#aac? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,s4    
#ahbg  ,,an ,,act  ,to aw>d a           
,congressional ,gold ,m$al to ! ,am]ican
 ,fight] ,aces1 collectively1 9         
recognition ( _! h]oic milit>y s]vice & 
def5se ( our c\ntry's fre$om ?r\gh\t !  
hi/ory ( aviation w>f>e4  #a4 ,%ort     
title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,am]ican
 ,fight] ,aces ,congressional ,gold     
,m$al ,act4  #b4 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds !
 foll[+3 7#a7 ,an ,am]ican ,fight] ,ace 
is a fight] pilot :o has s]v$ honorably 
9 a ,unit$ ,/ates milit>y s]vice & :o   
has de/roy$ #e or m confirm$ enemy      
aircraft 9 a]ial combat dur+ a w> or    
conflict 9 :i* ,am]ican arm$ =ces h     
p>ticipat$4  7#b7 ,beg9n+ ) ,_w ,w> ,i1 
& ! fir/ use ( airplanes 9 w>f>e1       
milit>y s]vices h ma9ta9$ (ficial       
records ( individual a]ial victory      
cr$its dur+ e major conflict4 ,( m ?an  
#fj1jjj ,unit$ ,/ates milit>y fight]    
pilots t h tak5 to ! air1 less ?an      
#a1ejj h become ,fight] ,aces4  7#c7    
,am]icans became ,fight] ,aces 9 !      

,spani% ,civil ,w>1 ,s9o-,japanese ,w>1 
,russian ,civil ,w>1 ,arab-,israeli ,w>1
 & o!rs4 ,additionally1 ,am]ican milit>y
 gr\ps' recruit$ ,unit$ ,/ates milit>y  
pilots to =m ! ,am]ican ,volunte] ,gr\p1
 ,eagle ,squadron1 & o!rs t produc$     
,am]ican-born ,fight] ,aces fight+ aga9/
 axis p[]s prior to ,pe>l ,h>bor4  7#d7 
,! concept ( a ,fight] ,ace is t !y     
f\ght = fre$om & democracy across !     
globe1 fly+ 9 ! face ( ! enemy to def5d 
fre$om ?r\gh\t ! hi/ory ( a]ial combat4 
,am]ican-born citiz5s became ,fight]    
,aces fly+ "u ! flag ( ,unit$ ,/ates    
alli$ c\ntries & became "s ( ! highe/   
scor+ ,fight] ,aces ( _! respective w>s4
  7#e7 ,am]ican ,fight] ,aces hail f e  
,/ate 9 ! ,union1 repres5t+ num]\s      
e?nic1 religi\s1 & cultural backgr\nds4 
7#f7 ,fight] ,aces possess unique skills
 t h made !m successful 9 a]ial combat4 
,^! include c\rage1 judgm5t1 ke5        
m>ksman%ip1 conc5tration1 drive1        
p]si/5ce1 & split-second ?9k+ t makes an
 ,ace a w> fight] ) unique & valuable   

flight driv5 skills4  7#g7 ,! ,aces'    
tra9+1 brav]y1 skills1 sacrifice1       
att5tion to duty1 & innovative _s       
illu/rate ! mo/ celebrat$ traits ( !    
,unit$ ,/ates milit>y1 includ+ s]vice to
 c\ntry & ! protection ( fre$om &       
democracy4  7#h7 ,am]ican ,fight] ,aces 
h l$ di/+ui%$ c>e]s 9 ! milit>y1        
education1 private ent]prise1 &         
politics4 ,_m h held ! rank ( ,g5]al or 
,admiral & play$ lead]%ip roles 9       
multiple w> ef=ts f ,,wwi to ,vietnam   
?r\gh _m decades4 ,9 "s cases !y became 
! highe/ rank+ (fic]s = foll[+ w>s4     
7#i7 ,! extraord9>y h]oism ( ! ,am]ican 
,fight] ,ace boo/$ ,am]ican morale at   
home & enc\rag$ _m m5 & wom5 to enli/ to
 fight = ,am]ica & democracy across !   
globe4  7#aj7 ,fight] ,aces 7 among     
,am]ica's mo/-priz$ milit>y fight]s dur+
 w>s4 ,:5 !y rotat$ back to ! ,unit$    
,/ates aft] combat t\rs1 !y tra9$ cadets
 9 fight] pilot tactics t !y _h le>n$   
ov] enemy skies4 ,! tea*+ ( combat      
dogfight+ to "y aviators /r5g!n$ our    

fight] pilots to become m successful 9 !
 skies4 ,! net effect ( ?is 0 to %ort5  
w>s & save ! lives ( "y ,am]icans4      
7#aa7 ,foll[+ milit>y s]vice1 _m ,fight]
 ,aces became te/ pilots due to _!      
sup]ior fly+ skills & quick ?9k+        
abilities4  7#ab7 ,! ,am]ican ,fight]   
,aces are "o ( ! mo/ decorat$ milit>y   
gr\ps 9 ,am]ican hi/ory4 ,tw5ty-two     
,fight] ,aces h a*iev$ ! rank ( ,admiral
 9 ! ,navy4 ,sev5ty-n9e ,fight] ,aces h 
a*iev$ ! rank ( ,g5]al 9 ! ,army1       
,m>9es1 & ,air ,=ce4 ,n9ete5 ,m$als (   
,honor h be5 aw>d$ to individual ,fight]
 ,aces4  #c4 ,congressional gold m$al   
7a7 ,pres5tation au?oriz$ ,! ,speak] ( !
 ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives & ! ,presid5t  
pro tempore ( ! ,s5ate %all make        
appropriate arrangem5ts = ! pres5tation1
 on behalf ( ! ,congress1 ( a gold m$al 
( appropriate design to ! ,am]ican      
,fight] ,aces1 collectively1 9          
recognition ( _! h]oic milit>y s]vice & 
def5se ( our c\ntry's fre$om1 :i* has   
spann$ ! hi/ory ( aviation w>f>e4  7b7  

,design & /rik+ ,= ! purposes ( ! aw>d  
ref]r$ to 9 subsection 7a71 ! ,secret>y 
( ! ,treasury 79 ?is ,act ref]r$ to z ! 
,secret>y7 %all /rike ! gold m$al )     
suitable emblems1 devices1 &            
inscriptions1 to be det]m9$ by !        
,secret>y4  7c7 ,aw>d ( m$al ,foll[+ !  
aw>d ( ! gold m$al 9 honor ( ! ,am]ican 
,fight] ,aces "u subsection 7a71 ! gold 
m$al %all be giv5 to ! ,smi?sonian      
,in/itution1 :]e x %all be available =  
display or tempor>y loan to be display$ 
else:]e1 p>ticul>ly at appropriate      
locations associat$ ) ! ,am]ican ,fight]
 ,aces1 & t pref]5ce %\ld be giv5 to    
locations affiliat$ ) ! ,smi?sonian     
,in/itution4  #d4 ,duplicate m$als ,!   
,secret>y may /rike & sell duplicates 9 
bronze ( ! gold m$al /ruck pursuant to  
section #c1 at a price suffici5t to cov]
 ! co/s ( ! m$al1 includ+ labor1        
mat]ials1 dies1 use ( ma*9]y1 & ov]head 
exp5ses1 & am\nts receiv$ f ! sale ( su*
 duplicates %all be deposit$ 9 ! ,unit$ 
,/ates ,m9t ,public ,ent]prise ,fund4   

#e4 ,/atus ( m$als  7a7 ,national m$als 
,! m$als /ruck "u ?is ,act are national 
m$als = purposes ( *apt] #ea ( title    
#ca1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4  7b7          
,numismatic items ,= purposes ( sections
 #eacd & #eacf ( title #ca1 ,unit$      
,/ates ,code1 all m$als /ruck "u ?is    
,act %all be consid]$ to be numismatic  
items4  ,pass$ ! ,s5ate ,m>* #bf1       
#bjad4,secret>y