[113th Congress Public Law 106]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 128 STAT. 1160]]

Public Law 113-106
113th Congress

                                 An Act


 
 To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the World War II members of the 
``Doolittle Tokyo Raiders'', for outstanding heroism, valor, skill, and 
       service to the United States in conducting the bombings of 
              Tokyo. <<NOTE: May 23, 2014 -  [H.R. 1209]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: 31 USC 5111 
note.>> 
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) on April 18, 1942, the brave men of the 17th Bombardment 
        Group (Medium) became known as the ``Doolittle Tokyo Raiders'' 
        for outstanding heroism, valor, skill, and service to the United 
        States in conducting the bombings of Tokyo;
            (2) 80 brave American aircraft crewmen, led by Lieutenant 
        Colonel James Doolittle, volunteered for an ``extremely 
        hazardous mission'', without knowing the target, location, or 
        assignment, and willingly put their lives in harm's way, risking 
        death, capture, and torture;
            (3) the conduct of medium bomber operations from a Navy 
        aircraft carrier under combat conditions had never before been 
        attempted;
            (4) after the discovery of the USS Hornet by Japanese picket 
        ships 170 miles further away from the prearranged launch point, 
        the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders proceeded to take off 670 miles from 
        the coast of Japan;
            (5) by launching more than 100 miles beyond the distance 
        considered to be minimally safe for the mission, the Doolittle 
        Tokyo Raiders deliberately accepted the risk that the B-25s 
        might not have enough fuel to reach the designated air-fields in 
        China on return;
            (6) the additional launch distance greatly increased the 
        risk of crash landing in Japanese occupied China, exposing the 
        crews to higher probability of death, injury, or capture;
            (7) because of that deliberate choice, after bombing their 
        targets in Japan, low on fuel and in setting night and 
        deteriorating weather, none of the 16 airplanes reached the 
        prearranged Chinese airfields;
            (8) of the 80 Doolittle Tokyo Raiders who launched on the 
        raid, 8 were captured, 2 died in the crash, and 70 returned to 
        the United States;
            (9) of the 8 captured Doolittle Tokyo Raiders, 3 were 
        executed and 1 died of disease; and
            (10) there were only 5 surviving members of the Doolittle 
        Tokyo Raiders as of February 2013.

[[Page 128 STAT. 1161]]

SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

    (a) Award.--
            (1) Authorized.--The President pro tempore of the Senate and 
        the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall make 
        appropriate arrangements for the award, on behalf of Congress, 
        of a single gold medal of appropriate design in honor of the 
        World War II members of the 17th Bombardment Group (Medium) who 
        became known as the ``Doolittle Tokyo Raiders'', in recognition 
        of their military service during World War II.
            (2) Design and striking.--For the purposes of the award 
        referred to in paragraph (1), the Secretary of the Treasury 
        shall strike the gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and 
        inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary.
            (3) National museum of the united states air force.--
                    (A) In general.--Following the award of the gold 
                medal referred to in paragraph (1) in honor of the World 
                War II members of the 17th Bombardment Group (Medium), 
                who became known as the ``Doolittle Tokyo Raiders'', the 
                gold medal shall be given to the National Museum of the 
                United States Air Force, where it shall be available for 
                display with the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders Goblets, as 
                appropriate, and made available for research.
                    (B) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress 
                that the National Museum of the United States Air Force 
                should make the gold medal received under this Act 
                available for display elsewhere, particularly at other 
                locations and events associated with the Doolittle Tokyo 
                Raiders.

    (b) 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 this Act, at a price sufficient to cover the 
costs of the medals, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, 
and overhead expenses.
    (c) National Medals.--Medals struck pursuant to this Act are 
national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States 
Code.

    Approved May 23, 2014.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 1209 (S. 381):
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 160 (2014):
            May 19, considered and passed House.
            May 20, considered and passed Senate.

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