II 

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. 

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 (the 

6 ‘‘Force’’), a military unit composed of volunteers 

7 from the United States and Canada, was activated 

8 in July 1942 at Fort Harrison near Helena, Mon9 tana. 


smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•S 789 IS

1 (2) The Force was initially intended to target 

2 military and industrial installations that were sup3 porting the German war effort, including important 

4 hydroelectric plants, which would severely limit the 

5 production of strategic materials used by the Axis 

6 powers. 

7 (3) From July 1942 through June 1943, volun8 teers of the Force trained in hazardous, arctic condi9 tions in the mountains of western Montana, and in 

10 the waterways of Camp Bradford, Virginia. 

11 (4) The combat echelon of the Force totaled 

12 1,800 soldiers, half from the United States and half 

13 from Canada. 

14 (5) The Force also contained a service bat15 talion, composed of 800 members from the United 

16 States, that provided important support for the com17 bat troops. 

18 (6) A special bond developed between the Cana19 dian and United States soldiers, who were not seg20 regated by country, although the commander of the 

21 Force was a United States colonel. 

22 (7) The Force was the only unit formed during 

23 World War II that consisted of troops from Canada 

24 and the United States. 


smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•S 789 IS

1 (8) 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, two mountain 

4 peaks that were a critical anchor of the German de5 fense line. 

6 (9) During the night of December 3, 1943, the 

7 Force ascended to the top of the precipitous face of 

8 Monte La Difensa, where the Force suffered heavy 

9 casualties and overcame fierce resistance to overtake 

10 the German line. 

11 (10) After the battle for La Difensa, the Force 

12 continued to fight tough battles at high altitudes, in 

13 rugged terrain, and in severe weather. 

14 (11) After battles on the strongly defended 

15 Italian peaks of Sammucro, Vischiataro, and 

16 Remetanea, the size of the Force had been reduced 

17 from 1,800 soldiers to fewer than 500. 

18 (12) For 4 months in 1944, the Force engaged 

19 in raids and aggressive patrols at the Anzio Beach20 head. 

21 (13) On June 4, 1944, members of the Force 

22 were among the first Allied troops to liberate Rome. 

23 (14) After liberating Rome, the Force moved to 

24 southern Italy and prepared to assist in the libera25 tion of France. 


smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•S 789 IS

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

2 1944, members of the Force made silent landings on 

3 Les Iles D’Hyeres, small islands in the Mediterra4 nean Sea along the southern coast of France. 

5 (16) The Force faced a sustained and withering 

6 assault from the German garrisons as the Force pro7 gressed from the islands to the Franco-Italian bor8 der. 

9 (17) After the Allied forces secured the Franco10 Italian border, the United States Army ordered the 

11 disbandment of the Force on December 5, 1944, in 

12 Nice, France. 

13 (18) During 251 days of combat, the Force suf14 fered 2,314 casualties, or 134 percent of its author15 ized strength, captured thousands of prisoners, won 

16 5 United States campaign stars and 8 Canadian 

17 battle honors, and never failed a mission. 

18 (19) The United States is forever indebted to 

19 the acts of bravery and selflessness of the troops of 

20 the Force, who risked their lives for the cause of 

21 freedom. 

22 (20) The efforts of the Force along the seas 

23 and skies of Europe were critical in repelling the ad24 vance of Nazi Germany and liberating numerous 

25 communities in France and Italy. 


smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
5 

•S 789 IS

1 (21) The bond between the members of the 

2 Force from the United States and those from Can3 ada has endured over the decades, as the members 

4 meet every year for a reunion, alternating between 

5 the United States and Canada. 

6 (22) The traditions and honors exhibited by the 

7 Force are carried on by 2 outstanding active units 

8 of 2 great democracies, the Special Forces of the 

9 United States and the Canadian Special Operations 

10 Regiment. 

11 SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 

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

13 House of Representatives and the President pro tempore 

14 of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the 

15 award, on behalf of the Congress, of a gold medal of ap16 propriate design to the First Special Service Force, collec17 tively, in recognition of their dedicated service during 

18 World War II. 

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

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

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

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

23 inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary. 

24 (c) AWARD OF MEDAL.—Following the award of the 

25 gold medal in honor of the First Special Service Force 


smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
6 

•S 789 IS

1 under subsection (a), the medal shall be given to the First 

2 Special Service Force Association in Helena, Montana, 

3 where it shall be available for display or temporary loan 

4 to be displayed elsewhere, particularly at other appropriate 

5 locations associated with the First Special Service Force, 

6 including Fort William Henry Harrison in Helena, Mon7 tana. 

8 SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 

9 The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in 

10 bronze of the gold medal struck under section 2, at a price 

11 sufficient to cover the costs of the medal, including labor, 

12 materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses, 

13 and amounts received from the sale of such duplicates 

14 shall be deposited in the United States Mint Public Enter15 prise Fund. 

16 SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS. 

17 Medals struck pursuant to this Act are national med18 als for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States 

19 Code. 

Æ 


smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS