I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION H. R. 10436 
To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the members of Escuadro´n 201. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 16, 2024 
Ms. SA´NCHEZ (for herself, Mr. CORREA, Ms. GARCIA of Texas, Ms. ESCOBAR, 
Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ, and Mr. GARCI´A of Illinois) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services, 
and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, for a period 
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
A BILL 
To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the members of 
Escuadro´n 201. 
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 ‘‘Escuadro´n 201 Con-
gressional Gold Medal Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:16 Jan 22, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H10436.IH
H10436
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(1) Escuadro´n 201, or the 201st Squadron, of 
the Mexican Expeditionary Air Force fought along-
side United States forces in the South Pacific during 
World War II. 
(2) Nicknamed the Aztec Eagles, Escuadro´n 
201 integrated with United States forces including 
the U.S. 5th Air Force and the 58th Fighter Group 
to provide close air support for American and Phil-
ippine ground forces as well as long range strikes 
using Republic P–47D Thunderbolt fighter aircraft. 
(3) Following Mexico’s declaration of war on 
Japan, Germany, and Italy on May 28, 1942, Mex-
ico entered into agreements with the United States 
to collaborate through the reciprocal use of airfields 
and facilities and the training of Mexican personnel 
by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). 
(4) With the assistance of USAAF, Mexican 
Expeditionary Air Force pilots were trained in Gua-
dalajara, Mexico and later moved to USAAF schools 
in the United States for additional individual and 
unit training. 
(5) In July 1944, 36 pilots and 264 support 
personnel formed Escuadro´n 201, Mexico’s first 
squadron that would be deployed overseas to fight 
alongside United States forces. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:16 Jan 22, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H10436.IH
H10436
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(6) In February 1945, Escuadro´n 201 and the 
headquarters of the Mexican Expeditionary Air 
Force moved to the Philippine Islands and began 
combat operations with the 58th Fighter Group in 
Porac, Luzon. 
(7) Deployed to Okinawa in July 1945, 
Escuadro´n 201 provided close in ground support for 
the U.S. 25th ‘‘Tropic Lightning’’ Division and Phil-
ippine Army units as well as long-range strikes into 
Japanese-held territory in Taiwan. 
(8) Mexico was prepared to send additional 
squadrons to fight with Allied forces had Japan not 
offered its unconditional surrender following the at-
tacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. 
(9) Seven Escuadro´n 201 pilots lost their lives 
fighting Axis forces. 
(10) During its 795 combat sorties and 2,000 
hours of combat flying, Escuadro´n 201 exemplified 
valor and was indispensable to the war effort and an 
Allied victory. 
SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 
(a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED.—The Speaker of 
the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tem-
pore of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements 
for the presentation, on behalf of Congress, of a single 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:16 Jan 22, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H10436.IH
H10436
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB