I 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1209 

To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the World War II members of 

the ‘‘Doolittle Tokyo Raiders’’, for outstanding heroism, valor, skill, 

and service to the United States in conducting the bombings of Tokyo. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 15, 2013 

Mr. OLSON (for himself, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. GRIFFIN of Arkansas, Mr. TURNER, Mr. NUNNELEE, Mr. BRIDENSTINE, Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas, 

and Mr. STIVERS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Financial Services 

A BILL 

To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the World War 

II members of the ‘‘Doolittle Tokyo Raiders’’, for outstanding heroism, valor, skill, and service to the United 

States in conducting the bombings of Tokyo. 

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 that— 

5 (1) on April 18, 1942, the brave men of the 

6 17th Bombardment Group (Medium) became known 

7 as the ‘‘Doolittle Tokyo Raiders’’ for outstanding 

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1 heroism, valor, skill, and service to the United 

2 States in conducting the bombings of Tokyo; 

3 (2) 80 brave American aircraft crewmen, led by 

4 Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle, volunteered for 

5 an ‘‘extremely hazardous mission’’, without knowing 

6 the target, location, or assignment, and willingly put 

7 their lives in harm’s way, risking death, capture, and 

8 torture; 

9 (3) the conduct of medium bomber operations 

10 from a Navy aircraft carrier under combat condi11 tions had never before been attempted; 

12 (4) after the discovery of the USS Hornet by 

13 Japanese picket ships 170 miles further away from 

14 the prearranged launch point, the Doolittle Tokyo 

15 Raiders proceeded to take off 670 miles from the 

16 coast of Japan; 

17 (5) by launching more than 100 miles beyond 

18 the distance considered to be minimally safe for the 

19 mission, the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders deliberately ac20 cepted the risk that the B–25s might not have 

21 enough fuel to reach the designated air-fields in 

22 China on return; 

23 (6) the additional launch distance greatly in24 creased the risk of crash landing in Japanese occumstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with BILLS

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1 pied China, exposing the crews to higher probability 

2 of death, injury, or capture; 

3 (7) because of that deliberate choice, after 

4 bombing their targets in Japan, low on fuel and in 

5 setting night and deteriorating weather, none of the 

6 16 airplanes reached the prearranged Chinese air7 fields; 

8 (8) of the 80 Doolittle Tokyo Raiders who 

9 launched on the raid, 8 were captured, 2 died in the 

10 crash, and 70 returned to the United States; 

11 (9) of the 8 captured Doolittle Tokyo Raiders, 

12 3 were executed and 1 died of disease; and 

13 (10) there were only 5 surviving members of 

14 the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders as of February 2013. 

15 SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 

16 (a) AWARD.— 

17 (1) AUTHORIZED.—The President pro tempore 

18 of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Rep19 resentatives shall make appropriate arrangements 

20 for the award, on behalf of Congress, of a single 

21 gold medal of appropriate design in honor of the 

22 World War II members of the 17th Bombardment 

23 Group (Medium) who became known as the ‘‘Doo24 little Tokyo Raiders’’, in recognition of their military 

25 service during World War II. 

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1 (2) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For the purposes 

2 of the award referred to in paragraph (1), the Sec3 retary of the Treasury shall strike the gold medal 

4 with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to 

5 be determined by the Secretary. 

6 (3) NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE UNITED

7 STATES AIR FORCE.— 

8 (A) IN GENERAL.—Following the award of 

9 the gold medal referred to in paragraph (1) in 

10 honor of the World War II members of the 

11 17th Bombardment Group (Medium), who be12 came known as the ‘‘Doolittle Tokyo Raiders’’, 

13 the gold medal shall be given to the National 

14 Museum of the United States Air Force, where 

15 it shall be available for display with the Doo16 little Tokyo Raiders Goblets, as appropriate, 

17 and made available for research. 

18 (B) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense 

19 of Congress that the National Museum of the 

20 United States Air Force should make the gold 

21 medal received under this Act available for dis22 play elsewhere, particularly at other locations 

23 and events associated with the Doolittle Tokyo 

24 Raiders. 

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1 (b) DUPLICATE MEDALS.—Under such regulations 

2 as the Secretary may prescribe, the Secretary may strike 

3 and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck 

4 under this Act, at a price sufficient to cover the costs of 

5 the medals, including labor, materials, dies, use of machin6 ery, and overhead expenses. 

7 (c) NATIONAL MEDALS.—Medals struck pursuant to 

8 this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 

9 of title 31, United States Code. 

Æ 

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