,,ii #aadth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #biib ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,december #a1 #bjaf,received ,,an ,,act ,to award a ,congressional ,gold ,medal1 collectively1 to the ,u4,s4 ,merchant ,marine of ,world ,war ,,ii1 in recognition of their dedicated and vital service during ,world ,war ,,ii4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,merchant ,marine of ,world ,war ,,ii ,congressional ,gold ,medal ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,the ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 #bjae marks the #gjth anniversary of the ,allied victory in ,world ,war ,,ii and the restoration of peacetime across the ,european and ,pacific theaters4 7#b7 ,the ,united ,states ,merchant ,marine was integral in providing the link between domestic production and the fighting forces overseas1 providing combat equipment1 fuel1 food1 commodities1 and raw materials to troops stationed overseas4 7#c7 ,fleet ,admiral ,ernest ,j4 ,king acknowledged the indispensability of the ,merchant ,marine to the victory in a #aide letter stating that without their support1 the ,navy could not have accomplished its mission4 7#d7 ,president and former ,supreme ,commander of the ,allied ,forces1 ,dwight ,d4 ,eisenhower1 acknowledged that through the prompt delivery of supplies and equipment to our armed forces overseas1 and of cargoes representing economic and military aid to friendly nations1 the ,american ,merchant ,marine has effectively helped to strengthen the forces of freedom throughout the world4 7#e7 ,military missions and war planning were contingent upon the availability of resources and that the ,united ,states ,merchant ,marine played a vital role in this regard1 ensuring the efficient and reliable transoceanic transport of military equipment as well as both military and civilian personnel4 7#f7 ,the ,united ,states ,merchant ,marine provided for the successful transport of resources and personnel despite consistent and ongoing exposure to enemy combatants from both the air and the sea1 such as enemy bomber squadrons1 submarines1 and mines4 7#g7 ,the efforts of the ,united ,states ,merchant ,marine were not without sacrifices as they bore a higher per capita casualty rate than any other branch of the military during the war4 7#h7 ,the ,united ,states ,merchant ,marine proved to be an instrumental asset on untold occasions1 participating in every landing operation by the ,united ,states ,marine ,corps from ,guadalcanal to ,iwo ,jima as well as providing1 for instance1 the bulk tonnage of material necessary for the invasion of ,normandy which would not have been possible without the ,merchant ,marine1 as a #aidd ,new ,york ,times article observed4 7#i7 ,in also assessing their performance1 ,general ,dwight ,d4 ,eisenhower stated1 every man in this ,allied command is quick to express his admiration for the loyalty1 courage1 and fortitude of the officers and men of the ,merchant ,marine4 ,we count upon their efficiency and their utter devotion to duty as we do our own2 they have never failed us4 7#aj7 ,during a ,september #aidd speech1 ,president ,franklin ,d4 ,roosevelt stated1 the ,merchant ,marine has delivered the goods when and where needed in every theater of operations and across every ocean in the biggest1 the most difficult1 and dangerous transportation job ever undertaken4 ,as time goes on1 there will be greater public understanding of our merchant fleet's record during this war44 7#aa7 ,the feats and accomplishments of the ,merchant ,marine are deserving of broader public recognition4 7#ab7 ,the ,united ,states will be forever grateful and indebted to the ,u4,s4 ,merchant ,marine for their effective1 reliable1 and courageous transport of goods and resources in enemy territory throughout theaters of every variety in ,world ,war ,,ii2 that these goods and resources saved thousands of lives and enabled the ,allied ,powers to claim victory in ,world ,war ,,ii4 7#ac7 ,the ,congressional ,gold ,medal will be an appropriate way to shed further light on the service of the ,merchant ,marine in ,world ,war ,,ii and the instrumental role they played in winning ,world ,war ,,ii4 #c4 ,congressional gold medal 7a7 ,award ,authorized ,the ,speaker of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,president pro tempore of the ,senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the award1 on behalf of the ,congress1 of a single gold medal of appropriate design to the ,u4,s4 ,merchant ,marine of ,world ,war ,,ii1 in recognition of their dedicated and vital service during ,world ,war ,,ii4 7b7 ,design and ,striking ,for the purposes of the award referred to in subsection 7a71 the ,secretary of the ,treasury 7hereafter referred to as the ,secretary7 shall strike the gold medal with suitable emblems1 devices1 and inscriptions1 to be determined by the ,secretary4 7c7 ,american ,merchant ,marine ,museum 7#a7 ,in general ,following the award of the gold medal in honor of the ,u4,s4 ,merchant ,marine1 the gold medal shall be given to the ,american ,merchant ,marine ,museum1 where it will be available for display as appropriate and available for research4 #d4 ,duplicate medals ,under such regulations as the ,secretary may prescribe1 the ,secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck under section #c1 at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the medals1 including labor1 materials1 dies1 use of machinery1 and overhead expenses4 #e4 ,status of medals 7a7 ,national ,medals ,medals struck pursuant to this ,act are national medals for purposes of chapter #ea of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code4 7b7 ,numismatic ,items ,for purposes of section #eacd of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code1 all medals struck under this ,act shall be considered to be numismatic items4 ,passed the ,house of ,representatives ,november #cj1 #bjaf4,karen ,l4 ,haas1,clerk