[116th Congress Public Law 170]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[[Page 134 STAT. 775]]
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. <<NOTE: Oct. 17, 2020 - [S. 743]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Merrill's
Marauders Congressional Gold Medal Act. 31 USC 5111 note.>>
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 134 STAT. 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) <<NOTE: Determination.>> 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 134 STAT. 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.
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