1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Everett Alvarez, Jr. Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2023 . 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Commander (CDR) Everett Alvarez, Jr., served with distinction in the Vietnam war and made historic sacrifices for the United States as the first United States pilot to be shot down and captured during the Vietnam war and the second-longest prisoner of war in United States history, surviving over eight and half years in captivity. (2) CDR Alvarez was born in Salinas, California, in 1937, and was the grandchild of Mexican immigrants. (3) CDR Alvarez attended Salinas Union High School and Hartnell College and received a bachelor of science degree from Santa Clara University. (4) In 1960, CDR Alvarez joined the United States Navy and was commissioned as Ensign. (5) After receiving his commission, CDR Alvarez attended flight training at the Naval Air Basic Training Command in Pensacola, Florida. (6) In June 1961, CDR Alvarez was transferred to the Naval Auxiliary Air Station in Kingsville, Texas, where he trained until December 1961. (7) CDR Alvarez was promoted to Lieutenant (junior grade) in April 1962. (8) In June 1962, CDR Alvarez joined Attack Squadron 144, nicknamed the Roadrunners , which was deployed to the Gulf of Tonkin prior to the United States entrance in the Vietnam war in August 1964. (9) On August 5, 1964, while flying Operation Pierce Arrow from the USS Constellation near the Vietnam-China border, CDR Alvarez’s A–4 Skyhawk was shot down and he was captured by a Vietnamese fishing vessel. (10) Upon capture, CDR Alvarez was taken to the Hòa Lò Prison in Hanoi, known to many former prisoners as the Hanoi Hilton . (11) CDR Alvarez spent his first thirteen months, eight days, and five hours in isolation. (12) While at Hòa Lò, CDR Alvarez was repeatedly beaten and tortured and was fed inedible meals and suffered malnourishment. (13) In September 1965, CDR Alvarez was moved to the Briarpatch , a prison camp west of Hanoi, with no electricity or running water.