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[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 789 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 789

   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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 23, 2013

    Mr. Baucus (for himself, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Burr, and Mr. Tester) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
            Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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.

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

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The First Special Service Force (the ``Force''), a 
        military unit composed of volunteers from the United States and 
        Canada, was activated in July 1942 at Fort Harrison near 
        Helena, Montana.
            (2) The Force was initially intended to target military and 
        industrial installations that were supporting the German war 
        effort, including important hydroelectric plants, which would 
        severely limit the production of strategic materials used by 
        the Axis powers.
            (3) From July 1942 through June 1943, volunteers of the 
        Force trained in hazardous, arctic conditions in the mountains 
        of western Montana, and in the waterways of Camp Bradford, 
        Virginia.
            (4) The combat echelon of the Force totaled 1,800 soldiers, 
        half from the United States and half from Canada.
            (5) The Force also contained a service battalion, composed 
        of 800 members from the United States, that provided important 
        support for the combat troops.
            (6) A special bond developed between the Canadian and 
        United States soldiers, who were not segregated by country, 
        although the commander of the Force was a United States 
        colonel.
            (7) The Force was the only unit formed during World War II 
        that consisted of troops from Canada and the United States.
            (8) In October 1943, the Force went to Italy, where it 
        fought in battles south of Cassino, including Monte La Difensa 
        and Monte Majo, two mountain peaks that were a critical anchor 
        of the German defense line.
            (9) During the night of December 3, 1943, the Force 
        ascended to the top of the precipitous face of Monte La 
        Difensa, where the Force suffered heavy casualties and overcame 
        fierce resistance to overtake the German line.
            (10) After the battle for La Difensa, the Force continued 
        to fight tough battles at high altitudes, in rugged terrain, 
        and in severe weather.
            (11) After battles on the strongly defended Italian peaks 
        of Sammucro, Vischiataro, and Remetanea, the size of the Force 
        had been reduced from 1,800 soldiers to fewer than 500.
            (12) For 4 months in 1944, the Force engaged in raids and 
        aggressive patrols at the Anzio Beachhead.
            (13) On June 4, 1944, members of the Force were among the 
        first Allied troops to liberate Rome.
            (14) After liberating Rome, the Force moved to southern 
        Italy and prepared to assist in the liberation of France.
            (15) During the early morning of August 15, 1944, members 
        of the Force made silent landings on Les Iles D'Hyeres, small 
        islands in the Mediterranean Sea along the southern coast of 
        France.
            (16) The Force faced a sustained and withering assault from 
        the German garrisons as the Force progressed from the islands 
        to the Franco-Italian border.
            (17) After the Allied forces secured the Franco-Italian 
        border, the United States Army ordered the disbandment of the 
        Force on December 5, 1944, in Nice, France.
            (18) During 251 days of combat, the Force suffered 2,314 
        casualties, or 134 percent of its authorized strength, captured 
        thousands of prisoners, won 5 United States campaign stars and 
        8 Canadian battle honors, and never failed a mission.
            (19) The United States is forever indebted to the acts of 
        bravery and selflessness of the troops of the Force, who risked 
        their lives for the cause of freedom.
            (20) The efforts of the Force along the seas and skies of 
        Europe were critical in repelling the advance of Nazi Germany 
        and liberating numerous communities in France and Italy.
            (21) The bond between the members of the Force from the 
        United States and those from Canada has endured over the 
        decades, as the members meet every year for a reunion, 
        alternating between the United States and Canada.
            (22) The traditions and honors exhibited by the Force are 
        carried on by 2 outstanding active units of 2 great 
        democracies, the Special Forces of the United States and the 
        Canadian Special Operations Regiment.

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 gold medal 
of appropriate design to the First Special Service Force, 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 (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) Award of Medal.--Following the award of the gold medal in honor 
of the First Special Service Force under subsection (a), the medal 
shall be given to the First Special Service Force Association in 
Helena, Montana, where it shall be available for display or temporary 
loan to be displayed elsewhere, particularly at other appropriate 
locations associated with the First Special Service Force, including 
Fort William Henry Harrison in Helena, Montana.

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 medal, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and 
overhead expenses, and amounts received from the sale of such 
duplicates shall be deposited in the United States Mint Public 
Enterprise Fund.

SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS.

    Medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals for purposes 
of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.
                                 <all>
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