Public Law 117-132 passed June 7, 2022
United States Army Rangers Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act
Definition (as referenced to this Act)
Secretary
Secretary of the Treasury
United States Army Rangers Veteran of World War II”
Served in the Armed Forced, honorable, in an active duty status and at any time during the period beginning on June 19, 1942, ending on September 2, 1945 and was assigned to a Ranger Battalion of the Army at any time during the period described.
Findings
Congress finds:
In World War 2, the Army formed 6 Ranger Battalions and 1 provisional battalion. All were volunteers. Initial concepts was using highly trained “commando” units of light infantry for scouting and raiding operations.
Ranger Battalions consisted of-
1st Ranger Infantry Battalion, activated June 19, 1943, Northern Ireland
2nd Ranger Infantry Battalion, activated April 1, 1943, Camp Forrest, Tennessee
3rd Ranger Infantry Battalion, arranged May 21, 1943, North Africa, consolidated July 21, 1943.
4th Ranger Infantry Battalion, arranged May 29, 1943, North Africa, consolidated July 21, 1943.
5th Ranger Infantry Battalion, activated September 1, 1943, Camp Forrest, Tennessee.
6th Ranger Infantry Battalion, was 98th Field Artillery Battalion, activated January 20, 1941, Fort Lewis, Washington, converted to the 6th Battalion September 26, 1944.
Army National Guard, activated December 20, 1942 to the 29th Ranger infantry Battalion, Tidworth Barracks, England, disbanded October 18, 1943.
First combat operations was August 19, 1942. 50 Rangers embarked the British Canadian raid on the French coastal town Dieppe.
1st Ranger Battalion under Major William O. Darby, Arsew, Algeria during North African campaign. The success of the battles especially at El Guettar in March and April 1943, 2 additional Ranger Battalions were organized in North Africa.
North African campaign, 1st Range Battalion awarded battle honors for actions in Tunisa. March 20, 1943 captured the position Djebel el Ank at night taking more than 200 prisoners. Two days later the Battalion was attacked by the 10th Panzer division of the German Afrika Korps. The next day the Battalion counterattacked to clear high ground, this demonstrated the ability of the Rangers to fight difficult terrain and the courage to ensure despite being outnumbered and exposed to heavy enemy fire.
The 29th Ranger Battalion and accompanied British commandos on 3 small scale raids in Norway. 19 members conducted a raid on a German radar site in France the night of September 3, 1943. After that night the Rangers disbanded because the 2nd and 5th Battalions were being formed.
Summer and fall of 1943, 1st, 3rd and 4th Battalions involved in campaign in Sicily and landings in Italy. 1st and 4th Battalions secured the landing beached by night amphibious landings in Sicily. 3rd Battalion landed in Licata, Sicily and able to silence gun positions on an 82 foot cliff overlooking the beaches.
Invasion of Italy, 1st and 4th Ranger Battalions landed at Maiori, mission of seizing high ground and protecting the flank by the United States. The Enemy outnumbered the Rangers 8 to 1 and the Rangers held off 7 enemy counterattacks.
After Italy invasion, Rangers continued night attacks, seize key terrain and helped Allied forces to advance. Anzio beachhead, 1st, 3rd and 4th Battalion sustained heavy casualties.The Rangers plan was to infiltrate German positions at night and make a dawn attack but were pinned down by enemy tanks a German paratrooper unit. After 12 hours, majority of Ranger forces were killed, wounded or captured. Only 6 Rangers from the 1st and 3rd Battalion returned to friendly lines. 4th Battalion suffered 60 killed, 120 wounded. These three battalions were inactivated and the survivors were transferred to other units.
United States and later in Scotland, 2nd and 5th Battalions formed operations in Western Europe engaging on D-Day at Pointe du Hoe and remained in combat through September of 1944. 2nd Battalion under Lieutenant Colonel James E. Rudder, overcame mines, machine gun fire, and enemy artillery while scaling 100 foot cliffs at Pointe du Hoe. After reaching the top of the cliffs they moved inland for 1 mile sustaining heavy casualties and ultimately destroying a German heavy artillery battery.
June thru August of 1944 the 2nd and 5th Battalion engaged in a campaign at Brest, included close-range fighting in hedgerows and several villages. Operations in Western Germany frequently attacked in darkness and gained vital positions for the main Army attacks.
The final drive into Germany late February earl March 1945, under the cover of darkness, 5th Battalion drive into German lines and blocked the main German supply route. The Germans attacked the Rangers on both sides resulting in heavy Ranger casualties during 5 days of fighting. The Rangers actions allowed the main Army to overcome German defenses in the city of Trier and reach the Rhine River.
The 6th Battalion operated in the Pacific. January thru February 1945, the Battalion formed a rescue force, liberating more than 500 Allied prisoners from the Cabanatuan prisoner of war camp in the Philippines. The Rangers led by Lieutenant Colonel Henry A. Mucci, infiltrated Japanese held territory. After a 25 miles march at night through the jungle the Rangers killed ALL Japanese sentries with NO loss of life of the POW’s. The unit returned to American lines only having lost 2 soldiers and 2 wounded.
1st Ranger Infantry Battalion
Campaigns
Algeria-French Morocco
Tunisia
Sicily
Naples-Foggia
Anzio
Rome-Arno
Contributions (Army)
Presidential Unit Citation and streamer embroidered “EL GUETTAR” and “SALERNO”
2nd Ranger Infantry Battalion
Campaigns
Normandy
Northern France
Rhineland
Ardennes-Alsace
Central Europe
Contributions (Army)
Presidential Unit Citation and streamer embroidered “POINTE DU HOE”
French Croix de Guerre with Silver-Gilt Star, WWII and streamer embroidered “POINTE DU HOE”
3rd Ranger Infantry Battalion
Campaigns
Sicily
Naples-Foggia
Anzio
Rome-Arno
Contributions (Army)
Presidential Unit Citation and streamer embroidered “SALERNO”
4th Ranger Infantry Battalion
Campaigns
Sicily
Naples-Foggia
Anzio
Rome-Arno
Contributions (Army)
Presidential Unit Citation and streamer embroidered “SALERNO”
5th Ranger Infantry Battalion
Campaigns
Normandy
Northern France
Rhineland
Ardennes-Alsace
Central Europe
Contributions (Army)
Presidential Unit Citation and streamer embroidered “NORMANDY BEACH-HEAD”
Presidential Unit Citation and streamer embroidered “SAAR RIVER AREA”
French Croix de Guerre with Silver-Gilt Star, WWII, and streamer embroidered “NORMANDY”
6th Ranger Infantry Battalion
Campaigns
New Guinea
Leyte
Luzon
Contributions (Army)
Presidential Unit Citation and streamer embroidered “CEBU, LUZON”
Philippine Presidential Unit Citation and streamer embroidered “17 OCTOBER 1944 TO 4 JULY 1945”
The United States forever indebted to the United States Army Rangers Veterans of World War II. Their bravery and sacrifice contributed greatly to the success of the United States and the allies of the United States.
Congressional Gold Medal
Award Authorized
President pro tempore of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives will make arrangements for the award, on behalf of Congress, a single gold medal to the United States Army Rangers Veterans of World War II, recognition dedicated service during World War II.
Design and Striking
The Secretary will strike the gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary.
Smithsonian Institution
The gold medal in honor of the United States Army Rangers Veterans of World War II will be given to the Smithsonian Institution where it will be made available for display and made available for research.
It is a sense of Congress to make the gold medal available for display at other locations.
Duplicate Medals
The Secretary may sell duplicates in bronze at a price sufficient to cover the cost of the medals, including cost of labor, materials, dies, machinery use and overhead expenses.
Sales to be deposited in the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
Authorized to be charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund necessary to pay for the costs of the medals struck under this Act.
Status of Medal
National Medal
The gold medal struck shall be a national medal for the purpose of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.
Numismatic Items
The purpose of section 5134 of title 31, United States Code, shall be considered to be numismatic items.