 
    members meet every year for a reunion, alternating between the 
    United States and Canada.
        (22) The traditions and honors exhibited by the Force are 
    carried on by 2 outstanding active units of 2 great democracies, 
    the Special Forces of the United States and the Canadian Special 
    Operations Regiment.
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
    (a) Award Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of Representatives 
and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall make appropriate 
arrangements for the award, on behalf of the Congress, of a gold medal 
of appropriate design to the First Special Service Force, collectively, 
in recognition of their dedicated service during World War II.
    (b) Design and Striking.--For the purposes of the award referred to 
in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (in this Act referred 
to as the ``Secretary'') shall strike the gold medal with suitable 
emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary.
    (c) Award of Medal.--Following the award of the gold medal in honor 
of the First Special Service Force under subsection (a), the medal 
shall be given to the First Special Service Force Association in 
Helena, Montana, where it shall be available for display or temporary 
loan to be displayed elsewhere, particularly at other appropriate 
locations associated with the First Special Service Force, including 
Fort William Henry Harrison in Helena, Montana.
SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
    The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold 
medal struck under section 2, at a price sufficient to cover the costs 
of the medal, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and 
overhead expenses, and amounts received from the sale of such 
duplicates shall be deposited in the United States Mint Public 
Enterprise Fund.
SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS.
    Medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals for purposes 
of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.