,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ejdd ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,november #ab1 #bjai,mr4 ,bost 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,lowenthal1 ,mr4 ,brindisi1 ,mr4 ,banks1 ,mr4 ,cisneros1 ,mr4 ,bilirakis1 ,mr4 ,pappas1 ,mr4 ,cox of ,california1 and ,mr4 ,rodney ,davis of ,illinois7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,financial ,services1 and in addition to the ,committee on ,house ,administration1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,a ,,bill ,to grant a ,congressional ,gold ,medal1 collectively1 to the men and women of the ,united ,states ,armed ,forces and ,merchant ,marine1 as well as citizen and non-citizen civilians who served honorably with the ,u4,s4 military1 who were surrendered1 captured1 or abandoned to become prisoners of war 7,p,o,ws7 of ,imperial ,japan throughout the ,japanese ,empire in the ,pacific ,theater of ,world ,war ,,ii from ,december #g1 #aida1 to ,september #b1 #aide4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,world ,war ,,ii ,pacific ,war ,heroes ,congressional ,gold ,medal ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,the ,united ,states ,p,o,ws held by ,imperial ,japan in the ,pacific ,theater during ,world ,war ,,ii1 with most held in captivity for more than three years1 are ,pacific ,war heroes who represent the ,american spirit of courage1 tenacity1 and faith4 7#b7 ,imperial ,japan did not abide by the ,geneva and ,hague ,conventions for the humane treatment of ,p,o,ws4 7#c7 ,the ,united ,states ,p,o,ws held by ,imperial ,japan during ,world ,war ,,ii numbered more than #bg1jjj with more than #aa1jjj or #dj percent perishing before the end of ,war4 7#d7 ,on ,december #g1 #aida1 ,imperial ,japan attacked not only ,pearl ,harbor in the ,united ,states ,territory of ,hawaii1 but also the other ,united ,states possessions and military installations in the ,pacific of the ,philippines1 ,guam1 ,wake ,island1 ,howland ,island1 and ,midway as preludes to full-scale invasions and military occupation throughout the ,asia-,pacific region4 7#e7 ,by the end of day1 ,december #h1 #aida1 more than #cjj ,united ,states ,marines1 sailors1 diplomats1 and ,mariners in ,china became the first ,united ,states prisoners of war of ,imperial ,japan with most held for the full duration of the war2 7#f7 ,ninety-eight percent of the ,united ,states ,p,o,ws of ,imperial ,japan fought in the heroic battles of ,guam1 ,wake ,island1 ,sunda ,strait1 ,halsey-,doolittle ,raid1 ,bataan1 and ,corregidor1 all within the first six months of ,world ,war ,,ii4 7#g7 ,most of the ,united ,states airmen1 infantrymen1 sailors1 and ,marines surrendered in defense of the ,netherlands ,east ,indies in ,march #aidb were sent to be slave laborers on the ,thai-,burma ,death ,railway or at construction projects in ,changi1 ,singapore4 7#h7 ,on ,april #i1 #aidb1 approximately #ab1jjj ,united ,states military personnel and #ff1jjj ,filipino soldiers became ,p,o,ws with the surrender of the ,american-,filipino forces on the ,bataan ,peninsula in the ,philippines4 7#i7 ,april #i1 #aidb1 marked the beginning of the infamous ,bataan ,death ,march where the ,imperial ,japanese ,army forced all ,american and ,filipino forces from ,marviveles or ,bagac up the ,bataan ,peninsula on a three-part1 three-province1 nearly #ajj-mile trek north to the makeshift ,,pow facility ,camp ,o',donnell at ,capas1 ,tarlac4 ,an estimated #fej ,american and #e1jjj-aj1jjj ,filipino soldiers died on the ,bataan ,death ,march1 while hundreds of men remain unaccounted for4 7#aj7 ,on ,may #f1 #aidb1 ,corregidor ,island1 then operating as the military command center for all the ,philippines1 ,united ,states ,forces in the ,philippines 7,,usfip71 was surrendered4 ,nearly #aj1jjj ,american soldiers1 sailors1 airmen1 and ,marines as well as more than #c1jjj ,filipino soldiers and nurses became ,p,o,ws of ,imperial ,japan4 7#aa7 ,the ,may #f1 #aidb1 fall of ,corregidor ,island and subsequent surrender of all the ,philippines ,islands marked the end of the ,u4,s4 ,asiatic ,fleet2 the ,u4,s4 ,army ,forces in the ,far ,east 7,,usaffe71 and the ,u4,s4 ,far ,east ,air ,force 7,,usfeaf74 7#ab7 ,included in the surrenders the ,philippines were female nurses of ,united ,states ,army1 ,navy1 ,philippine ,army1 and civilian volunteers who became the first large group of ,american women in combat and1 counted with the ,army and ,navy nurses surrendered on ,guam in ,december #aida1 comprised the first group of ,american military women taken captive and imprisoned by an enemy4 7#ac7 ,more than #ad1jjj ,americans ,p,o,ws were transported aboard hellships--in the holds of unmarked merchant ships--from ,pacific battle sites to be used as slave laborers2 one-third of all ,,pow deaths resulted from attacks on the hellships by friendly fire from ,american submarines or aircraft4 7#ad7 ,more than #fjj members of the ,united ,states ,merchant ,marine including one female ,mariner1 became prisoners of ,imperial ,japan1 many of whom were turned over to ,japanese control after being first captured by ,nazi ,germany's naval forces4 ,fifteen percent were killed by either ,imperial ,japan ,navy officers during capture or died in ,japanese ,,pow camps4 7#ae7 ,throughout ,world ,war ,,ii1 the ,imperial ,japanese military maintained approximately #gge ,,pow camps throughout the ,empire3 #ahe ,,pow camps on the ,home ,islands of ,japan and #eij in other areas of the ,pacific ,theater1 which includes an unknown number of temporary camps4 7#af7 ,a priority of ,international ,military ,tribunal for the ,far ,east 7,,imtfe71 also known as the ,tokyo ,war ,crimes ,tribunal and the ad hoc ,american and ,allied military tribunals throughout the ,asia ,pacific from #aide to #aiea was to obtain justice for the maltreatment of ,p,o,ws4 ,approximately seventy-five percent of the more than #e1fjj defendants were charged with offenses against ,p,o,ws4 ,this reflects the ,july #bf1 #aide1 ,potsdam ,declaration's warning that1 stern justice shall be meted out to all war criminals1 including those who have visited cruelties upon our prisoners4 7#ag7 ,president ,ronald ,reagan first proclaimed ,national ,former ,prisoner of ,war ,recognition ,day in #aihh1 which was established to coincide with ,april #i1 the anniversary of the start of the ,bataan ,death ,march4 7#ah7 ,in #bjji1 the ,government of ,japan issued an official1 ,cabinet of ,japan approved apology saying ,we extend a heartfelt apology for our country having caused tremendous damage and suffering to many people1 including prisoners of wars1 those who have undergone tragic experiences in the ,bataan ,peninsula1 ,corregidor ,island1 in the ,philippines1 and other places4 7#ai7 ,in #bjaj1 the ,government of ,japan initiated an annual visitation program for former ,united ,states ,p,o,ws of ,japan and family members to visit ,japan for remembrance1 reconciliation1 and healing4 7#bj7 ,it is time to recognize the ordinary men and women who found uncommon courage in extraordinary circumstances to fight the impossible and endure the unimaginable for freedom from tyranny and oppression4 7#ba7 ,the ,congressional ,gold ,medal is an appropriate way to honor the service of the ,united ,states ,p,o,ws held by ,imperial ,japan in ,world ,war ,,ii and to highlight the unique imprisonment of these ,pacific ,war heroes and their poignant history of sacrifice1 perseverance1 patriotism1 and faith4 #c4 ,definitions ,in this ,act-- 7a7 the term prisoners of war of ,imperial ,japan includes any individual who-- 7#a7 was taken prisoner-- 7,a7 by ,japan while serving honorably in the service of the ,united ,states at any time during the period beginning on ,december #h1 #aida1 and ending on ,september #b1 #aide2 7,b7 was taken prisoner by the ,japanese while serving in an active-duty status under the command of the ,united ,states ,army ,forces in the ,far ,east 7,,usaffe71 ,united ,states ,forces in the ,philippines 7,,usfip71 ,american-,british-,dutch-,australian 7,,abda7 ,command1 ,southwest ,pacific ,area 7,,swpa71 ,pacific ,ocean ,area 7,,poa71 ,china-,burma-,india 7,,cbi71 ,southeast ,asia ,command 7,,seac71 #ast ,defense ,battalion1 ,wake ,island 7,marines71 ,guam ,battalion 7,marines71 #dth ,marines1 ,marine ,raiders1 ,u4,s4 ,asiatic ,fleet1 ,twentieth ,air ,force1 ,far ,east ,air ,force1 ,united ,states ,army ,air ,forces1 and the ,war ,shipping ,administration2 or 7,c7 was taken prisoner on ,attu ,island in the ,aleutians part of ,alaska on ,june #g1 #aidb2 7#b7 was not granted parole 7release7 by ,imperial ,japanese forces during ,world ,war ,,ii2 and 7#c7 holds veterans' status or a certificate of honorable service for their service in the ,pacific ,theater of ,world ,war ,,ii when taken prisoner by ,japan2 7b7 the term ,pacific ,theater means ,china1 the ,central ,pacific1 ,southeast ,asia1 and the ,southwest ,pacific of ,world ,war ,,ii2 and 7c7 the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of the ,treasury4 #d4 ,congressional gold medal 7a7 ,presentation 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 ,congress1 of a single gold medal of appropriate design to the ,united ,states to the men and women of the ,united ,states military and merchant marine as well as citizen and non-citizen civilians who fought with the ,u4,s4 military and were surrendered1 captured1 or abandoned to become prisoners of war of ,imperial ,japan during ,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 described in subsection 7a71 the ,secretary of the ,treasury 7in this ,act referred to as the ,secretary7 shall strike the gold medal with suitable emblems1 devices1 and inscriptions1 to be determined by the ,secretary4 7c7 ,smithsonian institution 7#a7 ,in general ,following the award of the gold medal under subsection 7a71 the gold medal shall be given to the ,smithsonian ,institution's ,national ,museum of ,american ,history1 where it shall be displayed as appropriate and made available for research4 7#b7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that the ,smithsonian ,institution's ,national ,museum of ,american ,history should make the gold medal received under paragraph 7#a7 available for display at other locations1 particularly at locations that are associated with the prisoners of war of ,imperial ,japan during ,world ,war ,,ii1 such as ,the ,harry ,s4 ,truman ,library and ,museum1 ,the ,mac,arthur ,memorial1 ,national ,prisoner of ,war ,museum2 ,national ,museum of the ,pacific ,war1 and ,new ,mexico ,military ,museum4 #e4 ,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 #d1 at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the medals1 including labor1 materials1 dies1 use of machinery1 and overhead expenses4 #f4 ,status of medals 7a7 ,national medals ,medals struck under this ,act are national medals for purposes of chapter #ea of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code4 7b7 ,numismatic items ,for purposes of section #eacd and #eacf of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code1 all medals struck under this ,act shall be considered to be numismatic items4