PUBLIC LAW 114–269—DEC. 14, 2016 130 STAT. 1391 

Public Law 114–269 

114th Congress 

An Act 

To award the Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the members of the Office 

of Strategic Services (OSS) in recognition of their superior service and major 

contributions 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 ‘‘Office of Strategic Services 

Congressional Gold Medal Act’’. 

SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

The Congress finds the following: 

(1) The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was America’s 

first effort to implement a system of strategic intelligence 

during World War II and provided the basis for the modernday American intelligence and special operations communities. 

The U.S. Special Operations Command and the National Clandestine Service chose the OSS spearhead as their insignias. 

(2) OSS founder General William J. Donovan is the only 

person in American history to receive our Nation’s four highest 

decorations, including the Medal of Honor. Upon learning of 

his death in 1959, President Eisenhower called General 

Donovan the ‘‘last hero’’. In addition to founding and leading 

the OSS, General Donovan was also selected by President Roosevelt, who called him his ‘‘secret legs’’, as an emissary to 

Great Britain and continental Europe before the United States 

entered World War II. 

(3) All the military branches during World War II contributed personnel to the OSS. The present-day Special Operations 

Forces trace their lineage to the OSS. Its Maritime Unit was 

a precursor to the U.S. Navy SEALs. The OSS Operational 

Groups and Jedburghs were forerunners to U.S. Army Special 

Forces. The 801st/492nd Bombardment Group (‘‘Carpetbaggers’’) were progenitors to the Air Force Special Operations 

Command. The Marines who served in the OSS, including 

the actor Sterling Hayden (a Silver Star recipient), Col. William 

Eddy (a Distinguished Service Cross recipient who was 

described as the ‘‘nearest thing the United States has had 

to a Lawrence of Arabia’’), and Col. Peter Ortiz (a two-time 

Navy Cross recipient), were predecessors to the Marine Special 

Operations Command. U.S. Coast Guard personnel were 

recruited for the Maritime Unit and its Operational Swimmer 

Group. 

31 USC 5111 

note. 

Office of 

Strategic 

Services 

Congressional 

Gold Medal Act. 

Dec. 14, 2016 

[S. 2234] 


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130 STAT. 1392 PUBLIC LAW 114–269—DEC. 14, 2016 

(4) The OSS organized, trained, supplied, and fought with 

resistance organizations throughout Europe and Asia that 

played an important role in America’s victory during World 

War II. General Eisenhower credited the OSS’s covert contribution in France to the equivalent to having an extra military 

division. General Eisenhower told General Donovan that if 

it did nothing else, the photographic reconnaissance conducted 

by the OSS prior to the D-Day Invasion justified its creation. 

(5) Four future directors of central intelligence served as 

OSS officers: William Casey, William Colby, Allen Dulles, and 

Richard Helms. 

(6) Women comprised more than one-third of OSS personnel 

and played a critical role in the organization. They included 

Virginia Hall, the only civilian female to receive a Distinguished 

Service Cross in World War II, and Julia Child. 

(7) OSS recruited Fritz Kolbe, a German diplomat who 

became America’s most important spy against the Nazis in 

World War II. 

(8) America’s leading scientists and scholars served in the 

OSS Research and Analysis Branch, including Ralph Bunche, 

the first African-American to receive the Nobel Peace Prize; 

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.; 

Supreme Court Justice Arthur Goldberg; Sherman Kent; John 

King Fairbank; and Walt Rostow. Its ranks included seven 

future presidents of the American Historical Association, five 

of the American Economic Association, and two Nobel laureates. 

(9) The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Intelligence 

and Research traces its creation to the OSS Research and 

Analysis Branch. 

(10) James Donovan, who was portrayed by Tom Hanks 

in the Steven Spielberg movie ‘‘Bridge of Spies’’ and negotiated 

the release of U–2 pilot Francis Gary Powers, served as General 

Counsel of the OSS. 

(11) The OSS invented and employed new technology 

through its Research and Development Branch, inventing new 

weapons and revolutionary communications equipment. Dr. 

Christian Lambertsen invented the first underwater rebreathing apparatus that was first utilized by the OSS and 

is known today as SCUBA. 

(12) OSS Detachment 101 operated in Burma and pioneered 

the art of unconventional warfare. It was the first United 

States unit to deploy a large guerrilla army deep in enemy 

territory. It has been credited with the highest kill/loss ratio 

for any infantry-type unit in American military history and 

was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation. 

(13) Its X–2 branch pioneered counterintelligence with the 

British and established the modern counterintelligence community. The network of contacts built by the OSS with foreign 

intelligence services led to enduring Cold War alliances. 

(14) Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of French North 

Africa in November 1942, was aided by the networks established and information acquired by the OSS to guide Allied 

landings. 

(15) OSS Operation Halyard rescued more than 500 downed 

airmen trapped behind enemy lines in Yugoslavia, one of the 

most daring and successful rescue operations of World War 

II. 


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PUBLIC LAW 114–269—DEC. 14, 2016 130 STAT. 1393 

(16) OSS ‘‘Mercy Missions’’ at the end of World War II 

saved the lives of thousands of Allied prisoners of war whom 

it was feared would be murdered by the Japanese. 

(17) The handful of surviving men and women of the OSS 

whom General Donovan said performed ‘‘some of the bravest 

acts of the war’’ are members of the ‘‘Greatest Generation’’. 

They have never been collectively recognized for their heroic 

and pioneering service in World War II. 

SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 

(a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED.—The Speaker of the House 

of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate 

shall make appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on 

behalf of the Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design in 

commemoration to the members of the Office of Strategic Services 

(OSS), in recognition of their superior service and major contributions during World War II. 

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

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 

in commemoration to the members of the Office of Strategic 

Services under subsection (a), 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 paragraph (1) available for display elsewhere, 

particularly at other appropriate locations associated with the 

Office of Strategic Services. 

SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 

The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the 

gold medal struck pursuant to section 3 under such regulations 

as the Secretary may prescribe, at a price sufficient to cover the 

cost thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, 

and overhead expenses, and the cost of the gold medal. 

SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS. 

(a) NATIONAL MEDALS.—The medals struck pursuant to this 

Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, 

United States Code. 

Determination. 


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130 STAT. 1394 PUBLIC LAW 114–269—DEC. 14, 2016 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 2234: 

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 162 (2016): 

Feb. 22, considered and passed Senate. 

Nov. 30, considered and passed House. 

Æ 

(b) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of section 5134 of title 

31, United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall 

be considered to be numismatic items. 

Approved December 14, 2016. 


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