I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 10110 

To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion, collectively, in recognition of their extraordinary heroism and 

life-saving actions during the D-Day invasion, and their significant contributions to the success of the Allied forces during World War II. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 8, 2024 

Mr. VEASEY (for himself, Mr. KELLY of Mississippi, Mr. KUSTOFF, Mr. CARSON, Mr. GARAMENDI, Mr. GUEST, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Mr. 

CRAWFORD, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. KHANNA, 

Mrs. BICE, Mr. BACON, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. CUELLAR, Mr. MOYLAN, Mr. 

DAVIS of North Carolina, Mr. VAN DREW, Mr. CARTER of Louisiana, Mr. 

SMUCKER, Ms. GARCIA of Texas, and Ms. STRICKLAND) 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 award a Congressional Gold Medal to the 320th Barrage 

Balloon Battalion, collectively, in recognition of their extraordinary heroism and life-saving actions during the 

D-Day invasion, and their significant contributions to 

the success of the Allied forces 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, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘320th Barrage Balloon 

3 Battalion Gold Medal Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

5 Congress finds the following: 

6 (1) The 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion was 

7 activated on December 10, 1942, and their first 

8 combat assignment took place on the beaches of 

9 Utah and Omaha in Normandy, France, during the 

10 D-Day invasion. 

11 (2) The Soldiers of the Battalion played a cru12 cial role in protecting the Allied forces during the D13 Day invasion by deploying barrage balloons to pre14 vent enemy aircraft from targeting the invasion 

15 forces directly. Their bravery and determination ex16 emplify the valor and dedication of African-American 

17 soldiers during World War II. 

18 (3) The 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion was 

19 unique at Normandy for two reasons. First, it was 

20 the only American barrage balloon unit in France 

21 and second, it was the only African-American com22 bat unit to land in Normandy. 

23 (4) The brave men of the 320th Barrage Bal24 loon Battalion faced intense enemy fire during the 

25 D-Day invasion. Their mission was to raise flam26 mable hydrogen-filled barrage balloons to protect asVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:44 Nov 09, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H10110.IH H10110

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1 saulting infantry and armor from being strafed by 

2 enemy aircraft. The balloons, armed with small 

3 bombs, flew at an altitude of up to 2,000 feet to de4 fend soldiers landing on the beaches against strafing 

5 attacks by German aircraft. 

6 (5) The 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion came 

7 up with an ingenious solution to one problem they 

8 had during the landing. They refitted RL–31 Signal 

9 Corps field cable winches with barrage balloon reels, 

10 which weighed only 35 pounds and were mounted in 

11 the back of a jeep to deploy and control balloons on 

12 D-Day. 

13 (6) Despite the severe conditions and many bal14 loons being shot down, the battalion successfully de15 ployed their balloons which were credited with pro16 tecting incoming Allied ships, troops, and crucial 

17 material from attack. The battalion was credited 

18 with downing at least one, if not several, German 

19 Ju–88 aircraft, significantly contributing to the 

20 overall security and success of the invasion and the 

21 Allied victory. 

22 (7) Additionally, at approximately 10:15 A.M. 

23 on June 6, 1944, five battalion medics with the 

24 320th were the first to land on Omaha Beach, with 

25 crews of three-to-four men joining them shortly 


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1 after. U.S. Army Corporal Waverly B. Woodson Jr. 

2 was among them. 

3 (8) Cpl Woodson was injured when his Landing 

4 Craft, Tank (LCT 856) hit a sea mine and was, 

5 then, struck by an artillery shell. Despite his inju6 ries, Woodson continued to perform his duties, con7 ducting an amputation, setting limbs and removing 

8 bullets over a 30-hour period. He even revived three 

9 men via artificial respiration. His efforts on D-Day 

10 are believed to have treated more than 200 wounded 

11 soldiers and saved countless lives. On September 24, 

12 2024, Cpl Woodson was posthumously awarded the 

13 Distinguished Service Cross—the highest award the 

14 Army can bestow on its own authority—in recogni15 tion of his valor and heroism. He was recommended 

16 for the Medal of Honor by Gen. John C.H. Lee, but 

17 never received it. 

18 (9) The 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion 

19 served 140 days in France, providing vital air de20 fense during the critical early stages of the invasion. 

21 In late July 1944, Battery A of the 320th moved 

22 from Omaha Beach to the port city of Cherbourg, 

23 while the remaining batteries stayed on Omaha and 

24 Utah Beaches until early October, when deterio25 rating weather prevented ships from landing. 


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1 (10) Following their service in the European 

2 Theater, the 320th underwent training at Camp 

3 Stewart, Georgia prior to their deployment to the 

4 Pacific. On May 6, 1945, the 320th arrived in Oahu, 

5 Hawaii, in support of the proposed Allied invasion of 

6 Japan which never took place. 

7 (11) A commendation by Supreme Allied Com8 mander General Dwight D. Eisenhower cited the 

9 unit for conducting its mission with courage and de10 termination, proving to be an important element of 

11 the air defense team. Despite their significant con12 tributions, the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion has 

13 not received the recognition it deserves in the annals 

14 of World War II history. 

15 (12) Albert Grillette Wood Jr., the last sur16 viving member of this unit, died on June 2, 2024. 

17 His passing marked the end of an era, marking it 

18 fitting to honor the memory and service of these 

19 brave men. 

20 (13) The story of the 320th Barrage Balloon 

21 Battalion serves as a powerful reminder of the con22 tributions and sacrifices of African-American sol23 diers in World War II, whose patriotic commitment 

24 and perseverance in the face of adversity during DVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:44 Nov 09, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H10110.IH H10110

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1 Day deserve national recognition and commemora2 tion. 

3 SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 

4 (a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED.—The Speaker of 

5 the House of Representatives and the President pro tem6 pore of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements 

7 for the presentation, on behalf of Congress, of a single 

8 gold medal of appropriate design in honor of the 320th 

9 Barrage Balloon Battalion, collectively, in recognition of 

10 their extraordinary heroism and life-saving actions during 

11 the D-Day invasion, and their significant contributions to 

12 the success of the Allied forces during World War II. 

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

14 award described in subsection (a), the Secretary of the 

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

16 strike the gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and 

17 inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary. 

18 (c) SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.— 

19 (1) IN GENERAL.—After the award of the gold 

20 medal under subsection (a), the medal shall be given 

21 to the Smithsonian Institution, where the medal 

22 shall be available for display, as appropriate, and 

23 made available for research. 

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

25 Congress that the Smithsonian Institution should 


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1 make the gold medal received under paragraph (1) 

2 available elsewhere, particularly at— 

3 (A) appropriate locations associated with 

4 the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion, D-Day, 

5 World War II, and African American service 

6 members; 

7 (B) the National Museum of African 

8 American History and Culture; 

9 (C) the National World War II Museum in 

10 New Orleans; 

11 (D) the National Museum of the United 

12 States Army; and 

13 (E) any other location determined appro14 priate by the Smithsonian Institution. 

15 SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 

16 The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in 

17 bronze of the gold medal struck under section 3, at a price 

18 sufficient to cover the costs thereof, including labor, mate19 rials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses. 

20 SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS. 

21 (a) NATIONAL MEDAL.—Medals struck pursuant to 

22 this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 

23 of title 31, United States Code. 

24 (b) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of sections 

25 5134 and 5136 of title 31, United States Code, all medals 


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1 struck under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic 

2 items. 

3 SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS; PROCEED OF 

4 SALE. 

5 (a) AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS.—There is 

6 authorized to be charged against the United States Mint 

7 Public Enterprise Fund such amounts as may be nec8 essary to pay for the costs of the medals struck under 

9 this Act. 

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

11 sale of duplicate bronze medals authorized under section 

12 4 shall be deposited into the United States Mint Public 

13 Enterprise Fund. 

Æ 


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