[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 685 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]
H.R.685
One Hundred Thirteenth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE SECOND SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday,
the third day of January, two thousand and fourteen
An Act
To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the American Fighter Aces,
collectively, in recognition of their heroic military service and
defense of our country's freedom throughout the history of aviation
warfare.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``American Fighter Aces Congressional
Gold Medal Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) An American Fighter Ace is a fighter pilot who has served
honorably in a United States military service and who has destroyed
5 or more confirmed enemy aircraft in aerial combat during a war or
conflict in which American armed forces have participated.
(2) Beginning with World War I, and the first use of airplanes
in warfare, military services have maintained official records of
individual aerial victory credits during every major conflict. Of
more than 60,000 United States military fighter pilots that have
taken to the air, less than 1,500 have become Fighter Aces.
(3) Americans became Fighter Aces in the Spanish Civil War,
Sino-Japanese War, Russian Civil War, Arab-Israeli War, and others.
Additionally, American military groups' recruited United States
military pilots to form the American Volunteer Group, Eagle
Squadron, and others that produced American-born Fighter Aces
fighting against axis powers prior to Pearl Harbor.
(4) The concept of a Fighter Ace is that they fought for
freedom and democracy across the globe, flying in the face of the
enemy to defend freedom throughout the history of aerial combat.
American-born citizens became Fighter Aces flying under the flag of
United States allied countries and became some of the highest
scoring Fighter Aces of their respective wars.
(5) American Fighter Aces hail from every State in the Union,
representing numerous ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds.
(6) Fighter Aces possess unique skills that have made them
successful in aerial combat. These include courage, judgment, keen
marksmanship, concentration, drive, persistence, and split-second
thinking that makes an Ace a war fighter with unique and valuable
flight driven skills.
(7) The Aces' training, bravery, skills, sacrifice, attention
to duty, and innovative spirit illustrate the most celebrated
traits of the United States military, including service to country
and the protection of freedom and democracy.
(8) American Fighter Aces have led distinguished careers in the
military, education, private enterprise, and politics. Many have
held the rank of General or Admiral and played leadership roles in
multiple war efforts from WWI to Vietnam through many decades. In
some cases they became the highest ranking officers for following
wars.
(9) The extraordinary heroism of the American Fighter Ace
boosted American morale at home and encouraged many men and women
to enlist to fight for America and democracy across the globe.
(10) Fighter Aces were among America's most-prized military
fighters during wars. When they rotated back to the United States
after combat tours, they trained cadets in fighter pilot tactics
that they had learned over enemy skies. The teaching of combat
dogfighting to young aviators strengthened our fighter pilots to
become more successful in the skies. The net effect of this was to
shorten wars and save the lives of young Americans.
(11) Following military service, many Fighter Aces became test
pilots due to their superior flying skills and quick thinking
abilities.
(12) Richard Bong was America's top Ace of all wars scoring a
confirmed 40 enemy victories in WWII. He was from Poplar,
Wisconsin, and flew the P-38 Lightning in all his combat sorties
flying for the 49th Fighter Group. He was killed in 1945 during a
P-80 test flight in which the engine flamed out on takeoff.
(13) The American Fighter Aces are one of the most decorated
military groups in American history. Twenty-two Fighter Aces have
achieved the rank of Admiral in the Navy. Seventy-nine Fighter Aces
have achieved the rank of General in the Army, Marines, and Air
Force. Nineteen Medals of Honor have been awarded to individual
Fighter Aces.
(14) The American Fighter Aces Association has existed for over
50 years as the primary organization with which the Aces have
preserved their history and told their stories to the American
public. The Association established and maintains the Outstanding
Cadet in Airmanship Award presented annually at the United States
Air Force Academy; established and maintains an awards program for
outstanding fighter pilot ``lead-in'' trainee graduates from the
Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps; and sponsors a scholarship
program for descendants of American Fighter Aces.
SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
(a) Presentation Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of
Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall make
appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on behalf of the
Congress, of a single gold medal of appropriate design in honor of the
American Fighter Aces, collectively, in recognition of their heroic
military service and defense of our country's freedom, which has
spanned the history of aviation warfare.
(b) Design and Striking.--For the purposes of the award referred to
in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury shall strike the gold
medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be
determined by the Secretary.
(c) Smithsonian Institution.--
(1) In general.--Following the award of the gold medal in honor
of the American Fighter Aces, the gold medal shall be given to the
Smithsonian Institution, where it will be available for display as
appropriate and available for research.
(2) Sense of the congress.--It is the sense of the Congress
that the Smithsonian Institution should make the gold medal awarded
pursuant to this Act available for display elsewhere, particularly
at appropriate locations associated with the American Fighter Aces,
and that preference should be given to locations affiliated with
the Smithsonian Institution.
SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold
medal struck pursuant to section 3 under such regulations as the
Secretary may prescribe, at a price sufficient to cover the cost
thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and
overhead expenses, and the cost of the gold medal.
SEC. 5. NATIONAL MEDALS.
The medal struck pursuant to this Act is a national medal 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.