Escuadrón 201 Congressional Gold Medal Act
Bill: H.R.4185 | Sponsor: Rep. Sánchez, Linda T. (D-CA)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Escuadrón 201 Congressional Gold Medal Act
This bill provides for the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal to the members of Escuadrón 201 in recognition of their valor and value to the Allied forces during World War II.

To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the members of Escuadron 201.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Escuadron 201 Congressional Gold 
Medal Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Escuadron 201, or the 201st Squadron, of the Mexican 
        Expeditionary Air Force fought alongside United States forces 
        in the South Pacific during World War II.
            (2) Nicknamed the Aztec Eagles, Escuadron 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 Philippine 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, Mexico 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 Guadalajara, 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 Escuadron 201, Mexico's first squadron that would be 
        deployed overseas to fight alongside United States forces.
            (6) In February 1945, Escuadron 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, Escuadron 201 
        provided close in ground support for the U.S. 25th ``Tropic 
        Lightning'' Division and Philippine 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 attacks on Hiroshima and 
        Nagasaki.
            (9) Seven Escuadron 201 pilots lost their lives fighting 
        Axis forces.
            (10) During its 795 combat sorties and 2,000 hours of 
        combat flying, Escuadron 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 Tempore of the Senate shall make 
appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on behalf of Congress, 
of a single gold medal of appropriate design to the members of 
Escuadron 201.
    (b) Design and Striking.--For purposes of the presentation referred 
to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (referred to in 
this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall strike a gold medal with suitable 
emblems, 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 Escuadron 201, the gold medal shall be given to the 
        Smithsonian Institution, where it shall be available for 
        display as appropriate 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 Escuadron 
        201, and that preference should be given to locations 
        affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution.

SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

    Under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, 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 of the 
medals, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and 
overhead expenses.

SEC. 5. NATIONAL MEDALS.

    (a) National Medals.--The 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 section 5134 of title 31, 
United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall be 
considered to be numismatic items.
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