I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3767 

To grant the Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the First Special 

Service Force, in recognition of its superior service during World War II. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 23, 2011 

Mr. MILLER of Florida (for himself, Mr. TURNER of Ohio, Mr. ROE of Tennessee, Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan, Mr. WITTMAN, Mr. WOMACK, Mr. 

KISSELL, Mr. MICHAUD, Mr. JONES, Mr. MANZULLO, and Mr. FORBES) 

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 grant the Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the 

First Special Service Force, in recognition of its superior 

service during World War II. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 

4 Congress finds the following: 

5 (1) The First Special Service Force (in this Act 

6 referred to as the ‘‘Force’’) was organized as a joint 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 3767 IH

1 American-Canadian unit activated in July 1942 at 

2 Fort Harrison near Helena, Montana. 

3 (2) The Force was initially intended to target 

4 military and industrial installations that were sup5 porting the German war effort, including important 

6 hydroelectric plants, which would severely limit the 

7 production of strategic materials used by the Axis 

8 powers. 

9 (3) From July 1942 through June 1943, volun10 teers of the Force trained in hazardous, arctic condi11 tions, in the mountains of western Montana, and the 

12 waterways of Camp Bradford, Virginia. 

13 (4) The combat echelon of the Force totaled 

14 1,800 soldiers—half American, half Canadian. There 

15 were also 800 American members of the Service 

16 Battalion, which provided important support for the 

17 combat troops. 

18 (5) A special bond developed between the Cana19 dian and American soldiers. They were not seg20 regated by geography, although it was commanded 

21 by an American colonel. 

22 (6) The Force was unique, as it was the only 

23 unit formed during World War II consisting of 

24 troops from 2 different countries. 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 3767 IH

1 (7) In October 1943, the Force went to Italy, 

2 where it fought in battles south of Cassino, including 

3 Monte La Difensa and Monte Majo. 

4 (8) These mountain peaks were a critical an5 chor of the German defense line, and on December 

6 3, 1943, the Force’s units ascended to the top of La 

7 Difensa’s precipitous face. Climbing through the 

8 night, the battalion suffered heavy casualties and 

9 overcame fierce resistance to overtake the German 

10 line. 

11 (9) After La Difensa, the Force continued to 

12 fight tough battles at high altitudes, in rugged ter13 rain, and in severe weather. After battles on the 

14 strongly defended Italian peaks of Sammucro, 

15 Vischiataro, and Remetanea, the Force’s combat 

16 units had been reduced from 1,800 to fewer than 

17 500. 

18 (10) In 1944, the Force went to the Anzio 

19 Beachhead for 4 months, engaging in raids and ag20 gressive patrols. On June 4, 1944, members of the 

21 Force were the first Allied troops to liberate Rome. 

22 (11) After Rome, the Force moved to southern 

23 Italy, where it prepared to assist in the liberation of 

24 France. 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 3767 IH

1 (12) During the early morning of August 15, 

2 1944, the Force made silent landings on Les Iles 

3 D’Hyeres, small islands in the Mediterranean Sea 

4 along the southern coast of France. They faced a 

5 sustained and withering assault from the German 

6 garrisons, as the Force progressed from the islands 

7 to the Franco-Italian border. 

8 (13) After securing the Franco-Italian border, 

9 the United States Army ordered the disbandment of 

10 the First Special Service Force on December 5, 

11 1944, in Nice, France. 

12 (14) In 251 days of combat, the Force suffered 

13 2,314 casualties, or 134 percent of its combat 

14 strength. It captured more than 30,000 prisoners, 

15 won 5 United States campaign stars, and 8 Cana16 dian battle honors. It never failed a mission. 

17 (15) The United States is forever indebted to 

18 the acts of bravery and selflessness of these troops, 

19 risking their lives in covert missions for the cause of 

20 freedom. 

21 (16) The unparalleled work of the Force along 

22 the seas and skies of Europe were critical in repel23 ling the Nazi advance and liberating numerous 

24 French and Italian communities. 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 3767 IH

1 (17) The bond between the American and Ca2 nadian service members has endured over the dec3 ades, as they continue to meet every year for re4 unions, alternating between Canada and the United 

5 States. 

6 (18) The traditions and honors exhibited by the 

7 First Special Service Force are carried forward with 

8 its lineage embracing outstanding active units of 2 

9 great democracies in the Special Forces of the 

10 United States, the Canadian Airborne Regiment, 

11 and the Canadian Special Operations Regiment. 

12 SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 

13 (a) AWARD AUTHORIZED.—The Speaker of the 

14 House of Representatives and the President pro tempore 

15 of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the 

16 award, on behalf of the Congress, of 2 gold medals of ap17 propriate design to the First Special Service Force, collec18 tively, in recognition of their dedicated service during 

19 World War II. 

20 (b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For the purposes of the 

21 award referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the 

22 Treasury (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall 

23 strike the gold medals with suitable emblems, devices, and 

24 inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary. 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 3767 IH

1 (c) AWARD TO SMITHSONIAN AND FIRST SPECIAL

2 SERVICE FORCE ASSOCIATION.— 

3 (1) IN GENERAL.—Following the award of the 

4 gold medals in honor of the First Special Service 

5 Force, under subsection (a)— 

6 (A) one gold medal shall be given to the 

7 Smithsonian Institution, where it will be dis8 played as appropriate and made available for 

9 research; and 

10 (B) one gold medal shall be given to the 

11 First Special Service Force Association in Hel12 ena, Montana. 

13 (2) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of 

14 the Congress that the Smithsonian Institution and 

15 the First Special Service Force Association should 

16 make the gold medals received under paragraph (1) 

17 available for display elsewhere, particularly at other 

18 appropriate locations associated with the First Spe19 cial Service Force, including Fort William Henry 

20 Harrison in Helena, Montana. 

21 SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 

22 The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in 

23 bronze of the gold medals struck under section 2, at a 

24 price sufficient to cover the costs of the medals, including 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
7 

•HR 3767 IH

1 labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead ex2 penses. 

3 SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS. 

4 Medals struck pursuant to this Act are national med5 als for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States 

6 Code. 

7 SEC. 5. AUTHORITY TO USE FUNDS; PROCEEDS OF SALE. 

8 (a) AUTHORITY TO USE FUNDS.—There is author9 ized to be charged against the United States Mint Public 

10 Enterprise Fund, an amount not to exceed $30,000 to pay 

11 for the cost of the medals authorized under section 2. 

12 (b) PROCEEDS OF SALE.—Amounts received from the 

13 sale of duplicate bronze medals under section 3 shall be 

14 deposited in the United States Mint Public Enterprise 

15 Fund. 

Æ 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS