I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5993 
To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the service members of the Military 
Assistance Command Vietnam-Studies and Observations Group, in rec-
ognition of their bravery and outstanding service in South Vietnam, 
North Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia during the Vietnam War. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 10, 2025 
Mr. ALFORD (for himself, Mr. CARBAJAL, and Mr. JACKSON of Texas) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Finan-
cial Services, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, 
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
committee concerned 
A BILL 
To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the service members 
of the Military Assistance Command Vietnam-Studies 
and Observations Group, in recognition of their bravery 
and outstanding service in South Vietnam, North Viet-
nam, Laos, and Cambodia during the Vietnam War. 
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 ‘‘MACV–SOG Congres-
sional Gold Medal Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The Military Assistance Command Vietnam- 
Studies and Observations Group (referred to in this 
Act as ‘‘MACV–SOG’’) was established in January 
1964 as a dedicated joint military task force to con-
duct high risk and special activities in the denied 
areas of North Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. 
(2) MACV–SOG conducted deep-penetration re-
connaissance, sabotage, direct-action mission, rescue 
missions for downed pilots, prisoner-of-war snatches, 
bomb-damage assessments, wiretaps, psychological 
operations, and maritime operations against the 
North Vietnamese. 
(3) MACV–SOG remains one of the most dis-
tinguished and elite special operations units in 
United States military history, setting standards for 
modern special operations forces. Twelve MACV– 
SOG operators have been awarded the Congressional 
Medal of Honor. 
(4) Between 1964 and 1972, approximately 
1,579 people of the United States are listed as miss-
ing or killed while serving with MACV–SOG. This 
accounts for more than 1⁄2 of all Green Beret fatali-
ties during the Vietnam War and more than 50 
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MACV–SOG team members are still missing in ac-
tion. 
(5) The innovative tactics of MACV–SOG, inte-
gration with indigenous forces, and mastery of direct 
action and special warfare created a blueprint for 
modern special operations. Many of the strategies, 
technologies, and doctrines they pioneered are now 
standard across elite military units, reinforcing their 
legacy as a cornerstone of United States special op-
erations history. 
(6) MACV–SOG created battlefield effects that 
were vastly disproportionate to the small size of the 
command. The impact of MACV–SOG on the North 
Vietnamese logistics, troop deployment, and morale 
was profound. The North Vietnamese diverted entire 
divisions, as many as 50,000 troops, and numerous 
other resources away from offensive operations to 
defend against incursions by MACV–SOG and to in-
ternal security operations in North Vietnam. 
(7) 
These 
covert 
operations 
remained 
unacknowledged by military leadership and unknown 
to the United States public, until their existence 
began to be declassified decades later. This secret 
war denied MACV–SOG members their just recogni-
tion and deprived the families of deceased and 
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wounded operators from knowing the full extent of 
the sacrifice of their loved ones to the United States. 
(8) MACV–SOG was a joint operations pro-
gram that included members of the Army Special 
Forces, Navy SEALs, Force Reconnaissance Ma-
rines, the United States Air Force, and the Central 
Intelligence Agency. 
(9) MACV–SOG teams also relied heavily on 
the indigenous population, including Montagnards, 
Chinese Nung, Cambodian, and Vietnamese per-
sonnel, along with the 219th Vietnamese Air Force 
King Bee helicopter pilots, who were actively engag-
ing in the fight against communist forces. 
(10) Twelve Medal of Honor recipients have 
been recognized for their gallantry during actions 
while operating with MACV–SOG units. 
(11) A Presidential Unit Citation was issued to 
MACV–SOG by President George W. Bush in 2001. 
(12) The bravery, sacrifice, and quiet profes-
sionalism of MACV–SOG units from 1964 to 1972 
reflect favorably upon the highest traditions of the 
United States military and the United States. 
SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 
(a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED.—The Speaker of 
the House of Representatives and the President pro tem-
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pore of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements 
for the presentation, on behalf of Congress, of a single 
gold medal of appropriate design to the service members 
of MACV–SOG, in recognition of their bravery and out-
standing service in South Vietnam, North Vietnam, Laos, 
and Cambodia during the Vietnam War. 
(b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For the purposes of the 
presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary 
of the Treasury (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Sec-
retary’’) shall strike a gold medal with suitable emblems, 
devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Sec-
retary. 
(c) SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Following the presentation 
of the gold medal referred to in subsection (a), the 
gold medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Insti-
tution, where it will be available for display as ap-
propriate and available for research. 
(2) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of 
Congress that the Smithsonian Institution should 
make the gold medal awarded pursuant to this Act 
available for display elsewhere, particularly at appro-
priate locations and events associated with MACV– 
SOG. 
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SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 
The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in 
bronze of the gold medal struck under section 3, at a price 
sufficient to cover the costs thereof, including labor, mate-
rials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses. 
SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS. 
(a) NATIONAL MEDAL.—Medals struck pursuant to 
this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 
of title 31, United States Code. 
(b) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of sections 
5134 and 5136 of title 31, United States Code, all medals 
struck under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic 
items. 
SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS; PROCEEDS OF 
SALE. 
(a) AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS.—There is 
authorized to be charged against the United States Mint 
Public Enterprise Fund such amounts as may be nec-
essary to pay for the costs of the medals struck under 
this Act. 
(b) PROCEEDS OF SALE.—Amounts received from the 
sale of duplicate bronze medals authorized under section 
4 shall be deposited into the United States Mint Public 
Enterprise Fund. 
Æ 
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