Sponsors (9)
The bill formally honors Vietnam-era medevac Marines and Navy corpsmen and preserves their history with limited direct appropriations by using Mint resources and duplicate-sales revenue, but it creates modest administrative burdens, possible expectations for additional VA benefits, and some financial risk to Mint funds and buyers of duplicates.
Medevac Marines and Navy Corpsmen (and their surviving families) receive formal Congressional recognition via a Congressional Gold Medal, honoring their lifesaving service and improving morale and public acknowledgment.
The National Museum of the U.S. Navy and other Vietnam War–associated sites gain the medal for public display and research, increasing historical preservation and public access to this part of Vietnam War history.
Formal findings highlighting the scale of medevac operations (about 189,000 evacuations) improve the historical and medical record, which can support VA research, claims processing, and scholarly work on wartime medical evacuations.
Formal findings and public recognition could create expectations or pressure for expanded VA benefits or services without providing new funding or authorities, potentially leading to unfunded obligations or political demands.
VA and Defense records offices could face increased administrative workload and potential new claims as a result of the heightened attention and emphasis on specific unit incidents and losses.
Only a single gold medal will be produced for institutional display, so individual veterans and families will not receive the physical award and may be disappointed or feel personally overlooked.
Based on analysis of 6 sections of legislative text.
Establishes a single Congressional gold medal honoring Vietnam-era medevac Marines and Navy Corpsmen, places it with the National Museum of the U.S. Navy, and authorizes sale of bronze duplicates to cover costs.
Introduced November 7, 2025 by Don Davis · Last progress November 7, 2025
Authorizes the striking of a single Congressional gold medal to honor U.S. Marine Corps medevac Marines and Navy Corpsmen who served in helicopter support roles during the Vietnam War, and directs that the gold medal be given to the National Museum of the United States Navy for display and research. It also permits the U.S. Mint to produce and sell bronze duplicate medals to cover costs, treats the medals as national/numismatic items, and allows Mint costs to be charged to the Mint Public Enterprise Fund with duplicate-sale proceeds deposited into that fund.