Bill Authorizes Congressional Gold Medal for Vietnam USMC Helicopter Support and Navy Corpsmen

This legislation, titled the USMC Helicopter Support in Vietnam Congressional Gold Medal Act, is straightforward: it authorizes the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal to collectively honor the Medevac Marines and Navy Corpsmen who served during the Vietnam War. It’s a formal, national recognition for a group whose service was defined by high-risk, life-saving missions. The bill emphasizes that this award recognizes their “heroic military service that saved many lives and directly supported the defense of the United States.”

The Mission: Beyond Ground Combat

If you’ve ever had to call an ambulance or relied on a quick delivery, you understand the critical role logistics and rapid response play. In Vietnam, that role fell heavily to the helicopter crews of the First Marine Air Wing (1st MAW). The bill’s findings section reads like a history lesson, detailing that these crews flew over 1.6 million sorties, transported over 3.2 million troops, and medically evacuated approximately 189,000 patients between 1962 and 1975.

These missions weren't just about moving people; they were incredibly dangerous. The bill specifically highlights Medevac operations, flown by highly skilled crews that included a combat-trained Navy Corpsman. These missions were often high-value targets for the enemy, and the findings note that 26 Medevac Corpsmen died in the line of duty. This medal is a recognition of that sustained, life-and-death logistical support that often gets overshadowed by ground combat narratives. It’s about honoring the folks who flew into the hot zones to bring the wounded out.

The Logistics of Honor

So, how does a Congressional Gold Medal actually happen? The bill lays out the blueprint. The Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate are tasked with arranging the presentation of the medal. The Secretary of the Treasury, after consulting with the Secretary of Defense, will design and strike the medal with suitable emblems and inscriptions. This ensures the final product is historically accurate and appropriately honors the service members.

Once presented, the medal won't just sit in a vault. The legislation requires that the single gold medal be given to the National Museum of the United States Navy for display and research. Recognizing that this story is important to many, Congress also expresses a preference that the Museum allow the medal to be displayed at other locations, especially those connected to the Vietnam War, making the recognition accessible to more veterans and the public.

A Self-Funding Tribute

One practical detail for those interested in the economics of commemorative items: the bill includes a clear mechanism to cover the costs. The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to create and sell bronze duplicates of the gold medal. The price of these duplicates must be set high enough to cover all associated costs, including labor, materials, and overhead. All proceeds from the sale of these duplicates will be deposited back into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund, effectively making the tribute self-funding through public interest. This is a common and efficient way for Congress to honor groups without directly taxing the general fund for the production costs.