1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Merchant Mariners of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2018 . 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) 2015 marked the 70th anniversary of the Allied victory in World War II and the restoration of peacetime across the European and Pacific theaters. (2) The United States Merchant Marine (in this section referred to as the Merchant Marine ) was integral in providing the link between domestic production and the fighting forces overseas, providing combat equipment, fuel, food, commodities, and raw materials to troops stationed abroad. (3) Fleet Admiral Ernest J. King acknowledged the indispensability of the Merchant Marine to the victory in a 1945 letter stating that, without the support of the Merchant Marine, the Navy could not have accomplished its mission . (4) President, and former Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, Dwight D. Eisenhower acknowledged that through the prompt delivery of supplies and equipment to our armed forces overseas, and of cargoes representing economic and military aid to friendly nations, the American Merchant Marine has effectively helped to strengthen the forces of freedom throughout the world . (5) Military missions and war planning were contingent upon the availability of resources and the Merchant Marine played a vital role in this regard, ensuring the efficient and reliable transoceanic transport of military equipment and both military and civilian personnel. (6) The Merchant Marine provided for the successful transport of resources and personnel despite consistent and ongoing exposure to enemy combatants from both the air and the sea, including from enemy bomber squadrons, submarines, and mines. (7) The efforts of the Merchant Marine were not without sacrifices as the Merchant Marine bore a higher per-capita casualty rate than any other branch of the military during the war. (8) The Merchant Marine proved to be an instrumental asset on an untold number of occasions, participating in every landing operation by the