[117th Congress Public Law 132]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[[Page 1231]]
UNITED STATES ARMY RANGERS VETERANS OF WORLD WAR II
CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL ACT
[[Page 136 STAT. 1232]]
Public Law 117-132
117th Congress
An Act
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. <<NOTE: June 7, 2022 - [S.
1872]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: United States
Army Rangers Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act. 31
USC 5111 note.>>
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);
[[Page 136 STAT. 1233]]
(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) <<NOTE: William O. Darby.>> 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 136 STAT. 1234]]
(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. <<NOTE: James E. Rudder.>> 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
[[Page 136 STAT. 1235]]
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 <<NOTE: Henry A.
Mucci.>> 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''.
[[Page 136 STAT. 1236]]
(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
[[Page 136 STAT. 1237]]
(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.
Approved June 7, 2022.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 1872:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
Vol. 167 (2021):
Oct. 26, considered and passed
Senate.
Vol. 168 (2022):
May 10, 11, considered and passed
House.
DAILY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS (2022):
June 7, Presidential remarks.
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