#aahth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #bhbe ,,an ,,act ,to award a ,congressional ,gold ,medal to the ,united ,states ,army ,dustoff crews of the ,vietnam ,war1 collectively1 in recognition of their extraordinary heroism and life-saving actions in ,vietnam4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,dustoff ,crews of the ,vietnam ,war ,congressional ,gold ,medal ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,the ,congress finds that-- 7#a7 a ,united ,states ,army ,dustoff crewman1 including a pilot1 crew chief1 and medic1 is a helicopter crew member who served honorably during the ,vietnam ,war aboard helicopter air ambulances1 which were both nondivision and division assets under the radio call signs ,dustoff and ,medevac2 7#b7 ,dustoff crews performed aeromedical evacuation for ,united ,states1 ,vietnamese1 and allied forces in ,southeast ,asia from ,may #aifb through ,march #aigc2 7#c7 nearing the end of ,world ,war ,,ii1 the ,united ,states ,army began using helicopters for medical evacuation and years later1 during the ,korean ,war1 these helicopter air ambulances were responsible for transporting #ag1gjj ,united ,states casualties2 7#d7 during the ,vietnam ,war1 with the use of helicopter air ambulances1 ,united ,states ,army ,dustoff crews pioneered the concept of dedicated and rapid medical evacuation and transported almost #ijj1jjj ,united ,states1 ,south ,vietnamese1 and other allied sick and wounded1 as well as wounded enemy forces2 7#e7 helicopters proved to be a revolutionary tool to assist those injured on the battlefield2 7#f7 highly skilled and intrepid1 ,dustoff crews were able to operate the helicopters and land them on almost any terrain in nearly any weather to pick up wounded1 after which the ,dustoff crews could provide care to these patients while transporting them to ready medical facilities2 7#g7 the vital work of the ,dustoff crews required consistent combat exposure and often proved to be the difference between life and death for wounded personnel2 7#h7 the revolutionary concept of a dedicated combat life-saving system was cultivated and refined by ,united ,states ,army ,dustoff crews during #aa years of intense conflict in and above the jungles of ,southeast ,asia2 7#i7 innovative and resourceful ,dustoff crews in ,vietnam were responsible for taking the new concept of helicopter medical evacuation1 born just a few years earlier1 and revolutionizing it to meet and surpass the previously unattainable goal of delivering a battlefield casualty to an operating table within the vaunted golden hour2 7#aj7 some ,dustoff units in ,vietnam operated so efficiently that they were able to deliver a patient to a waiting medical facility on an average of #ej minutes from the receipt of the mission1 which saved the lives of countless personnel in ,vietnam1 and this legacy continues for modern-day ,dustoff crews2 7#aa7 the inherent danger of being a member of a ,dustoff crew in ,vietnam meant that there was a #a in #c chance of being wounded or killed2 7#ab7 many battles during the ,vietnam ,war raged at night1 and members of the ,dustoff crews often found themselves searching for a landing zone in complete darkness1 in bad weather1 over mountainous terrain1 and all while being the target of intense enemy fire as they attempted to rescue the wounded1 which caused ,dustoff crews to suffer a rate of aircraft loss that was more than #c times that of all other types of combat helicopter missions in ,vietnam2 7#ac7 the #edth ,medical ,detachment typified the constant heroism displayed by ,dustoff crews in ,vietnam1 over the span of a #aj-month tour1 with only #c flyable helicopters and #dj soldiers in the unit1 evacuating #ba1dce patients in #h1fdd missions while being airborne for #d1hcb hours2 7#ad7 collectively1 the members of the #edth ,medical ,detachment earned #gh awards for valor1 including #a ,medal of ,honor1 #a ,distinguished ,service ,cross1 #ad ,silver ,star ,medals1 #bf ,distinguished ,flying ,crosses1 #b ,bronze ,star ,medals for valor1 #d ,air ,medals for valor1 #d ,soldier's ,medals1 and #bf ,purple ,heart ,medals2 7#ae7 the #edth ,medical ,detachment displayed heroism on a daily basis and set the standard for all ,dustoff crews in ,vietnam2 7#af7 #f members of the #edth ,medical ,detachment are in the ,dustoff ,hall of ,fame1 #c are in the ,army ,aviation ,hall of ,fame1 and #a is the only ,united ,states ,army aviator in the ,national ,aviation ,hall of ,fame2 7#ag7 ,dustoff crew members are among the most highly decorated soldiers in ,united ,states military history2 7#ah7 in early #aifd1 ,major ,charles ,l4 ,kelly was the ,commanding ,officer of the #egth ,medical ,detachment 7,helicopter ,ambulance71 ,provisional1 in ,soc ,trang1 ,south ,vietnam2 7#ai7 ,major ,kelly helped to forge the ,dustoff call sign into history as one of the most welcomed phrases to be heard over the radio by wounded soldiers in perilous and dire situations2 7#bj7 in #aifd1 ,major ,kelly was killed in action as he gallantly maneuvered his aircraft to save a wounded ,united ,states soldier and several ,vietnamese soldiers and boldly replied1 after being warned to stay away from the landing zone due to the ferocity of enemy fire1 ,when ,i have your wounded42 7#ba7 ,general ,william ,westmoreland1 ,commander of the ,military ,assistance ,command1 ,vietnam from #aifd to #aifh1 singled out ,major ,kelly as an example of the greatness of the human spirit and highlighted his famous reply as an inspiration to all in combat2 7#bb7 ,general ,creighton ,abrams1 successor to ,general ,westmoreland from #aifh to #aigb1 and former ,chief of ,staff of the ,united ,states ,army1 highlighted the heroism of ,dustoff crews1 ,a special word about the ,dustoffs 4 4 4 4 ,courage above and beyond the call of duty was sort of routine to them4 ,it was a daily thing1 part of the way they lived4 ,that's the great part1 and it meant so much to every last man who served there4 ,whether he ever got hurt or not1 he knew ,dustoff was there42 7#bc7 ,dustoff crews possessed unique skills and traits that made them highly successful in aeromedical evacuation in ,vietnam1 including indomitable courage1 extraordinary aviation skill and sound judgment under fire1 high-level medical expertise1 and an unequaled dedication to the preservation of human life2 7#bd7 members of the ,united ,states ,armed ,forces on the ground in ,vietnam had their confidence and battlefield prowess reinforced knowing that there were heroic ,dustoff crews just a few minutes from the fight1 which was instrumental to their well-being1 willingness to fight1 and morale2 7#be7 military families in the ,united ,states knew that their loved ones would receive the quickest and best possible care in the event of a war-time injury1 thanks to the ,dustoff crews2 7#bf7 the willingness of ,dustoff crews to also risk their lives to save helpless civilians left an immeasurably positive impression on the people of ,vietnam and exemplified the finest ,united ,states ideals of compassion and humanity2 and 7#bg7 ,dustoff crews from the ,vietnam ,war hailed from every ,state in the ,united ,states and represented numerous ethnic1 religious1 and cultural backgrounds4 #c4 ,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 presentation1 on behalf of ,congress1 of a single gold medal of appropriate design in honor of the ,dustoff crews of the ,vietnam ,war1 collectively1 in recognition of their heroic military service1 which saved countless lives and contributed directly to the defense of the ,united ,states4 7b7 ,design and striking ,for purposes of the presentation referred to in subsection 7a71 the ,secretary of the ,treasury 7referred to in this ,act as the ,secretary7 shall strike a gold medal with suitable emblems1 devices1 and inscriptions1 to be determined by the ,secretary1 in consultation with the ,secretary of ,defense4 7c7 ,u4,s4 ,army ,medical ,department ,museum 7#a7 ,in general ,following the award of the gold medal in honor of the ,dustoff ,crews of the ,vietnam ,war1 the gold medal shall be given to the ,u4,s4 ,army ,medical ,department ,museum1 where it will be available for display as appropriate and available for research4 7#b7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that the ,u4,s4 ,army ,medical ,department ,museum should make the gold medal awarded pursuant to this ,act available for display elsewhere1 particularly at appropriate locations associated with the ,vietnam ,war1 and that preference should be given to locations affiliated with the ,u4,s4 ,army ,medical ,department ,museum4 #d4 ,duplicate medals ,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 thereof1 including labor1 materials1 dies1 use of machinery1 and overhead expenses4 #e4 ,status of medals 7a7 ,national medal ,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 sections #eacd and #eacf of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code1 all medals struck under this ,act shall be considered to be numismatic items4 #f4 ,authority to use fund amounts2 proceeds of sale 7a7 ,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 ,act4 7b7 ,proceeds of sale ,amounts received from the sale of duplicate bronze medals authorized under section #d shall be deposited into the ,united ,states ,mint ,public ,enterprise ,fund4 ,passed the ,senate ,may #i1 #bjbd4,secretary