(5) On May 6, 1942, Corregidor fell after a 
weeklong siege and its defenders were surrendered. 
(6) On May 10, 1942, American forces under 
the command of Major General William F. Sharp 
surrendered after fighting the Japanese from April 
29, 1942, to May 9, 1942, on the island of 
Mindanao in the southernmost portion of the Phil-
ippine Archipelago. It was on this date, May 10, 
1942, that General Wainwright, as Supreme Allied 
Commander, surrendered all Allied Forces in the 
Philippine Archipelago. 
(7) During this forced march, thousands of sol-
diers died, either from starvation, lack of medical 
care, sheer exhaustion, or abuse by their captors. 
(8) Within the first 40 days at Camp 
O’Donnell, 1,600 more prisoners from the United 
States died. 
(9) The conditions at the camp were sub-
standard, leading to increased disease and malnutri-
tion among the prisoners. 
(10) In May 1942 the Japanese began transfer-
ring POWs by sea. Prisoners were crammed into 
cargo holds with little air, food or water for journeys 
that would last for weeks on what were to be known 
as the ‘‘Hell Ships’’. Many died due to asphyxia, 
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starvation, or dysentery. Some prisoners became de-
lirious and unresponsive in an environment of heat, 
humidity and lack of oxygen, food, and water. More 
than 3,300 prisoners died at sea while being trans-
ported by these ships. 
(11) On June 6, 1942, the prisoners from the 
United States were transferred to Cabanatuan, 
north of Camp O’Donnell. 
(12) The campus of the University of Santo 
Tomas was converted to the Santo Tomas Intern-
ment Camp by the Japanese during their occupation 
of the Philippines. Santo Tomas became the initial 
internment camp for both the army and navy 
nurses, with the army and navy nurses remaining 
there until their liberation. 
(13) The prisoners who remained in the camps 
suffered from continued mistreatment, malnutrition, 
lack of medical care, and horrific conditions. 
(14) The prisoners who remained in these 
camps were liberated in 1945. 
(15) Over the subsequent decades, these pris-
oners formed support groups, were honored in local 
and State memorials, and told their story to all peo-
ple of the United States. 
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(16) The people of the United States are for-
ever indebted to these men and women for— 
(A) the courage they demonstrated during 
the first 4 months of World War II in fighting 
against enemy soldiers; and 
(B) the perseverance they demonstrated 
during years of capture, imprisonment, and 
atrocious conditions, while maintaining dignity, 
honor, patriotism, and loyalty. 
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 
(a) AWARD
AUTHORIZED.—The Speaker of the 
House of Representatives and the President pro tempore 
of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the 
award, on behalf of the Congress, of a single gold medal 
of appropriate design to American military personnel who 
fought in defense of Bataan, Corregidor, Guam, Wake Is-
land, and the Philippine Archipelago between December 
7, 1941, and May 10, 1942, and who died or were impris-
oned by the Japanese military in the Philippines, Japan, 
Korea, Manchuria, Wake Island, and Guam from April 9, 
1942, until September 2, 1945, in recognition of their per-
sonal sacrifice and service to their country. 
(b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For purposes of the 
award under subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury 
(hereafter in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall 
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strike the gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and 
inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary. 
(c) TRANSFER AND DISPLAY OF MEDALS.— 
(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 displayed as appropriate and made avail-
able for research. 
(2) SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.—It is the sense 
of the Congress that the Smithsonian Institution 
should make the gold medal received under para-
graph (1) available for display at other locations, 
particularly such locations as are associated with the 
American military prisoners described under sub-
section (a). 
SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 
(a) STRIKING OF DUPLICATES.—Under such regula-
tions as the Secretary may prescribe, the Secretary may 
strike duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck under 
section 2. 
(b) SELLING OF DUPLICATES.—The Secretary may 
sell such duplicates under subsection (a) at a price suffi-
cient to cover the costs of such duplicates, including labor, 
materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses. 
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SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS. 
Medals struck pursuant to this Act are National med-
als for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States 
Code. 
Æ 
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