I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8978 
To award a Congressional Gold Medal to members of the Red Cross Supple-
mental Recreational Activities Overseas (SRAO) program, also known 
as the ‘‘Donut Dollies’’, who served honorably during the Vietnam con-
flict. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 22, 2022 
Ms. SHERRILL (for herself, Ms. SPANBERGER, Ms. DEAN, Mr. PHILLIPS, Ms. 
ROSS, and Mr. RYAN of Ohio) 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 de-
termined 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 members of the 
Red Cross Supplemental Recreational Activities Overseas 
(SRAO) program, also known as the ‘‘Donut Dollies’’, 
who served honorably during the Vietnam conflict. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as ‘‘Donut Dollies Congres-
sional Gold Medal Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following: 
(1) The Vietnam War, (1954–1975), a conflict 
that pitted the communist Government of North 
Vietnam and its allies in South Vietnam, known as 
the Viet Cong, against the Government of South 
Vietnam, involved thousands of U.S. servicemembers 
and volunteers over its course. U.S. military advis-
ers, present in small numbers throughout the 1950s, 
were introduced on a large scale beginning in 1961, 
and active combat units were introduced in 1965. As 
early as February 1962, the number of American 
military forces in Vietnam warranted the assignment 
of American Red Cross field directors. 
(2) Women were not subject to the Vietnam-era 
draft, but thousands volunteered. The first American 
Red Cross Field Directors were sent to South Viet-
nam in February 1962. The last Red Cross staff 
members to serve in-country departed in March 
1973. Official records indicate that a total of 1,120 
women served with the Red Cross in Vietnam during 
that 11-year period. Of that number, 627 were 
young women who were part of the organization’s 
Supplemental 
Recreation 
Activities 
Overseas 
(SRAO) program. 
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(3) Based on Red Cross estimates, around 
280,500 servicemen took part in these recreation 
programs and the women, affectionately known as 
‘‘Donut Dollies’’, traveled 27,000 miles by jeep, 
truck, airplane, and helicopter every month. Red 
Cross officials estimate that, during the seven years 
the program was in operation, the women logged 
over 2,125,000 miles. The first SRAO unit opened 
at Danang in September 1965. Others quickly fol-
lowed at Bien Hoa, Nha Trang, Cam Ranh Air 
Force and Army bases, Dian, Quang Tri, Phu Bai, 
Lai Khe, Dong Tam, Qui Nhon, Xuan Loc, and 
more. In all, there were 28 SRAO unit locations 
throughout the country. 
(4) Military commanders expressed high praise 
for the Red Cross volunteers, calling the services of 
the organization ‘‘indispensable’’ and ‘‘prime fac-
tors’’ in their efforts to maintain the high morale of 
their men and to look after their welfare. Writing to 
Red Cross national headquarters in 1968, General 
William Westmoreland, then commander of the U.S. 
forces in Southeast Asia, stated, ‘‘Serving our men 
on the battlefields here in Vietnam, the American 
Red Cross is a hotline to the folks back home, an 
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oasis in the heat of battle, and a comfort during 
hospitalization.’’. 
(5) These Red Cross volunteers shared with 
military personnel the hardship and privation of life 
in a war zone and were subject to the dangers of 
war. Many staff were injured. Five American Red 
Cross workers died in-country. Three of those were 
women, Hanna E. Crews, Virginia E. Kirsch, and 
Lucinda J. Richter, all of whom were members of 
the SRAO program. 
(6) The Donut Dollies volunteered to be sent to 
the frontlines to support servicemembers directly en-
gaged with the enemy during the Vietnam conflict. 
The extraordinary efforts of these volunteers 
throughout the extent of America’s involvement in 
the Vietnam conflict is deserving of official recogni-
tion. 
SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 
(a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZATION.—The Speaker 
of the House of Representatives and the President pro 
tempore of the Senate shall make appropriate arrange-
ments for the presentation, on behalf of the Congress, of 
a gold medal of appropriate design in commemoration to 
members of the Red Cross Supplemental Recreational Ac-
tivities Overseas (SRAO) program, also known as the 
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‘‘Donut Dollies’’, who served honorably during the Viet-
nam conflict. 
(b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For the purposes of the 
award referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the 
Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Sec-
retary’’) shall strike a gold medal with suitable emblems, 
devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Sec-
retary. 
(c) SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Following the award of the 
gold medal under subsection (a), the gold medal 
shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution, where 
it shall be available for display as appropriate and 
made available for research. 
(2) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of 
Congress that the Smithsonian Institution should 
make the gold medal received under paragraph (1) 
available for display elsewhere, particularly at other 
appropriate locations associated with the ‘‘Donut 
Dollies’’. 
(d) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the 
Congress that the United States Mint should expedite pro-
duction of the gold medal under this Act, so that the serv-
ice and sacrifice of ‘‘Donut Dollies’’ volunteers can be rec-
ognized and honored in a timely manner. 
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SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 
The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in 
bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant to section 3 
under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, at 
a price sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including labor, 
materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses. 
SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS. 
(a) NATIONAL MEDALS.—The medals struck pursu-
ant to this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 
51 of title 31, United States Code. 
(b) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of section 
5134 of title 31, United States Code, all medals struck 
under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items. 
Æ 
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