[Pages H4738-H4741]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

UNITED STATES ARMY RANGERS VETERANS OF WORLD WAR II CONGRESSIONAL GOLD
MEDAL ACT

Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules
and pass the bill (S. 1872) to award a Congressional Gold Medal,
collectively, to the United States Army Rangers Veterans of World War
II in recognition of their extraordinary service during World War II.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:

S. 1872

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 ``United States Army Rangers
Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act--
(1) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the
Treasury; and
(2) the term ``United States Army Rangers Veteran of World
War II'' means any individual who--
(A) served in the Armed Forces--
(i) honorably;
(ii) in an active duty status; and
(iii) at any time during the period beginning on June 19,
1942, and ending on September 2, 1945; and
(B) was assigned to a Ranger Battalion of the Army at any
time during the period described in subparagraph (A)(iii).

SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:
(1) In World War II, the Army formed 6 Ranger Battalions
and 1 provisional battalion. All members of the Ranger
Battalions were volunteers. The initial concept of Ranger
units drew from the British method of using highly trained
``commando'' units and the military tradition of the United
States of utilizing light infantry for scouting and raiding
operations.
(2) The Ranger Battalions of World War II consisted of--
(A) the 1st Ranger Infantry Battalion, which was activated
on June 19, 1942, in Northern Ireland;
(B) the 2d Ranger Infantry Battalion, which was activated
on April 1, 1943, at Camp Forrest, Tennessee;
(C) the 3d Ranger Infantry Battalion, which was--
(i) activated as provisional on May 21, 1943, in North
Africa; and
(ii) constituted on July 21, 1943, and concurrently
consolidated with the provisional unit described in clause
(i);
(D) the 4th Ranger Infantry Battalion, which was--
(i) activated as provisional on May 29, 1943, in North
Africa; and
(ii) constituted on July 21, 1943, and concurrently
consolidated with the provisional unit described in clause
(i);
(E) the 5th Ranger Infantry Battalion, which was activated
on September 1, 1943, at Camp Forrest, Tennessee;
(F) the 6th Ranger Infantry Battalion, which was--
(i) originally activated on January 20, 1941, at Fort
Lewis, Washington, as the 98th Field Artillery Battalion; and
(ii) converted and redesignated on September 26, 1944, as
the 6th Ranger Infantry Battalion; and
(G) the 29th Ranger Infantry Battalion, a provisional Army
National Guard unit that was--
(i) activated on December 20, 1942, at Tidworth Barracks,
England; and
(ii) disbanded on October 18, 1943.
(3) The first combat operations of Army Rangers occurred on
August 19, 1942, when 50 Rangers took part in the British-
Canadian raid on the French coastal town of Dieppe.
(4) The 1st Ranger Battalion, under the leadership of Major
William O. Darby, was used in full strength during the
landings at Arsew, Algeria, during the North African
campaign. Due to the success of the Rangers in several
difficult battles, particularly at El Guettar in March and
April of 1943, 2 additional Ranger Battalions were organized
in North Africa.
(5) During the North African campaign, the 1st Ranger
Battalion was awarded battle honors for its actions in
Tunisia. On March 20, 1943, the Battalion penetrated enemy
lines and captured the position Djebel el Ank in a nighttime
attack, taking more than 200 prisoners. Two days later, the
battalion was attacked by the 10th Panzer division of the
German Afrika Korps and, despite heavy losses, continued to
defend its position. The following day, the 1st Battalion
counterattacked to clear high ground overlooking the
positions held by the Armed Forces. These actions
demonstrated the ability of the Rangers to fight in difficult
terrain and the courage to endure despite being outnumbered
and exposed to heavy enemy fire.
(6) The 29th provisional Ranger Battalion was formed from
volunteers drawn from the 29th Infantry Division stationed in
England in the fall of 1942. The Battalion was activated on
December 20, 1942, and accompanied British commandos on 3
small-scale raids in Norway. Nineteen members of the 29th
Ranger Battalion conducted a raid on a German radar site in
France on the night of September 3, 1943. After that raid,
the 29th Ranger Battalion was disbanded because new Ranger
units, the 2d and 5th Battalions, were being formed.
(7) During the summer and fall of 1943, the 1st, 3d, and
4th Ranger Battalions were heavily involved in the campaign
in Sicily and the landings in Italy. The 1st and 4th Ranger
Battalions conducted a night amphibious landing in Sicily and
secured the landing beaches for the main force. The 3d
Battalion landed separately at Licata, Sicily, and was able
to silence gun positions on an 82-foot cliff overlooking the
invasion beaches.

[[Page H4739]]

(8) During the invasion of Italy, the 1st and 4th Ranger
Battalions landed at Maiori with the mission of seizing the
high ground and protecting the flank of the remainder of the
main landing by the United States. Enemy forces in the area
were estimated to outnumber the Rangers by approximately 8 to
1. Despite these odds, the Rangers took the position and held
off 7 enemy counterattacks.
(9) After the invasion of Italy, Rangers continued to be
used, often in night attacks, to seize key terrain ahead of
the advancing Allied forces. At the Anzio beachhead, the
majority of the 1st, 3d, and 4th Ranger Battalions sustained
heavy casualties after being cut off behind German lines. The
Rangers had planned to infiltrate German positions under the
cover of darkness and make a dawn attack on a critical road
junction but were pinned down by enemy tanks and an elite
German paratrooper unit. After 12 hours of desperate fighting
and a failed relief attempt, the majority of the Ranger force
was killed, wounded, or captured. Only 6 Rangers from the 1st
and 3d Battalions, out of more than 767 men, returned to
friendly lines. The 4th Battalion, which had been in reserve,
also suffered 60 killed and 120 wounded out of 550 men. These
3 battalions were inactivated and the survivors were
transferred to other units.
(10) In the United States, and later in Scotland, the 2d
and 5th Ranger Battalions were formed to undertake operations
in Western Europe. Those Battalions were engaged on D-Day,
assaulting German positions at the Pointe du Hoc coastal
battery, and remained in combat through September of 1944.
Specifically, Rangers in the 2d Battalion, under the command
of Lieutenant Colonel James E. Rudder--
(A) overcame mines, machine gun fire, and enemy artillery
while scaling the 100-foot high cliffs at Pointe du Hoc;
(B) held against intense German efforts to retake the
position; and
(C) after reaching the top of the cliffs, moved inland
roughly 1 mile and sustained heavy casualties while searching
for, and ultimately destroying, a German heavy artillery
battery.
(11) During June, July, and August of 1944, the 2d and 5th
Ranger Battalions were engaged in the campaign in Brest,
which included close-range fighting in hedgerows and numerous
villages. Later, in operations in Western Germany, the
Battalions were frequently used to attack in darkness and
gain vital positions to pave the way for the main Army
attacks.
(12) During the final drive into Germany in late February
and early March 1945, the 5th Ranger Battalion was cited for
battle honors for outstanding performance. Under the cover of
darkness, the unit drove into German lines and blocked the
main German supply route in the sector. The Germans attacked
the position of the Rangers from both sides, resulting in
heavy Ranger casualties during 5 days of fighting. As a
result of the actions of the Rangers, the main Army attack
was able to overcome German defenses more easily, occupy the
vital city of Trier, and reach the Rhine River.
(13) The 6th Ranger Battalion operated in the Pacific. In
the most notable exploit of the 6th Ranger Battalion, in
January and February of 1945, the Battalion formed the
nucleus of a rescue force that liberated more than 500 Allied
prisoners, including prisoners from the United States, from
the Cabanatuan prisoner of war camp in the Philippines. With
the help of local Filipino guerillas, the Rangers, led by
Lieutenant Colonel Henry A. Mucci, demonstrated extraordinary
heroism by infiltrating Japanese-held territory to reach the
prisoners of war and prevent them from being killed by the
Japanese. After a 25-mile march at night through the jungle,
the unit killed all Japanese sentries with no loss of life of
the prisoners of war. The unit successfully returned to
American lines having lost only 2 soldiers killed and having
another 2 wounded.
(14) The 1st Ranger Infantry Battalion--
(A) participated in the campaigns of--
(i) Algeria-French Morocco (with arrowhead);
(ii) Tunisia;
(iii) Sicily (with arrowhead);
(iv) Naples-Foggia (with arrowhead);
(v) Anzio (with arrowhead); and
(vi) Rome-Arno; and
(B) for its contributions, received--
(i) the Presidential Unit Citation (Army) and streamer
embroidered with ``EL GUETTAR''; and
(ii) the Presidential Unit Citation (Army) and streamer
embroidered with ``SALERNO''.
(15) The 2d Ranger Infantry Battalion--
(A) participated in the campaigns of--
(i) Normandy (with arrowhead);
(ii) Northern France;
(iii) Rhineland;
(iv) Ardennes-Alsace; and
(v) Central Europe; and
(B) for its contributions, received--
(i) the Presidential Unit Citation (Army) and streamer
embroidered with ``POINTE DU HOE''; and
(ii) the French Croix de Guerre with Silver-Gilt Star,
World War II, and streamer embroidered with ``POINTE DU
HOE''.
(16) The 3d Ranger Infantry Battalion--
(A) participated in the campaigns of--
(i) Sicily (with arrowhead);
(ii) Naples-Foggia (with arrowhead);
(iii) Anzio (with arrowhead); and
(iv) Rome-Arno; and
(B) for its contributions, received the Presidential Unit
Citation (Army) and streamer embroidered with ``SALERNO''.
(17) The 4th Ranger Infantry Battalion--
(A) participated in the campaigns of--
(i) Sicily (with arrowhead);
(ii) Naples-Foggia (with arrowhead);
(iii) Anzio (with arrowhead); and
(iv) Rome-Arno; and
(B) for its contributions, received the Presidential Unit
Citation (Army) and streamer embroidered with ``SALERNO''.
(18) The 5th Ranger Infantry Battalion--
(A) participated in the campaigns of--
(i) Normandy (with arrowhead);
(ii) Northern France;
(iii) Rhineland;
(iv) Ardennes-Alsace; and
(v) Central Europe; and
(B) for its contributions, received--
(i) the Presidential Unit Citation (Army) and streamer
embroidered with ``NORMANDY BEACHHEAD'';
(ii) the Presidential Unit Citation (Army) and streamer
embroidered with ``SAAR RIVER AREA''; and
(iii) the French Croix de Guerre with Silver-Gilt Star,
World War II, and streamer embroidered with ``NORMANDY''.
(19) The 6th Ranger Infantry Battalion--
(A) participated in the campaigns of--
(i) New Guinea;
(ii) Leyte (with arrowhead); and
(iii) Luzon; and
(B) for its contributions, received--
(i) the Presidential Unit Citation (Army) and streamer
embroidered with ``CEBU, LUZON''; and
(ii) the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation and streamer
embroidered with ``17 OCTOBER 1944 TO 4 JULY 1945''.
(20) The United States will be forever indebted to the
United States Army Rangers Veterans of World War II, whose
bravery and sacrifice in combat contributed greatly to the
military success of the United States and the allies of the
United States.

SEC. 4. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

(a) Award Authorized.--The President pro tempore of the
Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall
make appropriate arrangements for the award, on behalf of
Congress, of a single gold medal of appropriate design to the
United States Army Rangers Veterans of World War II, in
recognition of their dedicated service during World War II.
(b) Design and Striking.--For the purposes of the award
described in subsection (a), the Secretary shall strike the
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 the United States Army Rangers Veterans of World War
II, the gold medal shall be given to the Smithsonian
Institution, where the medal shall be--
(A) available for display, as appropriate; and
(B) made available for research.
(2) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
the Smithsonian Institution should make the gold medal
received under paragraph (1) available for display elsewhere,
particularly at other locations associated with--
(A) the United States Army Rangers Veterans of World War
II; or
(B) World War II.
(d) Duplicate Medals.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary may strike and sell
duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck under this
section, at a price sufficient to cover the cost of the
medals, including the cost of labor, materials, dies, use of
machinery, and overhead expenses.
(2) Proceeds of sales.--The amounts received from the sale
of duplicate medals under paragraph (1) shall be deposited in
the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
(e) Authority to Use Fund Amounts.--There is authorized to
be charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise
Fund such amounts as may be necessary to pay for the costs of
the medals struck under this Act.

SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDAL.

(a) National Medal.--The gold medal struck under section 4
shall be a national medal for the purposes of chapter 51 of
title 31, United States Code.
(b) Numismatic Items.--For the purposes of section 5134 of
title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under section
4 shall be considered to be numismatic items.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Garcia) and the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.

General Leave

Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that
all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend
their remarks and insert extraneous material thereon.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Illinois?
There was no objection.
Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Today, I rise in strong support of S. 1872, the Army Rangers Veterans
of

[[Page H4740]]

World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act. This bill honors the service
of the men of the U.S. Army Rangers whose courageous actions in the
European, North African, and Pacific theaters during World War II were
essential to ensuring victory for the Allied Powers.
At the onset of World War II, there were no U.S. Army units capable
of performing highly specialized raiding missions like that of their
British Commandos counterparts. To resolve this, Brigadier General
Lucian K. Truscott, Jr., proposed the creation of Army Ranger
Battalions to General George Marshall. These small, highly specialized,
and independent units drew upon existing American expertise, using
light infantry units for raids and scouting.
Captain William O. Darby was selected as the 1st Ranger Battalion
commander due to his experience in amphibious training and operational
experience in both cavalry and infantry. Darby immediately went about
recruiting volunteers, 473 of whom became the 1st Ranger Battalion.
Thereafter, the 2nd through 6th Ranger Battalions were formed, along
with the 29th provisional Ranger Battalion, comprised of members of the
Army National Guard.
The 1st Ranger Battalion was given the initial mission of taking part
in the British and Canadian raid in Dieppe in France, making them the
first American troops to see ground combat in Europe. Following this
raid, the 1st Ranger Battalion operated primarily throughout North
Africa and Italy, where they and members of the 3rd Ranger Battalion
played a crucial role in the operational success of the Battle of
Anzio.
The 29th provisional Ranger Battalion participated in several smaller
raids in Norway and France and was then disbanded due to the new
formation of the 2nd and 5th Ranger Battalions, who took part in
campaigns in France, Belgium, and Central Europe, including Alsace,
Brest, and most famously, the invasion of Normandy on D-day.
The 3rd and 4th Ranger Battalions conducted missions across Italy,
while the 6th Ranger Battalion engaged in combat in the Pacific
theater, primarily in the Philippines and New Guinea. The 6th Ranger
Battalion is best known for its part in the rescue of more than 500
prisoners of war in the raid of the prison camp at Cabanatuan, which is
the largest rescue operation in American history.
Following the war, all seven Ranger Infantry Battalions received the
Presidential Unit Citation for their extensive contributions to the
Allied war effort, and I believe their heroism ought to be recognized
and rewarded further still.
I urge my colleagues to support S. 1872, and I reserve the balance of
my time.
Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise, too, in support of S. 1872, the United States
Army Rangers Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act. I
thank my friend from Illinois for managing the time today and also
thank Senators Ernst and Duckworth for their work on the Senate side in
originating this bill and Representatives here in the House, Crow,
Miller-Meeks, and Waltz for their work on the House companion, H.R.
3577.
Madam Speaker, to become an Army Ranger is a distinct honor. Those
who have the privilege of donning the tan beret are proven warriors
whose commitment to our freedom knows no bounds. These warriors embody
the Ranger motto: ``Rangers Lead the Way.''
The 75th Ranger regiment is so well-known that it is hard to believe
that the United States had no official units organized to carry out
such specialized missions prior to World War II.
But when America entered the war, conventional wisdom changed, and it
became clear that special operation units were essential to an Allied
victory.
The first Rangers were trailblazers, whose work influenced our
Nation's approach to special operations across all branches of the
military. On May 26, 1942, Brigadier General Lucian Truscott, the U.S.
Army liaison with the British Combined Operations headquarters,
proposed to Army Chief of Staff General George C. Marshall that ``we
undertake immediately the organization of an American unit along
British Commando lines.''
In short order, a cable was sent from the War Department to Major
General Russell P. Hartle, the commander of U.S. Army forces in
Northern Ireland, to authorize the activation of the first-ever Ranger
unit.
The idea was to disseminate volunteer units with the British
Commandos to become combat tested in special operation warfare and
eventually to return to their original American units and share their
newfound combat knowledge.

{time} 1530

It was Truscott who bestowed the title, ``Rangers'' on these brave
soldiers. Truscott said: ``I selected `Rangers' because few words have
a more glamorous connotation in American military history.
``It was therefore fitting that the organization destined to be the
first of American ground forces to battle Germans on the European
Continent in World War II should be called Rangers--in compliment to
those in American history who exemplified such high standards of
individual courage, initiative, determination, and ruggedness, fighting
ability and achievement.''
In just a few weeks after Truscott's original proposal, the First
Ranger Infantry Battalion was activated 19 June 1942. Five more Ranger
battalions followed, as well as a provisional Army National Guard unit
known as the 29th Ranger Battalion.
The newly formed Ranger battalions had an immediate impact on the
Allied war effort. The first battalion, then led by Major William O.
Darby, was an integral part of the North Africa campaign, so much so
that the battalion was awarded battalion honors for its actions in
Tunisia spearheading Operation Torch.
Bill Darby was a hero in my home State of Arkansas. Brigadier General
Bill Darby was born and buried in Fort Smith, Arkansas. And Darby, for
all his leadership, proudly represented that Ranger uniform and Ranger
leadership. He was killed in action in Italy at age 34 in April 1945.
Darby and those early Ranger units were able to overtake enemy troops
where the Axis forces held every advantage, including that of just
sheer numbers. Our debt can never be repaid to those who have chosen to
wear the cloth of this Nation. But today, we can honor this very
special group of volunteer soldiers, those very first Ranger battalions
who, during the Second World War, set the tone for the modern Ranger
regiments.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers,
and I am prepared to close.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time until Mr. Hill yields
back.
Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio
(Mr. Davidson), a distinguished member of the 75th Ranger Regiment.
Mr. DAVIDSON. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arkansas for
yielding, and I thank everyone who has had a hand in taking time to
create this bill, to create this Congressional Gold Medal, to recognize
the limited number of World War II Army Rangers that we have still
alive with us today, and, frankly, to honor the service of each and
every one of them.
The heroism and legacy of the Army Rangers go back to the
Revolutionary War. Since we have fought, we have recognized the Ranger
tactics and Ranger units that inspired the creation of the Rangers in
World War II. So it is an incredible honor to have gotten the chance to
complete the school and to serve in the 75th Ranger Regiment.
After the Civil War, more than half a century passed without formal
Ranger units in America. Mr. Hill just highlighted the history of how
that was created, but from their very first engagements in North
Africa, it was clear the difference that they could make on the
battlefield.
The 3rd and 4th Ranger Battalions were trained in Africa by Darby. It
is hard to think that such a young man who lost his life, gave his life
in battle for our country, created such a legacy that has continued
today. They began a tradition of wearing the scroll at

[[Page H4741]]

that time, and it has officially been adopted by today's Ranger
battalions.
The Second and Fifth Ranger Battalions participated in the D-day
landings on Omaha Beach, Normandy, at Pointe du Hoc, and that is where
the motto formally was coined: ``Rangers Lead the Way.''
They conducted missions, to include scaling cliffs there, overlooking
Omaha Beach. They destroyed German gun emplacements, and they trained
fires on the beachhead.
The 6th Ranger Battalion operated in the Philippines. Our colleague
already highlighted their famed largest rescue of more than 500 POWs in
that battle.
The 75th Ranger Regiment owes its heritage to the China-Burma-India
theater as Task Force Galahad on October 3, 1943. It was during the
campaigns in the China-Burma-India theater that the regiment became
known as Merrill's Marauders after its commander, Major General Frank
Merrill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the
gentleman from Ohio.
Mr. DAVIDSON. Madam Speaker, the Ranger battalions were deactivated
at the end of World War II, and we know of all their achievements since
then. But it is fitting that we take this Gold Medal as an opportunity
to honor the service of our World War II Army Rangers.
Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I urge that our friends across the aisle and on this side of the
aisle support this important bill to recognize those few Army Rangers
who are still living and recognize the work of the establishment of the
Ranger Corps in our Nation.
Madam Speaker, I am so grateful that Warren Davidson was here today.
Because of Warren's work on the House Committee on Financial Services
and in this body, truly he is the embodiment of ``Rangers Lead the
Way.'' His reflection on the formation of the regiments makes us all
think back to that historic anniversary of D-day and President Reagan's
speech at Pointe du Hoc when he paid tribute to those Rangers, ``the
boys of Pointe du Hoc.''
Madam Speaker, there were, at that time, at the 40th anniversary, a
whole row of Rangers, still living at Pointe du Hoc, who sat in front
of President Reagan to hear him pay tribute to these brave men who
scaled the cliffs at Normandy. Now, so many years later, we have lost
so many more.

Madam Speaker, I thank my friends in the Senate for this bill and for
my friends in the House who worked on it. I urge all of the House to
vote unanimously to support this Gold Medal to recognize the Greatest
Generation of Army Rangers.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of
my time.
Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Iowa, Senator Ernst, for
sponsoring S. 1872, along with my colleague, the gentleman from
Colorado, Congressman Crow, for introducing its companion version in
the House.
The Army Rangers veterans of World War II deserve this accolade for
their tireless courage, grit, determination, and dedication to their
country. The heroism they demonstrated throughout the war made an
incalculable contribution to the Allied victory. They are truly the
embodiment of their motto: ``Rangers Lead the Way.''
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on S. 1872, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Garcia) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, S. 1872.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. ROY. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion
are postponed.

____________________