HR5993-119

What This Bill Does

The MACV-SOG Congressional Gold Medal Act recognizes the Military Assistance Command Vietnam-Studies and Observations Group. The findings describe MACV-SOG as a joint special operations task force established in January 1964 for high-risk activities in denied areas of North Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, including reconnaissance, sabotage, direct action, rescue missions, prisoner-of-war snatches, bomb-damage assessments, wiretaps, psychological operations, and maritime operations. The findings note that 12 operators received the Medal of Honor, approximately 1,579 U.S. personnel are listed as missing or killed while serving with MACV-SOG, more than 50 team members remain missing in action, MACV-SOG helped shape modern special operations, and the program included Army Special Forces, Navy SEALs, Force Reconnaissance Marines, Air Force personnel, CIA personnel, indigenous partners, and 219th Vietnamese Air Force King Bee helicopter pilots. The operative provisions require congressional leaders to arrange presentation of one gold medal to MACV-SOG service members, require Treasury to strike the medal, place it with the Smithsonian Institution for display and research, encourage display at MACV-SOG-related locations and events, authorize duplicate bronze medals, and route production costs and sale proceeds through the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.

Who Benefits and How

MACV-SOG service members benefit because Congress gives formal national recognition to their classified and long-unacknowledged Vietnam War service. Families of killed, missing, wounded, and surviving MACV-SOG personnel benefit because the medal publicly acknowledges sacrifices that were hidden for decades. Special operations veterans and units benefit because the bill recognizes MACV-SOG's role in shaping modern special operations tactics and doctrine. The Smithsonian Institution benefits because it receives the gold medal for display and research. The United States Mint benefits from authority to produce duplicate bronze medals and deposit proceeds in the Public Enterprise Fund.

Who Bears the Burden and How

The Speaker of the House and President pro tempore of the Senate must arrange the medal presentation. The Secretary of the Treasury and United States Mint staff must design, strike, fund, and account for the gold medal and duplicate bronze medals. The Smithsonian Institution must preserve the medal, support research access, and manage appropriate display. Federal taxpayers and the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund bear production and administrative costs until offset by duplicate medal proceeds.

Key Provisions

• Recognizes MACV-SOG's classified Vietnam War reconnaissance, rescue, sabotage, psychological, maritime, and direct-action missions.
• Awards one Congressional Gold Medal to MACV-SOG service members for bravery and outstanding service.
• Directs Treasury to strike the medal and places it with the Smithsonian Institution for display and research.
• Encourages Smithsonian display at appropriate MACV-SOG-related locations and events.
• Authorizes duplicate bronze medals and routes costs and sale proceeds through the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.