[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1857 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1857

To authorize 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

                             April 16, 2015

  Mrs. Beatty (for herself and Mr. Stivers) introduced the following 
      bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To authorize 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 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 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 States Army 
Air Forces.
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