New Bill Honors 12,000+ American WWII Volunteers Who Fought for Canada and Britain with Congressional Gold Medal

This bill, officially titled the American Patriots of WWII through Service with the Canadian and British Armed Forces Gold Medal Act of 2025, is purely about recognition. It authorizes a single Congressional Gold Medal to honor U.S. citizens who volunteered to serve in the Canadian or British Armed Forces, or their supporting groups, during World War II before the U.S. officially entered the fight. Think of this as the government finally giving a formal salute to the Americans who couldn't wait for December 1941 to join the fight against the Axis powers.

The Untold Story of the Early Volunteers

This legislation shines a light on a fascinating, often overlooked part of WWII history. Congress found that thousands of patriotic Americans—estimates run up to 12,000—crossed the border to join the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), the Royal Air Force (RAF), and other Canadian and British units. These volunteers often couldn't join the U.S. military due to age, gender, or health restrictions at the time, but they were determined to contribute. For example, the bill specifically mentions that the success of early female ferry aircrews in Britain helped pave the way for the creation of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) back home in the U.S. These Americans brought immediate, valuable combat experience when many later transferred back to the U.S. military after Pearl Harbor, making their early service a huge, uncredited asset.

What the Medal Means (and Where It Goes)

The core action of Section 3 is authorizing the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House to arrange for this single, unique Gold Medal. The Secretary of the Treasury is tasked with designing and striking it. Unlike medals given to individuals, this is a collective honor for the entire group of volunteers. Once the medal is awarded, it won't be kept by any one person or family. Instead, it must be deposited at the Smithsonian Institution for display and research, ensuring this story is preserved and accessible to future generations. The bill strongly encourages the Smithsonian to make the medal available for display at other locations, too.

How You Can Own a Piece of History

Since the original Gold Medal goes to the Smithsonian, Section 3 also includes a practical provision for the public. The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to create and sell bronze duplicates of the medal. This isn't just about souvenirs; the sales price must be high enough to cover all costs, including labor, materials, and overhead. For the busy person, this means that the Treasury Department isn't eating the cost of this recognition, and anyone interested in this unique piece of history will eventually be able to purchase a collectible copy. Section 4 confirms that these bronze copies will be classified as 'numismatic items' for government sales purposes, which is just the technical way of saying they are treated like collectible currency or coins.