[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 906 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 906
To award a Congressional gold medal to the 5307th Composite Unit
(Provisional), commonly known as ``Merrill's Marauders'', in
recognition of their bravery and outstanding service in the jungles of
Burma during World War II.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 30, 2019
Mr. King of New York (for himself, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Mr. Young,
Mr. Kinzinger, Mr. Fleischmann, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Zeldin, and Mr.
Aguilar) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on
House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To award a Congressional gold medal to the 5307th Composite Unit
(Provisional), commonly known as ``Merrill's Marauders'', in
recognition of their bravery and outstanding service in the jungles of
Burma 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. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Merrill's Marauders Congressional
Gold Medal Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) In August 1943 President Franklin D. Roosevelt and
other allied leaders proposed the creation of an American
ground unit that would engage in a ``long-range penetration
mission'' in Japanese-occupied Burma. This unit's mission would
be to cut off Japanese communications and supply lines, and
capture Japanese-held airfield and town of Myitkyina.
(2) President Roosevelt issued a call for volunteers for
``a dangerous and hazardous mission'', the call was answered by
approximately 3,000 American soldiers. The unit was officially
designated as the ``5307th Composite Unit (Provisional)'' Code
Name: ``Galahad''. Later it became known as ``Merrill's
Marauders'' named after its leader, Brigadier General Frank
Merrill.
(3) In February 1944 the Marauders began their
approximately 1,000-mile trek through the dense Burmese jungle.
The Marauders had no artillery support and carried their
supplies on their backs or the pack saddles of mules.
(4) Over the course of their 5-month trek to Myitkyina, the
Marauders fought victoriously against larger Japanese forces
through 5 major and 30 minor engagements.
(5) During their march to Myitkyina the Marauders faced
hunger and disease that were exacerbated by inadequate aerial
resupply drops. Malaria, typhus, and dysentery inflicted more
casualties on the Marauders than the Japanese.
(6) By August 1944 the Marauders accomplished their
mission, successfully disrupting Japanese supply and
communication lines, taking the town of Myitkyina and the
Myitkyina airstrip, the only all-weather airstrip in Northern
Burma.
(7) After taking Myitkyina only 130 Marauders out of the
original 2,750 were fit for duty. All remaining Marauders still
in action were evacuated to hospitals due to tropical diseases,
exhaustion, and malnutrition.
(8) For their bravery and accomplishments the Marauders
were awarded the ``Distinguished Unit Citation'', later
redesignated as the ``Presidential Unit Citation''. Each
Marauder also earned a Bronze Star for his service.
(9) Though Merrill's Marauders were operational for only a
few months, the legacy of their bravery is honored by the
United States Army through the modern day 75th Ranger Regiment,
which traces its lineage directly to the 5307th Composite Unit.
SEC. 3. 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 single gold
medal of appropriate design to the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional),
commonly known as ``Merrill's Marauders'', in recognition of their
bravery and outstanding service in the jungles of Burma during World
War II.
(b) Design and Striking.--For the purposes of the award referred to
in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter 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) Smithsonian Institution.--
(1) In general.--Following the award of the gold medal
referred to in subsection (a) in honor of the 5307th Composite
Unit (Provisional), who became known as ``Merrill's
Marauders'', the gold medal shall be given to the Smithsonian
Institution, where it will be displayed as appropriate and made
available for research.
(2) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
the Smithsonian Institution should make the gold medal received
under this Act available for display elsewhere, particularly at
other locations and events associated with Merrill's Marauders.
SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
Under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, the
Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal
struck under section 4, at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the
medals, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and
overhead expenses.
SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS.
Medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals for purposes
of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.
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