I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5934 
To award a Congressional gold medal to Major Thomas D. Howie, in recogni-
tion of his bravery and outstanding service during the Battle of Nor-
mandy. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 7, 2025 
Mrs. BIGGS of South Carolina (for herself, Ms. MACE, Mr. WILSON of South 
Carolina, Mr. FRY, Mr. TIMMONS, Mr. MCCORMICK, Mr. CLINE, Mr. 
STANTON, Mr. HARRIS of Maryland, Mr. VAN DREW, Mr. HIGGINS of 
Louisiana, Mr. LAWLER, Mr. CARTER of Georgia, Mr. TIFFANY, Mr. 
VEASEY, Mr. OBERNOLTE, Mr. GRIFFITH, and Mr. GOODEN) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Serv-
ices 
A BILL 
To award a Congressional gold medal to Major Thomas 
D. Howie, in recognition of his bravery and outstanding 
service during the Battle of Normandy. 
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 ‘‘Major Thomas D. 
Howie Congressional Gold Medal’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) Major Thomas D. Howie was born on April 
12, 1908, in Abbeville, South Carolina, and went on 
to both a storied academic and athletic career at 
The Citadel as class president, a star football half-
back, and captain of the baseball team. 
(2) Major Howie answered his nations call to 
service by accepting a commission as a Second Lieu-
tenant in the Officers Reserve Corps in the Virginia 
National Guard upon graduation from The Citadel. 
(3) Major Howie was commissioned into the 
U.S. Army Reserve and later transferred to the Vir-
ginia National Guard’s 116th Infantry Regiment in 
Staunton, Virginia. 
(4) Major Thomas Howie valiantly served his 
country during the Battle of Normandy, dem-
onstrating exceptional courage, devotion to duty, and 
skill in battle after landing on Omaha Beach on 
June 6, 1944. 
(5) Major Howie commanded 3rd Battalion, 
116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division on 
July 13, 1944, and shortly thereafter was tasked 
with rescuing the encircled 2nd Battalion, 116th In-
fantry Regiment. 
(6) Major Howie was instructed by his com-
manding officer to take St. Lo on July 17, 1944, he 
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decided to leave the battered 2nd Battalion behind 
to recuperate and proceed with only the 3rd Bat-
talion. When questioned on this, he was overheard 
saying ‘‘See you in St. Lo’’ to Major General 
Charles Gerhardt, words which would serve as inspi-
ration for his men in the coming battle. 
(7) While giving his company commanders in-
structions for the attack, the unit came under fire 
from German mortars, and Major Howie was killed, 
a sacrifice for which he was posthumously awarded 
a Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, French 
Legion of Honor, French Fourragere, and Combat 
Infantry Badge. 
(8) Major Howie’s men strapped his body to a 
stretcher, draped him with an American flag, and 
placed him on the hood of a Jeep so that he could 
be the first American to enter St. Lo. He was laid 
in the rubble of the St. Croix Cathedral, where fel-
low soldiers and French civilians paid their respects. 
From then on, he was known as ‘‘The Major of St. 
Lo’’. 
(9) Major Howie’s leadership and unwavering 
commitment to his soldiers inspired bravery and de-
termination among his troops, ultimately leading to 
the successful capture of St. Lo, a crucial strategic 
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objective that directly led to Operation Cobra and 
the Allied Liberation France, Belgium, and the 
Netherlands from Nazi Tyranny. 
(10) Though his command of the 116th Infan-
try Regiment was short-lived, Major Howie em-
bodied the extraordinary courage and valor that de-
fined American soldiers during the Battle of Nor-
mandy. His sacrifice echoes through the halls of his-
tory to inspire Americans to this day. 
(11) The character of Major Howie was used as 
inspiration for the role of Captain John Miller, por-
trayed by Tom Hanks in the movie ‘‘Saving Private 
Ryan’’. This brought attention to his remarkable 
leadership and sacrifice, thereby furthering public 
recognition of his valor. 
(12) Major Howie’s legacy extends beyond the 
silver screen. Monuments and markers commemo-
rating his valor and leadership stand in Abbeville, 
Greenwood, and Charleston, South Carolina; Staun-
ton, Virginia; Shelby, North Carolina; and Saint-Lo, 
Normandy, France. In 2003, South Carolina further 
honored him with a posthumous induction into the 
South Carolina Hall of Fame. 
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