H. R. 1209 

One Hundred Thirteenth Congress 

of the 

United States of America 

AT THE SECOND SESSION 

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday, 

the third day of January, two thousand and fourteen 

An Act 

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. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 

the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 

Congress finds that— 

(1) on April 18, 1942, the brave men of the 17th Bombardment Group (Medium) became known as the ‘‘Doolittle Tokyo 

Raiders’’ for outstanding heroism, valor, skill, and service to 

the United States in conducting the bombings of Tokyo; 

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

Colonel James Doolittle, volunteered for an ‘‘extremely hazardous mission’’, without knowing the target, location, or 

assignment, and willingly put their lives in harm’s way, risking 

death, capture, and torture; 

(3) the conduct of medium bomber operations from a Navy 

aircraft carrier under combat conditions had never before been 

attempted; 

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

picket ships 170 miles further away from the prearranged 

launch point, the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders proceeded to take 

off 670 miles from the coast of Japan; 

(5) by launching more than 100 miles beyond the distance 

considered to be minimally safe for the mission, the Doolittle 

Tokyo Raiders deliberately accepted the risk that the B–25s 

might not have enough fuel to reach the designated air-fields 

in China on return; 

(6) the additional launch distance greatly increased the 

risk of crash landing in Japanese occupied China, exposing 

the crews to higher probability of death, injury, or capture; 

(7) because of that deliberate choice, after bombing their 

targets in Japan, low on fuel and in setting night and deteriorating weather, none of the 16 airplanes reached the prearranged Chinese airfields; 

(8) of the 80 Doolittle Tokyo Raiders who launched on 

the raid, 8 were captured, 2 died in the crash, and 70 returned 

to the United States; 

(9) of the 8 captured Doolittle Tokyo Raiders, 3 were 

executed and 1 died of disease; and 

(10) there were only 5 surviving members of the Doolittle 

Tokyo Raiders as of February 2013. 
H. R. 1209—2 

SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 

(a) AWARD.— 

(1) AUTHORIZED.—The President pro tempore of the Senate 

and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall make 

appropriate arrangements for the award, on behalf of Congress, 

of a single gold medal of appropriate design in honor of the 

World War II members of the 17th Bombardment Group 

(Medium) who became known as the ‘‘Doolittle Tokyo Raiders’’, 

in recognition of their military service during World War II. 

(2) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For the purposes of the award 

referred to in paragraph (1), the Secretary of the Treasury 

shall strike the gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, 

and inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary. 

(3) NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE.— 

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

medal referred to in paragraph (1) in honor of the World 

War II members of the 17th Bombardment Group 

(Medium), who became known as the ‘‘Doolittle Tokyo 

Raiders’’, the gold medal shall be given to the National 

Museum of the United States Air Force, where it shall 

be available for display with the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders 

Goblets, as appropriate, and made available for research. 

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

that the National Museum of the United States Air Force 

should make the gold medal received under this Act available for display elsewhere, particularly at other locations 

and events associated with the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders. 

(b) DUPLICATE MEDALS.—Under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, the Secretary may strike and sell duplicates 

in bronze of the gold medal struck under this Act, at a price 

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

dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses. 

(c) NATIONAL MEDALS.—Medals struck pursuant to this Act 

are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United 

States Code. 

Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.