IA 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. J. RES. 45
Authorizing special awards to World War I and World War II veterans 
of the United States Navy Armed Guard. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 27, 2005
Mr. LARSEN of Washington (for himself and Mr. MCDERMOTT) introduced the 
following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed 
Services 
JOINT RESOLUTION 
Authorizing special awards to World War I and World War 
II veterans of the United States Navy Armed Guard.
Whereas the members of the United States Navy Armed 
Guard sailed the oceans and seas on merchant ships dur-
ing World War I and World War II to protect important 
cargo from capture or destruction by the enemy; 
Whereas naval officers, gunners, radiomen, signalmen, med-
ics, and radarmen serving on American merchant ships 
comprised the United States Navy Armed Guard, a force 
that grew to 144,970 personnel during World War II; 
Whereas the mariners who served in the United States Navy 
Armed Guard fought bravely, often under heavy fire, and 
many even as the decks of their ships were awash and 
sinking beneath the ocean waves;
•HJ 45 IH 
Whereas, of the 6,236 merchant ships (including the 2,710 
famous Liberty Ships) on which detachments of the 
United States Navy Armed Guard served during World 
War II, 720 ships (including 216 Liberty Ships) were 
sunk, and many more were damaged by enemy action; 
Whereas approximately 1,810 members of the United States 
Navy Armed Guard died and many more were wounded 
in the service of their country in World War II, a cas-
ualty rate that grimly rivals the casualty rate of any 
other defined force of the Armed Forces during World 
War II; 
Whereas, on April 4, 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt 
issued a proclamation, ‘‘with each Commander in Chief 
to follow doing the same’’, designating May 22, 1945, as 
National Maritime Day in honor of those who sailed the 
oceans and seas transporting supplies of every sort to 
both the peaceful and war-torn nations of the world; 
Whereas the nations of the world owe their freedom, in part, 
to the sacrifices of the members of the United States 
Navy Armed Guard, and many of those nations have 
awarded special medals to veterans of the United States 
Navy Armed Guard in recognition of their heroic actions; 
Whereas the United States Government has failed to follow 
the lead of those nations in recognizing the members of 
the United States Navy Armed Guard with a special 
medal that honors them as the American heroes that they 
are; 
Whereas the United States Government has recognized the 
military character of the service in the United States 
Navy Armed Guard by awarding each member that 
served during World War II at least 1 of the 3 World
•HJ 45 IH 
War II campaign medals for service in the American 
Theater, the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, and the Europe–Af-
rica–Middle East Theater; 
Whereas the mariners who served in the United States Navy 
Armed Guard aboard United States cargo ships during 
World War I, and those who served honorably to protect 
civilians and freight on vessels under foreign flags during 
both World War I and World War II, were equally dedi-
cated, intrepid, and heroic, and are equally deserving of 
recognition with a special medal; 
Whereas Chief Boatswain Mate John Eopolucci of the United 
States Navy Armed Guard was the first United States 
serviceman to die in World War I, and 
Whereas the United States has not adequately recognized the 
heroism and sacrifices of the members of the United 
States Navy Armed Guard during World War I and 
World War II; and 
Whereas there are no white crosses to designate the burial 
places of United States Navy Armed Guards who died at 
sea serving their country, and these men have never been 
appropriately honored for their service: Now, therefore, 
be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. JOHN EOPOLUCCI UNITED STATES NAVY 
ARMED GUARD SEVICE MEDAL. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The President is authorized and 
urged to award—
•HJ 45 IH 
(1) to each person who served at sea as a mem-
ber of the United States Navy Armed Guard during 
World War I or World War II, a special medal of 
a design appropriate for recognizing service in the 
United States Navy Armed Guard, as service in a 
special force of the United States Navy, together 
with accompanying ribbons and appurtenances and a 
Presidential Unit Citation; and 
(2) to each person who served exclusively on 
shore duty as a member of the United States Navy 
Armed Guard during World War I or World War II, 
a special pin or badge of a design appropriate for 
recognizing service in the United States Navy Armed 
Guard as service in a military organization of the 
United States Navy. 
(b) NAME OF AWARD.—The medal awarded pursuant 
to subsection (a) shall be known as the John Eopolucci 
United States Navy Armed Guard Service Medal.
Æ