1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Merrill’s Marauders Congressional Gold Medal Act . 2. Findings Congress makes the following findings: (1) In August 1943 President Franklin D. Roosevelt and other allied leaders proposed the creation of an American ground unit that would engage in a long-range penetration mission in Japanese-occupied Burma. This unit’s mission would be to cut off Japanese communications and supply lines, and capture Japanese-held airfield and town of Myitkyina. (2) President Roosevelt issued a call for volunteers for a dangerous and hazardous mission , the call was answered by approximately 3,000 American soldiers. The unit was officially designated as the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional) Code Name: Galahad . Later it became known as Merrill’s Marauders named after its leader, Brigadier General Frank Merrill. (3) In February 1944 the Marauders began their approximately 1,000-mile trek through the dense Burmese jungle. The Marauders had no artillery support and carried their supplies on their backs or the pack saddles of mules. (4) Over the course of their 5-month trek to Myitkyina, the Marauders fought victoriously against larger Japanese forces through 5 major and 30 minor engagements. (5) During their march to Myitkyina the Marauders faced hunger and disease that were exacerbated by inadequate aerial resupply drops. Malaria, typhus, and dysentery inflicted more casualties on the Marauders than the Japanese. (6) By August 1944 the Marauders accomplished their mission, successfully disrupting Japanese supply and communication lines, taking the town of Myitkyina and the Myitkyina airstrip, the only all-weather airstrip in Northern Burma. (7) After taking Myitkyina only 130 Marauders out of the original 2,750 were fit for duty. All remaining Marauders still in action were evacuated to hospitals due to tropical diseases, exhaustion, and malnutrition. (8) For their bravery and accomplishments the Marauders were awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation , later redesignated as the