An Act to authorize medals and decorations for outstanding and meritorious conduct and service in the United States merchant marine, and for other purposes
PL 84-759 (S.2711), enacted 07/24/1956

70 STAT.] 
PUBLIC LAW 759-JULY 24, 1966 
605 
Public Law 758 
CHAPTER 670 
AN ACT 
j^jjy 24, 1956 
To amend subsection 3 (a) of the Act approved Ai?gust 8, 1!)47, to authorize the 
[^- ^^^^^ 
sale of tini3)er withia the Tongass National Forest, Alaska. 
Be it enu/)ted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress afuicmhled, That subsection (a) a/F^e",'^"ask^ 
of section 3 of the Act approved August 8, 1947 (61 Stat. 920), is 
hereby amended by striking out the period at the end of said sub-
section and inserting in lieu thereof a colon and the following: ''''Pro-
vided, That all receipts heretofore and hereafter received from the 
sale of such timber shall be subject to the provisions of the Act of 
May 23, 1908 (35 Stat. 260), as amended, and the Act of March 4, 
1913 (37 Stat. 843), as amended. If any claims of possessory rights 
leuscsoo.soi. 
to lands or timber within the exterior boundaries of the Tongass 
National Forest are determined to be valid, the Territory of Alaska 
shall pay to the United States 25 per centum of the moneys required 
to satisfy such claims: Provided, 
That the Territory shall not be 
required to pay to the United States any amount in excess of the total 
amount received by the Territory from the United States pursuant to 
the Act of March 23, 1908: Provided further, That such payments by 
the Territory to the United States shall, to the extent possible, be 
effected by deduc'^ions from the amounts otherwise payable to the 
Territory pursuant to such Act.". 
Approved July 24, 1956. 
Public Law 759 
CHAPTER 671 
AN ACT 
July 24. 1956 
[s 271 n 
To authorize medals and decorations for outstanding and meritorious conduct 
i_ 
i 
^ 
and service in the United States merchant marine, and for other purposes. 
U. S. M e r c h ant 
Marine. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled. That (a) the Secre-
tary of Commerce is authorized, under such rules and regulations as "Medais and dec-
he may prescribe, to provide and aw^ard wdth the concurrence of the '^"•®**'*"*' 
Secretary of the Treasury: A merchant marine distinguished service 
medal to any person serving in the United States merchant marine 
who distinguishes himself by outstanding act, conduct, or valor beyond 
the line of duty, and a merchant marine meritorious service medal to. 
any person serving in the United States merchant marine for merito-
rious act, conduct, or service in line of duty, but not of such outstanding 
character as would warrant an aw'ard of the distinguished service 
medal. 
(b) No more than one distinguished service medal or meritorious 
Re«tricuon. 
service medal shall be aw^arded to any one person, but for each suc-
ceeding act, conduct, or service justifying such aa award, a suitable 
device may be awarded to be worn with the*medal or ribbon. 
In 
case any person who so distinguishes himself or so acts or serves as 
to justify the award of a medal under this section dies before the 
award can be made to him, the award may be made and medal pre-
sented to such representatives of the deceased as the Secretary of 
Commerce deems proper. 
SEC. 2. The Secretary of Commerce is authorized to provide and bfr*'^^*'* ribbon 
issue, under such rules and regulations as he may from time to time 
prescribe, a distinctive service ribbon bar to each master, officer, or 
member of the crew of any United States ship who serves or has served 
after June 30, 1950, in any time of war, or national emergency pro-
606 
PUBLIC LAW 769-JULY 24, 1956 
[70 
STAT. 
Cost. 
Replacements. 
Ship citation. 
Plaque. 
Prohibition. 
Penalty. 
Repeals. 
Replacements. 
claimed by the President or by Congress, or during an operation by 
Armed Forces of the United States outside the continental United 
States, for such period of time and in such area or under such condi-
tions of danger to life as the Secretary may set forth in regulations 
issued hereunder. 
Such bars shall be provided at cost by the Secretary 
or at reasonable prices by private persons when authorized for manu-
facture and sale by the Secretary. 
Whenever any bar presented under 
the provisions of this section is lost, destroyed, or rendered unfit for 
use, without fault or neglect of the owner, such bar may be replaced 
at cost by the Secretary or at reasonable prices by private persons 
authorized by him. 
SEC. 3. The Secretary of Commerce is authorized to issue, with the 
concurrence of the Secretary of the Treasury, a citation as public 
evidence of deserved honor and distinction to any United States ship 
or to any foreign ship which participates in outstanding or gallant 
action in marine disasters or other emergencies for the purpose of 
saving life or property. 
The Secretary of Commerce may award a 
plaque to a ship so cited, and a replica of such plaque may be pre-
served, under such rules and regulations as the Secretary may pre-
scribe, as a permanent historic record. 
The Secretary of Commerce 
may also award an appropriate citation ribbon bar to the master or 
each person serving on board such ship at the time of the action for 
which citation is made, as public evidence of such honor and distinc-
tion. Whenever such master or person would be entitled hereunder 
to the award of an additional citation ribbon, a suitable device shall 
be awarded, in lieu thereof, to be attached to the ribbon originally 
awarded. 
In any case of a proposed award or citation to a foreign 
ship or to a master or person serving aboard such ship, such award 
or citation shall be subject to the concurrence of the Secretary of 
State. 
SEC. 4. The manufacture, sale, possession, or display of any insignia, 
decoration, medal, device, or rosette thereof, or any colorable imita-
tion of any insignia, decoration, medal or device, or rosette, provided 
for in this Act, or in any rule or regulation issued pursuant to this 
Act, is prohibited, except as authorized by this Act or any rule or 
regulation issued pursuant thereto. Whoever violates any provision 
of this section shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $250 or by 
imprisonment not exceeding six months, or both. 
SEC. 5. (a) The following Acts of Congress are repealed effective 
July 1, 1954: 
(1) The Act entitled "To provide for the issuance of devices in rec-
ognition of the services of merchant sailors", approved May 10, 1943, 
as amended (57 Stat. 81, 59 Stat. 511, 60 Stat. 884; U. S. C, title 50, 
War, Appendix, sees. 753a-753f). 
(2) The Act entitled "Providing for a medal for service in the 
merchant marine during the present war", approved August 8, 1946 
(60 Stat. 960; U. S. C , title 50, War, Appendix, sees. 754^754b). 
(3) The Act entitled "To provide reemployment rights for persons 
who leave their positions to serve in the merchant marine, and for 
other purposes", approved June 23, 1943, as amended (57 Stat. 162, 
60 Stat. 905,60 Stat. 945; U. S. C, title 50, War, Appendix, sees. 1471-
1475). 
(b) Notwithstanding the repeal of the Acts of Congress in subsec-
tion (a) the Secretary of Commerce is authorized, under such rules 
and regulations as he may from time to time prescribe to make replace-
ments at cost or permit replacements at reasonable prices by persons 
authorized by him of the awards, medals, decorations, or other articles 
issued under such Acts, if lost, destroyed, or rendered unfit for use, 
without fault or neglect on the part of the owner. 
Approved July 24, 1956,