I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 685 
To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the American Fighter Aces, collec-
tively, in recognition of their heroic military service and defense of 
our country’s freedom throughout the history of aviation warfare. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 14, 2013 
Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas (for himself and Mr. HECK of Washington) 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 American 
Fighter Aces, collectively, in recognition of their heroic 
military service and defense of our country’s freedom 
throughout the history of aviation warfare. 
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 ‘‘American Fighter Aces 
Congressional Gold Medal Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following: 
(1) An American Fighter Ace is a fighter pilot 
who has served honorably in a United States mili-
tary service and who has destroyed 5 or more con-
firmed enemy aircraft in aerial combat during a war 
or conflict in which American armed forces have 
participated. 
(2) Beginning with World War I, and the first 
use of airplanes in warfare, military services have 
maintained official records of individual aerial vic-
tory credits during every major conflict. Of more 
than 60,000 United States military fighter pilots 
that have taken to the air, less than 1,500 have be-
come Fighter Aces. 
(3) Americans became Fighter Aces in the 
Spanish Civil War, Sino-Japanese War, Russian 
Civil War, Arab-Israeli War, and others. Addition-
ally, American military groups’ recruited United 
States military pilots to form the American Volun-
teer Group, Eagle Squadron, and others that pro-
duced American-born Fighter Aces fighting against 
axis powers prior to Pearl Harbor. 
(4) The concept of a Fighter Ace is that they 
fought for freedom and democracy across the globe, 
flying in the face of the enemy to defend freedom 
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throughout the history of aerial combat. American- 
born citizens became Fighter Aces flying under the 
flag of United States allied countries and became 
some of the highest scoring Fighter Aces of their re-
spective wars. 
(5) American Fighter Aces hail from every 
State in the Union, representing numerous ethnic, 
religious, and cultural backgrounds. 
(6) Fighter Aces possess unique skills that have 
made them successful in aerial combat. These in-
clude courage, judgment, keen marksmanship, con-
centration, drive, persistence, and split-second think-
ing that makes an Ace a war fighter with unique 
and valuable flight driven skills. 
(7) The Aces’ training, bravery, skills, sacrifice, 
attention to duty, and innovative spirit illustrate the 
most celebrated traits of the United States military, 
including service to country and the protection of 
freedom and democracy. 
(8) American Fighter Aces have led distin-
guished careers in the military, education, private 
enterprise, and politics. Many have held the rank of 
General or Admiral and played leadership roles in 
multiple war efforts from WWI to Vietnam through 
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many decades. In some cases they became the high-
est ranking officers for following wars. 
(9) The extraordinary heroism of the American 
Fighter Ace boosted American morale at home and 
encouraged many men and women to enlist to fight 
for America and democracy across the globe. 
(10) Fighter Aces were among America’s most- 
prized military fighters during wars. When they ro-
tated back to the United States after combat tours, 
they trained cadets in fighter pilot tactics that they 
had learned over enemy skies. The teaching of com-
bat dogfighting to young aviators strengthened our 
fighter pilots to become more successful in the skies. 
The net effect of this was to shorten wars and save 
the lives of young Americans. 
(11) Following military service, many Fighter 
Aces became test pilots due to their superior flying 
skills and quick thinking abilities. 
(12) Richard Bong was America’s top Ace of all 
wars scoring a confirmed 40 enemy victories in 
WWII. He was from Poplar, Wisconsin, and flew the 
P–38 Lightning in all his combat sorties flying for 
the 49th Fighter Group. He was killed in 1945 dur-
ing a P–80 test flight in which the engine flamed 
out on takeoff. 
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(13) The American Fighter Aces are one of the 
most decorated military groups in American history. 
Twenty-two Fighter Aces have achieved the rank of 
Admiral in the Navy. Seventy-nine Fighter Aces 
have achieved the rank of General in the Army, Ma-
rines, and Air Force. Nineteen Medals of Honor 
have been awarded to individual Fighter Aces. 
(14) The American Fighter Aces Association 
has existed for over 50 years as the primary organi-
zation with which the Aces have preserved their his-
tory and told their stories to the American public. 
The Association established and maintains the Out-
standing Cadet in Airmanship Award presented an-
nually at the United States Air Force Academy; es-
tablished and maintains an awards program for out-
standing fighter pilot ‘‘lead-in’’ trainee graduates 
from the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps; and 
sponsors a scholarship program for descendants of 
American Fighter Aces. 
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 the Congress, of a single 
gold medal of appropriate design in honor of the American 
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Fighter Aces, collectively, in recognition of their heroic 
military service and defense of our country’s freedom, 
which has spanned the history of aviation warfare. 
(b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For the purposes of the 
award referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the 
Treasury shall strike the gold medal with suitable em-
blems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the 
Secretary. 
(c) SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Following the award of the 
gold medal in honor of the American Fighter Aces, 
the gold medal shall be given to the Smithsonian In-
stitution, where it will be available for display as ap-
propriate and available for research. 
(2) SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.—It is the sense 
of the Congress that the Smithsonian Institution 
should make the gold medal awarded pursuant to 
this Act available for display elsewhere, particularly 
at appropriate locations associated with the Amer-
ican Fighter Aces, and that preference should be 
given to locations affiliated with the Smithsonian In-
stitution. 
SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 
The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in 
bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant to section 3 
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under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, at 
a price sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including labor, 
materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses, 
and the cost of the gold medal. 
SEC. 5. NATIONAL MEDALS. 
The medal struck pursuant to this Act is a national 
medal for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States 
Code. 
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, an amount not to exceed $40,000 
to pay for the cost of the medal authorized under section 
3. 
(b) PROCEEDS OF SALE.—Amounts received from the 
sale of duplicate bronze medals under section 4 shall be 
deposited in the United States Mint Public Enterprise 
Fund. 
Æ 
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