IIB 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 1097 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
MAY 23, 2024 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 
Urban Affairs 
AN ACT 
To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Everett Alvarez, 
Jr., in recognition of his service to the Nation. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
06:51 May 24, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1097.RFS
H1097
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
HR 1097 RFS
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Everett Alvarez, Jr. 
Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2023’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Commander (CDR) Everett Alvarez, Jr., 
served with distinction in the Vietnam war and made 
historic sacrifices for the United States as the first 
United States pilot to be shot down and captured 
during the Vietnam war and the second-longest pris-
oner of war in United States history, surviving over 
eight and half years in captivity. 
(2) CDR Alvarez was born in Salinas, Cali-
fornia, in 1937, and was the grandchild of Mexican 
immigrants. 
(3) CDR Alvarez attended Salinas Union High 
School and Hartnell College and received a bachelor 
of science degree from Santa Clara University. 
(4) In 1960, CDR Alvarez joined the United 
States Navy and was commissioned as Ensign. 
(5) After receiving his commission, CDR Alva-
rez attended flight training at the Naval Air Basic 
Training Command in Pensacola, Florida. 
(6) In June 1961, CDR Alvarez was trans-
ferred to the Naval Auxiliary Air Station in 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
06:51 May 24, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1097.RFS
H1097
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
HR 1097 RFS
Kingsville, Texas, where he trained until December 
1961. 
(7) CDR Alvarez was promoted to Lieutenant 
(junior grade) in April 1962. 
(8) In June 1962, CDR Alvarez joined Attack 
Squadron 144, nicknamed the ‘‘Roadrunners’’, 
which was deployed to the Gulf of Tonkin prior to 
the United States entrance in the Vietnam war in 
August 1964. 
(9) On August 5, 1964, while flying Operation 
Pierce Arrow from the USS Constellation near the 
Vietnam-China border, CDR Alvarez’s A–4 Skyhawk 
was shot down and he was captured by a Vietnamese 
fishing vessel. 
(10) Upon capture, CDR Alvarez was taken to 
the Ho`a Lo` Prison in Hanoi, known to many former 
prisoners as the ‘‘Hanoi Hilton’’. 
(11) CDR Alvarez spent his first thirteen 
months, eight days, and five hours in isolation. 
(12) While at Ho`a Lo`, CDR Alvarez was re-
peatedly beaten and tortured and was fed inedible 
meals and suffered malnourishment. 
(13) In September 1965, CDR Alvarez was 
moved to the ‘‘Briarpatch’’, a prison camp west of 
Hanoi, with no electricity or running water. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
06:51 May 24, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1097.RFS
H1097
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
HR 1097 RFS
(14) Despite torture and interrogation, CDR 
Alvarez remained loyal to the United States and as-
sisted other American prisoners of war. 
(15) CDR Alvarez, with his own actions, en-
couraged and inspired fellow prisoners of war to 
‘‘Return with Honor’’, which meant keeping their in-
tegrity in the face of torture and not cooperating 
with or divulging information to the enemy, so they 
could return home having remained loyal to the 
United States. 
(16) At great risk, CDR Alvarez helped spread 
the means of communication, including the tap code 
and the mute hand code, to keep up spirits and stay 
organized. 
(17) On July 6, 1966, CDR Alvarez and 51 
other American prisoners of war were forced to 
march in the ‘‘Hanoi Parade’’ where he was abused 
and attacked by mobs. 
(18) CDR Alvarez was released February 12, 
1973, after spending 3,113 days in captivity, or 
eight years and six months. 
(19) Following his release and hospitalization, 
CDR Alvarez resumed his Naval service, returning 
to Naval Air Station Kingsville for refresher flight 
training. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
06:51 May 24, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1097.RFS
H1097
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB