I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 3512
To authorize the President to award a gold medal on behalf of the Congress
to the Comanche Code Talkers of World War II in recognition of their
contributions to the Nation.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
DECEMBER 18, 2001
Ms. GRANGER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Financial Services
A BILL
To authorize the President to award a gold medal on behalf
of the Congress to the Comanche Code Talkers of World
War II in recognition of their contributions to the
Nation.
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 the ‘‘World War II Coman-
che Code Talkers Congressional Gold Medal Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) On December 7, 1941, the Japanese Em-
pire attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and the Con-
gress declared war the following day.
(2) The military code, developed by the United
States for transmitting messages, had been deci-
phered by the Axis powers, and United States mili-
tary intelligence sought to develop a new means to
counter the enemy.
(3) The United States Government called upon
the Comanche Nation to support the military effort
by recruiting and enlisting Comanche men to serve
in the United States Army to develop a secret code
based on the Comanche language.
(4) At the time, the Comanches were second-
class citizens, and they were a people who were dis-
couraged from using their own language.
(5) The Comanches of the 4th Signal Division
became known as the ‘‘Comanche Code Talkers’’ and
helped to develop a code using their language to
communicate military messages during the D–Day
invasion and in the European theater during World
War II.
(6) To the enemy’s frustration, the code devel-
oped by these Native American Indians proved to be
unbreakable and was used extensively throughout
the European theater.
(7) The Comanche language, discouraged in the
past, was instrumental in developing one of the most
significant and successful military codes of World
War II.
(8) The Comanche Code Talkers contributed
greatly to the Allied war effort in Europe and were
instrumental in winning the war in Europe. Their
efforts saved countless lives.
(9) Only one of the Comanche Code Talkers of
World War II remains alive today.
(10) The time has come for the United States
Congress to honor the Comanche Code Talkers for
their valor and their service to the Nation.
(11) The congressional gold medals authorized
by this Act are the recognition and honor by the
United States and its citizens of the Comanche Code
Talkers who distinguished themselves in performing
a unique, highly successful communications oper-
ation that greatly assisted in saving countless lives
and in hastening the end of World War II in Eu-
rope.
SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
(a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED.—The President is
authorized to present, on behalf of the Congress, a gold
medal of appropriate design to each of the following Co-
manche Code Talkers of World War II, in recognition of
their contributions to the Nation:
(1) Charles Chibitty.
(2) Haddon Codynah.
(3) Robert Holder.
(4) Forrest Kassanovoid.
(5) Willington Mihecoby.
(6) Perry Noyebad.
(7) Clifford Otitivo.
(8) Simmons Parker.
(9) Melvin Permansu.
(10) Dick Red Elk.
(11) Elgin Red Elk.
(12) Larry Saupitty.
(13) Morris Sunrise.
(14) Willie Yackeschi.
(b) MEDALS AWARDED POSTHUMOUSLY.—Medals
authorized to be presented under subsection (a) may be
awarded posthumously on behalf of, and presented to a
surviving family member of, the recipient of the medal.
(c) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For the purpose of the
presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary
of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the
‘‘Secretary’’) shall strike a gold medal with suitable em-
blems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the
Secretary.
SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
Under such regulations as the Secretary may pre-
scribe, the Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in
bronze of the gold medals struck under section 3 at a price
sufficient to cover the costs of the bronze medals (includ-
ing labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead
expenses) and the costs of the gold medal.
SEC. 5. NATIONAL MEDALS.
The medals struck under this Act are national medals
for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.
SEC. 6. FUNDING AND PROCEEDS OF SALE.
(a) AUTHORIZATION.—There is authorized to be
charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise
Fund an amount not to exceed $110,000 to pay for the
cost of the medals authorized by this Act.
(b) PROCEEDS OF SALE.—Amounts received from the
sale of duplicate bronze medals under section 4 shall be
deposited in the United States Mint Public Enterprise
Fund.
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