I 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4700 

To award a Congressional gold medal to the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), commonly known as ‘‘Merrill’s Marauders’’, in recognition of 

their bravery and outstanding service in the jungles of Burma during 

World War II. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 3, 2016 

Mr. KING of New York (for himself, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. NUNES, Mr. 

JONES, Mr. ZELDIN, and Mr. ISRAEL) 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 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), commonly known as ‘‘Merrill’s 

Marauders’’, in recognition of their bravery and outstanding service in the jungles of Burma 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. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Merrill’s Marauders 

5 Congressional Gold Medal Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

2 Congress makes the following findings: 

3 (1) In August 1943, President Franklin D. 

4 Roosevelt and other allied leaders proposed the cre5 ation of an American ground unit that would engage 

6 in a ‘‘long-range penetration mission’’ in Japanese7 occupied Burma. This unit’s mission would be to cut 

8 off Japanese communications and supply lines, and 

9 capture Japanese-held airfield and town of 

10 Myitkyina. 

11 (2) President Roosevelt issued a call for volun12 teers for ‘‘a dangerous and hazardous mission’’, the 

13 call was answered by approximately 3,000 American 

14 soldiers. The unit was officially designated as the 

15 ‘‘5307th Composite Unit (Provisional)’’ Code Name: 

16 ‘‘Galahad’’. Later it became known as ‘‘Merrill’s 

17 Marauders’’ named after its leader, Brigadier Gen18 eral Frank Merrill. 

19 (3) In February 1944, the Marauders began 

20 their approximately 1,000-mile trek through the 

21 dense Burmese jungle. The Marauders had no artil22 lery support and carried their supplies on their 

23 backs or the pack saddles of mules. 

24 (4) Over the course of their 5-month trek to 

25 Myitkyina, the Marauders fought victoriously 


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1 against larger Japanese forces through 5 major and 

2 30 minor engagements. 

3 (5) During their march to Myitkyina, the Ma4 rauders faced hunger and disease that were exacer5 bated by inadequate aerial resupply drops. Malaria, 

6 typhus, and dysentery inflicted more casualties on 

7 the Marauders than the Japanese. 

8 (6) By August 1944, the Marauders accom9 plished their mission, successfully disrupting Japa10 nese supply and communication lines, taking the 

11 town of Myitkyina and the Myitkyina airstrip, the 

12 only all-weather airstrip in Northern Burma. 

13 (7) After taking Myitkyina, only 130 Maraud14 ers out of the original 2,750 were fit for duty. All 

15 remaining Marauders still in action were evacuated 

16 to hospitals due to tropical diseases, exhaustion, and 

17 malnutrition. 

18 (8) For their bravery and accomplishments, the 

19 Marauders were awarded the ‘‘Distinguished Unit 

20 Citation’’, later redesignated as the ‘‘Presidential 

21 Unit Citation’’. Each Marauder also earned a 

22 Bronze Star for his service. 

23 (9) Though Merrill’s Marauders were oper24 ational for only a few months, the legacy of their 

25 bravery is honored by the United States Army 


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1 through the modern day 75th Ranger Regiment, 

2 which traces its lineage directly to the 5307th Com3 posite Unit. 

4 SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 

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

6 House of Representatives and the President pro tempore 

7 of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the 

8 award, on behalf of the Congress, of a single gold medal 

9 of appropriate design to the 5307th Composite Unit (Pro10 visional), commonly known as ‘‘Merrill’s Marauders’’, in 

11 recognition of their bravery and outstanding service in the 

12 jungles of Burma during World War II. 

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

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

15 Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Sec16 retary’’) shall strike the gold medal with suitable emblems, 

17 devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Sec18 retary. 

19 (c) SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.— 

20 (1) IN GENERAL.—Following the award of the 

21 gold medal referred to in subsection (a) in honor of 

22 the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), who be23 came known as ‘‘Merrill’s Marauders’’, the gold 

24 medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution, 


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1 where it will be displayed as appropriate and made 

2 available for research. 

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

4 Congress that the Smithsonian Institution should 

5 make the gold medal received under this Act avail6 able for display elsewhere, particularly at other loca7 tions and events associated with Merrill’s Maraud8 ers. 

9 SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 

10 Under such regulations as the Secretary may pre11 scribe, the Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in 

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

13 sufficient to cover the costs of the medals, including labor, 

14 materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses. 

15 SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS. 

16 Medals struck pursuant to this Act are national med17 als for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States 

18 Code. 

Æ 


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