IIB 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 324 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 22, 2013 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 

Urban Affairs 

AN ACT 

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, 


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HR 324 RFS 

1 SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 

2 Congress finds the following: 

3 (1) The First Special Service Force (the 

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

5 from the United States and Canada, was activated 

6 in July 1942 at Fort Harrison near Helena, Mon7 tana. 

8 (2) The Force was initially intended to target 

9 military and industrial installations that were sup10 porting the German war effort, including important 

11 hydroelectric plants, which would severely limit the 

12 production of strategic materials used by the Axis 

13 powers. 

14 (3) From July 1942 through June 1943, volun15 teers of the Force trained in hazardous, arctic condi16 tions in the mountains of western Montana, and in 

17 the waterways of Camp Bradford, Virginia. 

18 (4) The combat echelon of the Force totaled 

19 1,800 soldiers, half from the United States and half 

20 from Canada. 

21 (5) The Force also contained a service bat22 talion, composed of 800 members from the United 

23 States, that provided important support for the com24 bat troops. 

25 (6) A special bond developed between the Cana26 dian and United States soldiers, who were not segVerDate Mar 15 2010 23:48 May 22, 2013 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H324.RFS H324

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1 regated by country, although the commander of the 

2 Force was a United States colonel. 

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

4 World War II that consisted of troops from Canada 

5 and the United States. 

6 (8) In October 1943, the Force went to Italy, 

7 where it fought in battles south of Cassino, including 

8 Monte La Difensa and Monte Majo, two mountain 

9 peaks that were a critical anchor of the German de10 fense line. 

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

12 Force ascended to the top of the precipitous face of 

13 Monte La Difensa, where the Force suffered heavy 

14 casualties and overcame fierce resistance to overtake 

15 the German line. 

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

17 continued to fight tough battles at high altitudes, in 

18 rugged terrain, and in severe weather. 

19 (11) After battles on the strongly defended 

20 Italian peaks of Sammucro, Vischiataro, and 

21 Remetanea, the size of the Force had been reduced 

22 from 1,800 soldiers to fewer than 500. 

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

24 in raids and aggressive patrols at the Anzio Beach25 head. 


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HR 324 RFS 

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

2 were among the first Allied troops to liberate Rome. 

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

4 southern Italy and prepared to assist in the libera5 tion of France. 

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

7 1944, members of the Force made silent landings on 

8 Les Iles D’Hyeres, small islands in the Mediterra9 nean Sea along the southern coast of France. 

10 (16) The Force faced a sustained and withering 

11 assault from the German garrisons as the Force pro12 gressed from the islands to the Franco-Italian bor13 der. 

14 (17) After the Allied forces secured the Franco15 Italian border, the United States Army ordered the 

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

17 Nice, France. 

18 (18) During 251 days of combat, the Force suf19 fered 2,314 casualties, or 134 percent of its author20 ized strength, captured thousands of prisoners, won 

21 5 United States campaign stars and 8 Canadian 

22 battle honors, and never failed a mission. 

23 (19) The United States is forever indebted to 

24 the acts of bravery and selflessness of the troops of 


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

2 freedom. 

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

4 and skies of Europe were critical in repelling the ad5 vance of Nazi Germany and liberating numerous 

6 communities in France and Italy. 

7 (21) The bond between the members of the 

8 Force from the United States and those from Can9 ada has endured over the decades, as the members 

10 meet every year for a reunion, alternating between 

11 the United States and Canada. 

12 (22) The traditions and honors exhibited by the 

13 Force are carried on by 2 outstanding active units 

14 of 2 great democracies, the Special Forces of the 

15 United States and the Canadian Special Operations 

16 Regiment. 

17 SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 

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

19 House of Representatives and the President pro tempore 

20 of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the 

21 award, on behalf of the Congress, of a gold medal of ap22 propriate design to the First Special Service Force, collec23 tively, in recognition of their dedicated service during 

24 World War II. 


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

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

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

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

5 inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary. 

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

7 gold medal in honor of the First Special Service Force 

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

9 Special Service Force Association in Helena, Montana, 

10 where it shall be available for display or temporary loan 

11 to be displayed elsewhere, particularly at other appropriate 

12 locations associated with the First Special Service Force, 

13 including Fort William Henry Harrison in Helena, Mon14 tana. 

15 SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 

16 The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in 

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

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

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

20 and amounts received from the sale of such duplicates 

21 shall be deposited in the United States Mint Public Enter22 prise Fund. 


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1 SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS. 

2 Medals struck pursuant to this Act are national med3 als for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States 

4 Code. 

Passed the House of Representatives May 21, 2013. 

Attest: KAREN L. HAAS, 

Clerk. 


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