Bill > HR5939

This bill proposes to award a Congressional Gold Medal to United States Marines and Navy Corpsmen who served in helicopter support missions during the Vietnam War, specifically recognizing the heroic medical evacuation (Medevac) crews. The bill provides extensive historical context about the First Marine Air Wing (1st MAW), highlighting their critical contributions between 1962 and 1975, during which helicopter crews transported over 3.2 million troops, flew more than 1.6 million sorties, delivered 338,000 tons of cargo, and medically evacuated approximately 189,000 patients. After the medal's creation by the Secretary of the Treasury, it will be presented by Congressional leadership and then displayed at the National Museum of the United States Navy, with a recommendation that it also be exhibited at other Vietnam War-related locations. The legislation authorizes the creation of bronze duplicates of the medal for sale to cover production costs, and establishes the medal's status as a national numismatic item. The bill recognizes the extraordinary risks faced by these helicopter crews, who often flew into dangerous combat zones to rescue wounded soldiers, with 26 Medevac Corpsmen ultimately losing their lives during these missions, and a total of 280 helicopters and 845 crew members and passengers lost throughout the war.

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https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5939/all-info