A bill to grant the congressional gold medal, collectively, to the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, United States Army, in recognition of their dedicated service during World War II.
PL 111-254 (S.1055), enacted 10/05/2010

124 STAT. 2637 
PUBLIC LAW 111–254—OCT. 5, 2010 
Public Law 111–254 
111th Congress 
An Act 
To grant the congressional gold medal, collectively, to the 100th Infantry Battalion 
and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, United States Army, in recognition 
of their dedicated service during World War II. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) On January 19, 1942, 6 weeks after the December 
7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese Navy, the 
United States Army discharged all Japanese-Americans in the 
Reserve Officers Training Corps and changed their draft status 
to ‘‘4C’’—the status of ‘‘enemy alien’’ which is ineligible for 
the draft. 
(2) On January 23, 1942, Japanese-Americans in the mili-
tary on the mainland were segregated out of their units. 
(3) Further, on May 3, 1942, General John L. DeWitt 
issued Civilian Exclusion Order No. 346, ordering all people 
of Japanese ancestry, whether citizens or noncitizens, to report 
to assembly centers, where they would live until being moved 
to permanent relocation centers. 
(4) On June 5, 1942, 1,432 predominantly Nisei (second 
generation Americans of Japanese ancestry) members of the 
Hawaii Provisional Infantry Battalion were shipped from the 
Hawaiian Islands to Oakland, CA, where the 100th Infantry 
Battalion was activated on June 12, 1942, and then shipped 
to train at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin. 
(5) The excellent training record of the 100th Infantry 
Battalion and petitions from prominent civilian and military 
personnel helped convince President Roosevelt and the War 
Department to reopen military service to Nisei volunteers who 
were incorporated into the 442nd Regimental Combat Team 
after it was activated in February of 1943. 
(6) In that same month, the 100th Infantry Battalion was 
transferred to Camp Shelby, Mississippi, where it continued 
to train, and even though the battalion was ready to deploy 
shortly thereafter, the battalion was refused by General Eisen-
hower, due to concerns over the loyalty and patriotism of the 
Nisei. 
(7) The 442nd Regimental Combat Team later trained with 
the 100th Infantry Battalion at Camp Shelby in May of 1943. 
(8) Eventually, the 100th Infantry Battalion was deployed 
to the Mediterranean and entered combat in Italy on September 
26, 1943. 
31 USC 5111 
note. 
Oct. 5, 2010 
[S. 1055] 
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124 STAT. 2638 
PUBLIC LAW 111–254—OCT. 5, 2010 
(9) Due to their bravery and valor, members of the Bat-
talion were honored with 6 awards of the Distinguished Service 
Cross in the first 8 weeks of combat. 
(10) The 100th Battalion fought at Cassino, Italy in 
January 1944, and later accompanied the 34th Infantry Divi-
sion to Anzio, Italy. 
(11) The 442nd Regimental Combat Team arrived in 
Civitavecchia, Italy on June 7, 1944, and on June 15 of the 
following week, the 100th Infantry Battalion was formally made 
an integral part of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and 
fought for the last 11 months of the war with distinction in 
Italy, southern France, and Germany. 
(12) The battalion was awarded the Presidential Unit Cita-
tion for its actions in battle on June 26–27, 1944. 
(13) The 442nd Regimental became the most decorated 
unit in United States military history for its size and length 
of service. 
(14) The 100th Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Com-
bat Team, received 7 Presidential Unit Citations, 21 Medals 
of Honor, 29 Distinguished Service Crosses, 560 Silver Stars, 
4,000 Bronze Stars, 22 Legion of Merit Medals, 15 Soldier’s 
Medals, and over 4,000 Purple Hearts, among numerous addi-
tional distinctions. 
(15) The United States remains forever indebted to the 
bravery, valor, and dedication to country these men faced while 
fighting a 2-fronted battle of discrimination at home and fas-
cism abroad. 
(16) Their commitment and sacrifice demonstrates a highly 
uncommon and commendable sense of patriotism and honor. 
(17) The Military Intelligence Service (in this Act referred 
to as the ‘‘MIS’’) was made up of about 6,000 Japanese American 
soldiers who conducted highly classified intelligence operations 
that proved to be vital to United States military successes 
in the Pacific Theatre. 
(18) As they were discharged from the Army, MIS soldiers 
were told not to discuss their wartime work, due to its sensitive 
nature, and their contributions were not known until passage 
of the Freedom of Information Act in 1974. 
(19) MIS soldiers were attached individually or in small 
groups to United States and Allied combat units, where they 
intercepted radio transmissions, translated enemy documents, 
interrogated enemy prisoners of war, volunteered for reconnais-
sance and covert intelligence missions, and persuaded enemy 
combatants to surrender. 
(20) Their contributions continued during the Allied post-
war occupation of Japan, and MIS linguistic skills and under-
standing of Japanese customs were invaluable to occupation 
forces as they assisted Japan in a peaceful transition to a 
new, democratic form of government. 
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 
(a) AWARD AUTHORIZED.—The Speaker of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall 
make appropriate arrangements for the award, on behalf of the 
Congress, of a single gold medal of appropriate design to the 100th 
Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and the 
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124 STAT. 2639 
PUBLIC LAW 111–254—OCT. 5, 2010 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 1055 (H.R. 347): 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 156 (2010): 
Aug. 2, considered and passed Senate. 
Sept. 23, considered and passed House. 
Military Intelligence Service, United States Army, collectively, in 
recognition of their dedicated service during World War II. 
(b) DESIGN
AND STRIKING.—For the purposes of the award 
referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter 
in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall strike the gold 
medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be deter-
mined by the Secretary. 
(c) SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Following the award of the gold medal 
in honor of the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental 
Combat Team, and the Military Intelligence Service, United 
States Army, under subsection (a), the gold medal shall be 
given to the Smithsonian Institution, where it will be displayed 
as appropriate and made available for research. 
(2) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the Congress 
that the Smithsonian Institution should make the gold medal 
received under paragraph (1) available for display elsewhere, 
particularly at other appropriate locations associated with the 
100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, 
and the Military Intelligence Service, United States Army. 
SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 
The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the 
gold medal struck under section 2, at a price sufficient to cover 
the costs of the medals, including labor, materials, dies, use of 
machinery, and overhead expenses. 
SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS. 
Medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals for 
purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code. 
SEC. 5. AUTHORITY TO USE FUNDS; PROCEEDS OF SALE. 
(a) AUTHORITY TO USE FUNDS.—There is authorized to be 
charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund, 
an amount not to exceed $30,000 to pay for the cost of the medal 
authorized under section 2. 
(b) PROCEEDS OF SALE.—Amounts received from the sale of 
duplicate bronze medals under section 3 shall be deposited in the 
United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund. 
Approved October 5, 2010. 
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