PUBLIC LAW 111–254—OCT. 5, 2010 124 STAT. 2637 

Public Law 111–254 

111th Congress 

An Act 

To grant the congressional gold medal, collectively, to the 100th Infantry Battalion 

and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, United States Army, in recognition 

of their dedicated service 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. FINDINGS. 

Congress makes the following findings: 

(1) On January 19, 1942, 6 weeks after the December 

7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese Navy, the 

United States Army discharged all Japanese-Americans in the 

Reserve Officers Training Corps and changed their draft status 

to ‘‘4C’’—the status of ‘‘enemy alien’’ which is ineligible for 

the draft. 

(2) On January 23, 1942, Japanese-Americans in the military on the mainland were segregated out of their units. 

(3) Further, on May 3, 1942, General John L. DeWitt 

issued Civilian Exclusion Order No. 346, ordering all people 

of Japanese ancestry, whether citizens or noncitizens, to report 

to assembly centers, where they would live until being moved 

to permanent relocation centers. 

(4) On June 5, 1942, 1,432 predominantly Nisei (second 

generation Americans of Japanese ancestry) members of the 

Hawaii Provisional Infantry Battalion were shipped from the 

Hawaiian Islands to Oakland, CA, where the 100th Infantry 

Battalion was activated on June 12, 1942, and then shipped 

to train at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin. 

(5) The excellent training record of the 100th Infantry 

Battalion and petitions from prominent civilian and military 

personnel helped convince President Roosevelt and the War 

Department to reopen military service to Nisei volunteers who 

were incorporated into the 442nd Regimental Combat Team 

after it was activated in February of 1943. 

(6) In that same month, the 100th Infantry Battalion was 

transferred to Camp Shelby, Mississippi, where it continued 

to train, and even though the battalion was ready to deploy 

shortly thereafter, the battalion was refused by General Eisenhower, due to concerns over the loyalty and patriotism of the 

Nisei. 

(7) The 442nd Regimental Combat Team later trained with 

the 100th Infantry Battalion at Camp Shelby in May of 1943. 

(8) Eventually, the 100th Infantry Battalion was deployed 

to the Mediterranean and entered combat in Italy on September 

26, 1943. 

31 USC 5111 

note. 

Oct. 5, 2010 

[S. 1055] 


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124 STAT. 2638 PUBLIC LAW 111–254—OCT. 5, 2010 

(9) Due to their bravery and valor, members of the Battalion were honored with 6 awards of the Distinguished Service 

Cross in the first 8 weeks of combat. 

(10) The 100th Battalion fought at Cassino, Italy in 

January 1944, and later accompanied the 34th Infantry Division to Anzio, Italy. 

(11) The 442nd Regimental Combat Team arrived in 

Civitavecchia, Italy on June 7, 1944, and on June 15 of the 

following week, the 100th Infantry Battalion was formally made 

an integral part of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and 

fought for the last 11 months of the war with distinction in 

Italy, southern France, and Germany. 

(12) The battalion was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for its actions in battle on June 26–27, 1944. 

(13) The 442nd Regimental became the most decorated 

unit in United States military history for its size and length 

of service. 

(14) The 100th Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, received 7 Presidential Unit Citations, 21 Medals 

of Honor, 29 Distinguished Service Crosses, 560 Silver Stars, 

4,000 Bronze Stars, 22 Legion of Merit Medals, 15 Soldier’s 

Medals, and over 4,000 Purple Hearts, among numerous additional distinctions. 

(15) The United States remains forever indebted to the 

bravery, valor, and dedication to country these men faced while 

fighting a 2-fronted battle of discrimination at home and fascism abroad. 

(16) Their commitment and sacrifice demonstrates a highly 

uncommon and commendable sense of patriotism and honor. 

(17) The Military Intelligence Service (in this Act referred 

to as the ‘‘MIS’’) was made up of about 6,000 Japanese American 

soldiers who conducted highly classified intelligence operations 

that proved to be vital to United States military successes 

in the Pacific Theatre. 

(18) As they were discharged from the Army, MIS soldiers 

were told not to discuss their wartime work, due to its sensitive 

nature, and their contributions were not known until passage 

of the Freedom of Information Act in 1974. 

(19) MIS soldiers were attached individually or in small 

groups to United States and Allied combat units, where they 

intercepted radio transmissions, translated enemy documents, 

interrogated enemy prisoners of war, volunteered for reconnaissance and covert intelligence missions, and persuaded enemy 

combatants to surrender. 

(20) Their contributions continued during the Allied postwar occupation of Japan, and MIS linguistic skills and understanding of Japanese customs were invaluable to occupation 

forces as they assisted Japan in a peaceful transition to a 

new, democratic form of government. 

SEC. 2. 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 the 

Congress, of a single gold medal of appropriate design to the 100th 

Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and the 


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PUBLIC LAW 111–254—OCT. 5, 2010 124 STAT. 2639 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 1055 (H.R. 347): 

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 156 (2010): 

Aug. 2, considered and passed Senate. 

Sept. 23, considered and passed House. 

Æ 

Military Intelligence Service, United States Army, collectively, in 

recognition of their dedicated service during World War II. 

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

referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter 

in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall strike the 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 honor of the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental 

Combat Team, and the Military Intelligence Service, United 

States Army, 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 the 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 

100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, 

and the Military Intelligence Service, United States Army. 

SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 

The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the 

gold medal struck under section 2, at a price sufficient to cover 

the costs of the medals, including labor, materials, dies, use of 

machinery, and overhead expenses. 

SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS. 

Medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals for 

purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code. 

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

(a) AUTHORITY TO USE FUNDS.—There is authorized to be 

charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund, 

an amount not to exceed $30,000 to pay for the cost of the medal 

authorized under section 2. 

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

duplicate bronze medals under section 3 shall be deposited in the 

United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund. 

Approved October 5, 2010. 


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