    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 134, 116th Congress, 2nd Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    Public Law 116-170
    116th Congress

    An Act

    To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the soldiers of 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 finds that--
    (1) in August 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and
    other Allied leaders proposed the creation of a ground unit of
    the Armed Forces that would engage in a ``long-range penetration
    mission'' in Japanese-occupied Burma to--
    (A) cut off Japanese communications and supply
    lines; and
    (B) capture the town of Myitkyina and the Myitkyina
    airstrip, both of which were held by the Japanese;
    (2) President Roosevelt issued a call for volunteers for ``a
    dangerous and hazardous mission'' and the call was answered by
    approximately 3,000 soldiers from the United States;
    (3) the Army unit composed of the soldiers described in
    paragraph (2)--
    (A) was officially designated as the ``5307th
    Composite Unit (Provisional)'' with the code name
    ``Galahad''; and
    (B) later became known as ``Merrill's Marauders''
    (referred to in this section as the ``Marauders'') in
    reference to its leader, Brigadier General Frank
    Merrill;
    (4) in February 1944, the Marauders began their
    approximately 1,000-mile trek through the dense Burmese jungle
    with no artillery support, carrying their supplies on their
    backs or the pack saddles of mules;
    (5) 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;
    (6) during their march to Myitkyina, the Marauders faced
    hunger and disease that were exacerbated by inadequate aerial
    resupply drops;
    (7) malaria, typhus, and dysentery inflicted more casualties
    on the Marauders than the Japanese;

    [[Page 776]]

    (8) by August 1944, the Marauders had accomplished their
    mission, successfully disrupting Japanese supply and
    communication lines and taking the town of Myitkyina and the
    Myitkyina airstrip, the only all-weather airstrip in Northern
    Burma;
    (9) after taking Myitkyina, only 130 Marauders out of the
    original 2,750 were fit for duty and all remaining Marauders
    still in action were evacuated to hospitals due to tropical
    diseases, exhaustion, and malnutrition;
    (10) for their bravery and accomplishments, the Marauders
    were awarded the ``Distinguished Unit Citation'', later
    redesignated as the ``Presidential Unit Citation'', and a Bronze
    Star; and
    (11) though the Marauders were operational for only a few
    months, the legacy of their bravery is honored by the 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 Congress, of a single gold
    medal of appropriate design to the soldiers of the 5307th Composite Unit
    (Provisional) (referred to in this section 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 (referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall strike a
    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 Merrill's Marauders,
    the gold medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution,
    where it shall 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 paragraph (1) 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 3, at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the medals,
    including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead
    expenses.

    [[Page 777]]

    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.

    Approved October 17, 2020.

    LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 743:
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    CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
    Vol. 165 (2019):
    Dec. 5, considered and passed
    Senate.
    Vol. 166 (2020):
    Sept. 22, considered and passed
    House.