Historical Highlight
Congressional Gold Medal Recipients
About this object On April 23, 2008, Dr. Ellis Debakey formally received the Congressional Gold Medal at a ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda.
Notable Medals That Were Not Congressional Gold Medals:
- George Cohan: June 29, 1936, (49 Stat. 2371) Music Composer, Honored for his patriotic songs "Over There" and "A Grand Old Flag," presented by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
- Irving Berlin: July 16, 1954, (Private Law 536, 68 Stat.522, A120) Music Composer, Recognition in composing "God Bless America" and other patriotic songs, presented by President Dwight Eisenhower.
| Recipient(s) | Date of Approval | Public Law | Category | Title/Occupation | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General George Washington | March 25, 1776 | Continental Congress | Military | General (future President of the United States) | Recognized for his "wise and spirited conduct" in the seige and acquisition of Boston |
| Major General Horatio Gates | November 4, 1777 | Continental Congress | Military | Major General | Recognized for his "brave and successful" efforts in bringing about the surrender of the British Army at Saratoga, New York |
| Major General Anthony Wayne | July 26, 1779 | Continental Congress | Military | Major General (future Member of the U.S. House of Representatives) | Recognized for his "good conduct, coolness, discipline, and firm intrepidity" in the assault of the enemy's works at Stony Point, New York |
| Major Henry Lee | September 24, 1779 | Continental Congress | Military | Major; (future Delegate to the Continental Congress and Member of the U.S. House of Representatives) | To commemorate the skill and bravery he exhibited against the British at Paulus Hook, New Jersey |
| Brigadier General Daniel Morgan | March 9, 1781 | Continental Congress | Military | Brigadier General (future Member of the U.S. House of Representatives) | Praised for his gallant efforts in South Carolina in 1781 |
| Major General Nathanael Greene | October 29, 1781 | Continental Congress | Military | Major General | Recognized for his "wise, decisive, and magnanimous conduct in the action" of September 8, 1781, "near Eutaw Springs, in South Carolina; in which, with a force inferior in number to that of the enemy, he obtained a most signal victory" |
| Captain John Paul Jones | October 16, 1787 | Confederation Congress | Military | Captain | Recognized for his "valor and brilliant services" in capturing the HMS Serapis |
| Captain Thomas Truxtun1 | 6th Congress March 29, 1800 | 2 Stat. 87 | Military | Captain | Recognized for his "gallant effort during the action between the United States frigate Constellation and the French ship La Vengeance" |
| Commodore Edward Preble | 9th Congress March 3, 1805 | 2 Stat. 346-347 | Military | Commodore | Recognized for his "gallantry and good conduct" in the several attacks on the town, batteries, and naval force of Tripoli Harbor in 1804 |
| Captain Isaac Hull, Captain Stephen Decatur, and Captain Jacob Jones | 12th Congress January 29, 1813 | 2 Stat. 830 | Military | Captain | Recognized for their "gallantry, good conduct, and services" in their respective conflicts with the British frigates the Guerriere and the Macedonian, and sloop-of-war Frolic |
| Captain William Bainbridge | 12th Congress March 3, 1813 | 2 Stat. 831 | Military | Captain | Recognized for his "gallantry, good conduct, and services" in the capture of the British frigate Java, after a "brave and skillful combat" |
| Captain Oliver Hazard Perry and Captain Jesse D. Elliott | 13th Congress January 6, 1814 | 3 Stat. 141 | Military | Captain | Recognized for their "decisive and glorious victory gained on Lake Erie" |
| Lieutenant William Burrows and Lieutenant Edward R. McCall | 13th Congress January 6, 1814 | 3 Stat. 141-142 | Military | Lieutenant | Recognized for their "gallantry and good conduct" in the conflict with the British sloop Boxer on September 4, 1813 |
| Captain James Lawrence | 13th Congress January 11, 1814 | 3 Stat. 142 | Military | Captain | Recognized for his "gallantry and good conduct" in the capture of the British vessel of war, the Peacock |
| Captain Thomas MacDonough, Captain Robert Henly, and Lieutenant Stephen Cassin | 13th Congress October 20, 1814 | 3 Stat. 245-246 | Military | Naval Officers | Recognized for the "decisive and splendid victory" gained on Lake Champlain |
| Captain Lewis Warrington | 13th Congress October 21, 1814 | 3 Stat. 246 | Military | Captain | Recognized for his "gallantry and good conduct" in the action with the British brig Epervier |
| Captain Johnston Blakeley2 | 13th Congress November 3, 1814 | 3 Stat. 246-247 | Military | Captain | Recognized for his "gallantry and good conduct" in the action with the British sloop-of-war Reindeer on June 28, 1814 |
| Major General Jacob Brown | 13th Congress November 3, 1814 | 3 Stat. 247 | Military | Major General | Recognized for his "gallantry and good conduct"…"in the successive battles of Chippewa, Niagara, and Erie, in Upper Canada, in which British veteran soldiers were beaten and repulsed by equal and inferior numbers" |
| Major General Winfield Scott | 13th Congress November 3, 1814 | 3 Stat. 247 | Military | Major General | Recognized for his "uniform gallantry and good conduct"…"in the successive conflicts of Chippewa and Niagara" |
| Brigadier General Eleazar W. Ripley, Brigadier General James Miller, and Major General Peter B. Porter | 13th Congress November 3, 1814 | 3 Stat. 247 | Military | Army Officers | Recognized for their "gallantry and good conduct" …"in several conflicts of Chippewa, Niagara, and Erie |
| Major General Edmund P. Gaines | 13th Congress November 3, 1814 | 3 Stat. 247 | Military | Major General | Recognized for his "gallantry and good conduct" in defeating the British army at Erie on August 15, 1814 |
| Major General Alexander Macomb | 13th Congress November 3, 1814 | 3 Stat. 247 | Military | Major General | Recognized for his "gallantry and good conduct" in defeating a veteran British army at Plattsburg on September 11, 1814 |
| Major General Andrew Jackson | 13th Congress February 27, 1815 | 3 Stat. 249 | Military | Major General (future President of the United States) | Recognized for his "valor, skill and good conduct," which was displayed against the British army in New Orleans on January 8, 1815 |
| Captain Charles Stewart | 14th Congress February 22, 1816 | 3 Stat. 341 | Military | Captain | Recognized for his "gallantry, good conduct and services" in capturing the British vessels of war, the Cyane and the Levant, after a brave and skillful combat |
| Captain James Biddle | 14th Congress February 22, 1816 | 3 Stat. 341 | Military | Captain | Recognized for his "gallantry" in capturing the British sloop-of-war Penguin, after a brave and skillful combat |
| Major General William Henry Harrison and Governor Isaac Shelby | 15th Congress April 4, 1818 | 3 Stat. 476 | Military | Major General (former Delegate to the United States House of Representatives, future Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and future President of the United States) and Governor | Recognized for their "gallantry and good behavior"…"in defeating the combined British and Indian forces under Major General Proctor, on the Thames, in Upper Canada, on October 5, 1813, and in capturing the British army with their baggage, camp equipage and artillery" |
| Colonel George Croghan | 23rd Congress February 13, 1835 | 4 Stat. 792 | Military | Colonel | Recognized for his "gallantry and good conduct" in the defense of Fort Stephenson in 1813 |
| Major General Zachary Taylor | 29th Congress July 16, 1846 | 9 Stat. 111 | Military | Major General (future President of the United States) | Recognized for his "fortitude, skill, enterprise, and courage," which distinguished the brilliant operations on the Rio Grande |
| Major General Zachary Taylor | 29th Congress March 2, 1847 | 9 Stat. 206 | Military | Major General (future President of the United States) | Recognized for his "fortitude, skill, enterprise, and courage," which distinguished the brilliant operations on the Rio Grande |
| Rescuers of the Officers and Crew of the U.S. Brig Somers | 29th Congress March 3, 1847 | 9 Stat. 208 | Acclaimed Lifesaver | Naval Officers and Crew | Ten officers and seamen belonging or attached to the French, British, and Spanish ships-of-war, who on December 10, 1846, gallantly rescued 37 of the officers and crew from the wreck of the United States Brig Somers in Vera Cruz harbor. The records of the United States Mint indicate that 10 gold medals were struck in commemoration of the gallant effort of the Somers |
| Major General Winfield Scott | 30th Congress March 9, 1848 | 9 Stat. 333 | Military | Major General | Recognized for his "uniform gallantry and good conduct"…"conspicuously displayed at the siege and capture of the city of Vera Cruz and castle of San Juan de Ulloa," on March 29, 1847; in the successive battles of Cerro Gordo on April 18, San Antonio and Churubusco on August 19 and 20; in the "victories achieved in front of the city of Mexico" on September 8 and 11-13; and for the capture of the metropolis on September 14, "in which the Mexican troops, greatly superior in numbers, and with every advantage of position, were in every conflict signally defeated by the American arms" |
| Major General Zachary Taylor | 30th Congress May 9, 1848 | 9 Stat. 334-335 | Military | Major General (future President of the United States) | Recognized for his "valor, skill, and good conduct" in the battle of Buena Vista, in "defeating a Mexican army under the command of General Santa Anna of more than four times their number" |
| Commander Duncan N. Ingraham | 33rd Congress August 4, 1854 | 10 Stat. 594-595 | Military | Commander | Recognized for his "gallant and judicious conduct…in extending protection to Martin Koszta, by rescuing him from illegal seizure and imprisonment on board the Austrian war-brig Hussar |
| Dr. Frederick A. Rose | 33rd Congress May 11, 1858 | 11 Stat. 369 | Medicine | Assistant Surgeon in the British Navy | Recognized for his kindness and humanity to sick American seamen aboard the U.S. steamer Susquehanna3 whose crew had been stricken with yellow fever |
| Major General Ulysses S. Grant | 38th Congress December 17, 1863 | 13 Stat. 399 | Military | Major General (future President of the United States) | Recognized for his "gallantry and good conduct" during the Civil War, in the battles he engaged in |
| Cornelius Vanderbilt | 38th Congress January 28, 1864 | 13 Stat. 401 | Philanthropy | American Businessman and Entrepreneur | Recognized for his patriotic gift to the imperiled nation of a steamship which bore the donor's name. |
| Captain Creighton, Captain Low, and Captain Stouffer | 39th Congress July 26, 1866 | 14 Stat. 365-366 | Acclaimed Lifesaver | Merchant Sea Captains | Recognized for rescuing approximately 500 men from the wreck of the steamship San Francisco |
| Cyrus W. Field | 39th Congress March 2, 1867 | 14 Stat. 574 | Telecommunications Pioneer | American Businessman and Entrepreneur | Praised for his work in the laying of the transatlantic cable |
| George Peabody | 40th Congress March 16, 1867 | 15 Stat. 20 | Philanthropy | Philanthropist (Father of Modern Philanthropy) | Recognized for his "great and peculiar beneficence" in giving $2 million "for the promotion of education in the most destitute portions of the southern and southwestern States" |
| George F. Robinson | 41st Congress March 1, 1871 | 16 Stat. 704 | Acclaimed Lifesaver | Sergeant of Company B of the 8th Regiment of Maine Infantry | Praised for his "heroic conduct" in saving Secretary of State William H. Seward from an assassin's knife on April 14, 1865 |
| Captain Jared S. Crandall, Albert Crandall, Daniel F. Larkin, Frank Larkin, Byron Green, John D. Harvey, Courtland Gavitt, Eugene Nash, Edwin Nash, and William Nash, of the town of Westerly | 42nd Congress February 24, 1873 | 17 Stat. 638 | Acclaimed Lifesaver | Ship Captain and Crew | Recognized for saving the lives of 32 persons from the wrecked steamer Metis, in the waters of the Long Island Sound |
| John Horn, Jr. | 43rd Congress June 20, 1874 58th Congress April 15, 1904 | 18 Stat. 573
33 Stat. 1684-1685 | Acclaimed Lifesaver | Good Samaritan | During an 11-year period he rescued 110 men, women, and children from drowning in the Detroit River. On April 15, 1904, Congress authorized and directed the Secretary of the Treasury to strike off and present to John Horn, Jr., a duplicate of the medal voted by Congress to him in 1874, which was stolen in October 1901 |
| John F. Slater | 47th Congress February 5, 1883 | 22 Stat. 636 | Philanthropy | Philanthropist | Recognized for his contribution of $1 million for the purpose of "uplifting the lately emancipated population of the Southern States and their prosperity, by conferring on them the blessings of Christian education" |
| Joseph Francis | 50th Congress August 27, 1888 | 25 Stat. 1249 | Inventor | Engineer | Thanked for his "life-long service to humanity" in the construction and perfection of lifesaving appliances, which had been instrumental in saving several hundreds of lives |
| Chief Naval Engineer George Wallace Melville and Others | September 30, 1890 | 26 Stat. 552-553 | Military | Chief Naval Engineer and shipmates | Praised for their persistent efforts to find and assist their commanding officer after they became shipwrecked on aboard the arctic exploring steamer USS Jeannette |
| First Lieutenant Frank H. Newcomb of the U.S. Revenue-Cutter Service | 56th Congress May 3, 1900 | 31 Stat. 717 | Acclaimed Lifesaver | First Lieutenant, U.S. Revenue-Cutter Service | Praised for commanding the revenue cutter Hudson and rescuing the United States naval torpedo boat Winslow under a "most galling fire from the enemy's guns" in Cardenas, Cuba |
| First Lieutenant David H. Jarvis, Second Lieutenant Ellsworth P. Bertholf, and Dr. Samuel J. Call of the U.S. Revenue-Cutter Service | 57th Congress June 28, 1902 | 32 Stat. 492 | Acclaimed Lifesaver | Officers and crew, U.S. Revenue-Cutter Service | Recognized for a nearly 2,000 mile overland relief expedition to the American whaling fleet in the arctic region |
| Wright Brothers | 60th Congress March 4, 1909 | 35 Stat. 1627 | Aeronautical Pioneer | Inventors | Recognized for their achievements in demonstrating to the world the potential of aerial navigation |
| Captain Arthur Henry Rostron and Crew of the R.M.S. Carpathia | 62nd Congress July 6, 1912 | 37 Stat. 639 | Acclaimed Lifesaver | Captain and Crew | Recognized the Captain and crew of the R.M.S. Carpathia for prompt and heroic response in rescuing 704 survivors from the wreck of the Titanic |
| Captain Paul H. Kreibohm and Crew of the American Steamer Kroonland | 63rd Congress March 19, 1914 | 38 Stat. 769 | Acclaimed Lifesaver | Captain and Crew | Recognized the Captain and crew of the Kroonland for rescuing 89 people from the burning steamer Volturno in the North Atlantic |
| Señor Domicio da Gama, Señor Rómulo S. Naón, and Señor Eduardo Suárez | 63rd Congress March 4, 1915 | 38 Stat. 1228 | Public Service | Diplomats | Diplomatic representatives of Argentina, Brazil, and Chile who acted as mediators between the United States and Mexico |
| Charles A. Lindbergh | 70th Congress May 4, 1928 | 45 Stat. 490 | Aeronautical Pioneer | Aviator | Recognized for his aeronautical achievements |
| Lincoln Ellsworth, Roald Amundsen, and Umberto Nobile | 70th Congress May 29, 1928 | 45 Stat. 2026-2027 | Aeronautical Pioneer | Aviator | Lincoln Ellsworth was recognized for his "conspicuous courage, sagacity, and perseverance" exhibited during his famous polar flight of 1925 and his transpolar flight of 1926. Roald Amundsen, the distinguished Norwegian explorer, and Umberto Nobile, the distinguished Italian explorer, were recognized for their participation in the transpolar flight of 1926 |
| Thomas A. Edison | 70th Congress May 29, 1928 | 45 Stat. 1012 | Inventor | Scientist | Recognized for the development and application of "inventions that have revolutionized civilization" |
| First Successful Trans-Atlantic Flight | 70th Congress February 9, 1929 | 45 Stat. 1158 | Aeronautical Pioneer | Aviators | Recognized the seven officers and men who conceived, organized, and commanded the first trans-Atlantic flight |
| Major Walter Reed and Associates for Yellow Fever Experimentations in Cuba | 70th Congress February 28, 1929 | 45 Stat. 1409-1410 | Military and Doctor | Army Officer and Scientist | Recognized for discovering the cause and means of transmission of yellow fever. This act was subsequently amended on July 2, 1956 and September 2, 1958, to include the names of Gustaf E. Lambert and Roger P. Ames |
| Officers and Men of the Byrd Antarctic Expedition | 71st Congress May 23, 1930 | 46 Stat. 379 | Aeronautical Pioneer | Officers and Explorers | In recognition of the "high admiration in which Congress and the American people hold [the] heroic and undaunted services [connected] with the scientific investigations and extraordinary aerial expeditions of the Antarctic Continent, under the personal direction of Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd" |
| Lincoln Ellsworth | 74th Congress June 16, 1936 | 49 Stat. 2324 | Aeronautical Pioneer | Aviator | Recognized for his polar flight of 1925 and transpolar flight of 1926. Recognized for "claiming on behalf of the United States approximately three-hundred-fifty-thousand square miles of land in the Antarctic between the eightieth and hundred and twentieth meridians west of Greenwich, representing the last unclaimed territory in the world..." |
| George M. Cohan * | 74th Congress June 29, 1936 | 49 Stat. 2371 | Music | Composer | Honored for his patriotic songs "Over There" and "A Grand Old Flag" |
| Irving Berlin * | 83rd Congress July 16, 1954 | Private Law 536 68 Stat. 522, A120 | Music | Composer | Recognition in composing "God Bless America" and other patriotic songs, presented by President Dwight Eisenhower |
| Mrs. Richard Aldrich and Anna Bouligny | 75th Congress June 20, 1938 | 52 Stat. 1365 | Medicine | Hospital Volunteers | Recognized for their outstanding, unselfish, and wholly voluntary service in establishing and operating "hospitals for the care and treatment of military patients in Puerto Rico" during the war with Spain |
| Howard Hughes | 76th Congress August 7, 1939 | 53 Stat. 1525 | Aeronautical Pioneer | Inventor, Philanthropist | Praised for "advancing the science of aviation" |
| Reverend Francis X. Quinn | 76th Congress August 10, 1939 | 53 Stat. 1533 | Acclaimed Lifesaver | Religious Clergy | Honored for risking his life in persuading an armed gunman holding an elderly couple hostage to surrender to police |
| William Sinnott | 76th Congress June 15, 1940 | 54 Stat. 1283 | Police | New York Detective | Honored for being wounded while guarding President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt in Miami just prior to his first inauguration |
| Roland Boucher | 77th Congress January 20, 1942 | 56 Stat. 1099-1100 | Acclaimed Lifesaver | Good Samaritan | Recognized for saving the lives of four children who had broken through the ice on Lake Champlain near Juniper Island |
| George Catlett Marshall, General of the Army, and Fleet Admiral Ernest Joseph King | 76th Congress March 22, 1946 | 60 Stat. 1134-1135 | Military | Army and Navy Officers | Recognized for valor, bravery, and heroism during World War 2. General of the Army, George C. Marshall, was recognized for "distinguished leadership, as Chief of Staff of the Army and as a member of the Combined Chiefs of Staff of the United Nations, in planning the expansion, equipment, training and deployment of the great Army of the United States and in formulating and executing the global strategy that led to victory in World War II." Admiral Ernest Joseph King was recognized for his "distinguished leadership as Commander in Chief of the United States Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations and as a member of the Combined Chiefs of Staff of the United Nations.." |
| John J. Pershing, General of the Armies of the United States | 76th Congress August 7, 1946 | 60 Stat. 1297-1298 | Military | General | Recognized for his "heroic achievements" as Commander in Chief of the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe during World War I and for his "unselfish devotion to the service of his country" during World War II |
| Brigadier General William Mitchell | 76th Congress August 8, 1946 | 60 Stat. 1319 | Military | Brigadier General | Recognized for his "outstanding pioneer service and foresight in the field of American military aviation |
| Vice President Alben W. Barkley | 81st Congress August 12, 1949 | P.L. 81-221, 63 Stat. 599 | Public Service | Sitting Vice President of the United States (former Member of the United States House of Representatives and Senate) | Recognized for his "distinguished public service and outstanding contribution to the general welfare" |
| Dr. Jonas E. Salk | 84th Congress August 9, 1955 | P.L. 84-297, 69 Stat. 589 | Scientist | Virologist | Recognized for discovering a serum for the prevention of polio |
| Surviving Veterans of the War Between the States | 84th Congress July 18, 1956 | P.L. 84-730, 70 Stat. 577 | Military | Soldiers | The four known surviving veterans of the Civil War received Congressional Gold Medals |
| Rear Admiral Hyman George Rickover | 85th Congress August 28, 1958 | P.L. 85-826, 72 Stat. 985 | Military | Scientist | Recognized for his achievements in "directing the development and construction of the world's first nuclear-powered ships and the first large-scale nuclear power reactor devoted exclusively to the production of electricity" |
| Dr. Robert H. Goddard | 86th Congress September 16, 1959 | P.L. 86-277, 73 Stat. 562-563 | Space Pioneer | Scientist | Recognized for his "historic pioneering research on space rockets, missiles, and jet propulsion" |
| Robert Frost | 86th Congress September 13, 1960 | P.L. 86-747, 74 Stat. 883 | Literature | Poet | Praised for enriching the culture of the world |
| Dr. Thomas Anthony Dooley III | 87th Congress May 27, 1961 | P.L. 87-42, 75 Stat. 87 | Doctor | Naval Doctor | Recognized for his unselfish medical care among underprivileged peoples of the world, particularly in Southeast Asia |
| Bob Hope | 87th Congress June 8, 1962 | P.L. 87-478, 76 Stat. 93 | Entertainer | Actor | Honored for outstanding "service to his country and the cause of peace" |
| Sam Rayburn, Speaker of the House of Representatives | 87th Congress September 26, 1962 | P.L. 87-702, 76 Stat. 605 | Public Service | United States House of Representatives, Speaker of the House | Recognized for his "distinguished public service and outstanding contribution to the general welfare" |
| Douglas MacArthur, General of the Army | 87th Congress October 9, 1962 | P.L. 87-760, 76 Stat. 760 | Military | General | Recognized for his "gallant service" to the United States |
| Walt Disney | 90th Congress May 24, 1968 | P.L. 90-316, 82 Stat. 130-131 | Entertainer | Filmmaker and Businessman | Recognized for his "outstanding contributions to the United States and the world" |
| Winston Churchill | 91st Congress May 7, 1969 | P.L. 91-12, 83 Stat. 8-9 | Public Service | Former Prime Minister of Great Britain | In recognition of Winston Churchill, on the occasion of the dedication of the Winston Churchill Memorial and Library at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri |
| Roberto Walker Clemente | 93rd Congress May 14, 1973 | P.L. 93-33, 87 Stat. 71 | Humanitarian and Athlete | Baseball Player | Recognized for his "outstanding athletic, civil, charitable, and humanitarian contributions" |
| Marian Anderson | 95th Congress March 8, 1977 | P.L. 95-9, 91 Stat. 19 | Humanitarian and Musician | Opera Singer | Recognized for her devotion "to the promotion of the arts in this country and throughout the world including the establishment of scholarships for young people, for her strong and imaginative support to humanitarian causes at home, for her contributions to the cause of world peace through her work as United States delegate to the United Nations and her performances and recordings which have reached an estimated seven million people throughout the world..." |
| Lieutenant General Ira C. Eaker | 95th Congress October 10, 1978 | P.L. 95-438, 92 Stat. 1060 | Military, Aviation Pioneer | Lieutenant General | Recognized for his "distinguished career as an aviation pioneer and Air Force leader" |
| Robert F. Kennedy | 95th Congress November 1, 1978 | P.L. 95-560, 92 Stat. 2142 | Public Service | United States Senator, United States Attorney General | Recognized for the "distinguished and dedicated service" he "gave to the Government and to the people of the United States" |
| John Wayne | 96th Congress May 26, 1979 | P.L. 96-15, 93 Stat. 32 | Entertainer | Actor | Decorated for distinguished career and contribution to the nation and the world |
| Ben Abruzzo, Maxie Anderson, and Larry Newman | 96th Congress June 13, 1979 | P.L. 96-20, 93 Stat. 45 | Aeronautical Pioneer | Balloonists | Recognized as the first transatlantic balloonists |
| Hubert H. Humphrey | 96th Congress June 13, 1979 | P.L. 96-21, 93 Stat. 46 | Public Service | Former Vice President of the United States | Recognized for his "distinguished and dedicated service" to the Government and to the people of the United States |
| American Red Cross | 96th Congress December 12, 1979 | P.L. 96-138, 93 Stat. 1063 | Service Organization | Service Organization | Recognized for "unselfish and humanitarian service to the people of the United States" |
| Ambassador Kenneth Taylor | 96th Congress March 6, 1980 | P.L. 96-201, 94 Stat. 79 | Public Service | Canadian Diplomat | Recognized for his efforts in securing the safe return of six American Embassy officials in their escape from Tehran |
| Simon Wiesenthal | 96th Congress March 17, 1980 | P.L. 96-211, 94 Stat. 101 | Attorney | Prosecutor, Holocaust Survivor | Recognized for his dedicated action in bringing to justice Nazi war criminals who had gone into hiding at the end of World War Two |
| 1980 United States Summer Olympic Team4 | 96th Congress July 8, 1980 | P.L. 96-306, 94 Stat. 937 | Athlete | United States Olympic Athletes | 1980 United States Summer Olympic Team |
| Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands | 97th Congress March 22, 1982 | P.L. 97-158, 96 Stat. 18-19 | Royalty, Public Servant | Queen of Netherlands | Medal in recognition of the bicentennial anniversary of diplomatic and commercial relations between the Netherlands and the United States |
| Admiral Hyman George Rickover | 97th Congress June 23, 1982 | P.L. 97-201, 96 Stat. 126-127 | Scientist, Military | Admiral, Scientist | Awarded a second gold medal for his contributions to the "development of safe nuclear energy and the defense of the United States" |
| Fred Waring | 97th Congress August 26, 1982 | P.L. 97-246, 96 Stat. 315-316 | Entertainer | Vocalist, Choral | Recognized for his "contribution to enriching American life" |
| Joe Louis | 97th Congress August 26, 1982 | P.L. 97-246, 96 Stat. 315-316 | Athlete | American Professional Boxer | Recognized for bolstering the "spirit of American people during one of the most critical times in American history" |
| Louis L'Amour | 97th Congress August 26, 1982 | P.L. 97-246, 96 Stat. 315-316 | Literature | Author | Recognized for his "distinguished career as an author and his contributions to the Nation through his historically based works" |
| Leo J. Ryan | 98th Congress November 18, 1983 | P.L. 98-159, 97 Stat. 992 | Public Service | Member of U.S. House of Representatives | Recognized following his "untimely" assassination while performing his responsibilities as a Member of the House of Representatives in Guyana |
| Danny Thomas | 98th Congress November 29, 1983 | P.L. 98-172, 97 Stat. 1119-1120 | Entertainer, Humanitarian | Actor, Philanthropist | Recognized for his "humanitarian efforts and his outstanding work as an American" |
| President Harry S. Truman | 98th Congress May 8, 1984 | P.L. 98-278, 98 Stat. 173-175 | Public Service | United States Senator, Vice President of the United States, Former President of the United States | Recognized for his "life-time of outstanding public service which [he] gave to the United States, and in commemoration of his one hundredth birthday which was celebrated on May 8, 1984" |
| First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson | 98th Congress May 8, 1984 | P.L. 98-278, 98 Stat. 173-175 | Public Service | Former First Lady of the United States | Recognized for her "outstanding contributions to the improvement and beautification of America" |
| Elie Wiesel | 98th Congress May 8, 1984 | P.L. 98-278, 98 Stat. 173-175 | Literature, Humanitarian | Author | Recognized for his "humanitarian efforts and outstanding contributions to world literature and human rights" |
| Roy Wilkins | 98th Congress May 17, 1984 | P.L. 98-285, 98 Stat. 186 | Civil Rights, Activist | Activist | Recognized for his lifelong commitment to the principles of freedom, equality, justice, and peace |
| George and Ira Gershwin | 99th Congress August 9, 1985 | P.L. 99-86, 99 Stat. 288-289 | Musician, Entertainer | Composers, Actors | Recognized for their contributions to American music, theater, and culture |
| Anatoly and Avital Shcharansky | 99th Congress May 13, 1986 | P.L. 99-298, 100 Stat. 432-433 | Humanitarian, Civil Rights Activist | Activist Soviet Union, Israel | Recognized for their "supreme dedication and total commitment to the cause of individual human rights and freedoms" |
| Harry Chapin | 99th Congress May 20, 1986 | P.L. 99-311, 100 Stat. 464 | Philanthropy, Musician | Activist, Vocalist | Recognized for his efforts to address issues of hunger around the world |
| Aaron Copland | 100th Congress September 23, 1986 | P.L. 99-418, 100 Stat. 952-953 | Musician | Composer | Recognized for contributions to American music composition |
| Mary Lasker | 100th Congress December 24, 1987 | P.L. 100-210, 101 Stat. 1441 | Medicine, Scientist | Philanthropist | Recognized for her "humanitarian contributions in the area of medical research and education, urban beautification and the fine arts." Some consider Mary Lasker to be the first lady of medicine and science in the United States |
| Jesse Owens | 100th Congress September 20, 1988 | P.L. 100-437, 102 Stat. 1717 | Athlete, Civil Rights | Track and Field, Olympian | Recognized for his "humanitarian contributions to public service, civil rights, and international goodwill" |
| Andrew Wyeth | 100th Congress November 9, 1988 | P.L. 100-639, 102 Stat. 3331-3332 | Art | Artist | Recognized for contributions to American art and culture |
| Laurance Spelman Rockefeller | 101st Congress May 17, 1990 | P.L. 101-296, 104 Stat. 197-199 | Conservation | Environmentalist, Philanthropist | Recognized for his "leadership on behalf of natural resource conservation and historic preservation" |
| General Matthew B. Ridgeway | 101st Congress November 5, 1990 | P.L. 101-510, 104 Stat. 1720-1721 | Military | General | Recognized for more than 40 years of distinguished service as a military commander |
| General H. Norman Schwarzkopf | 102nd Congress April 23, 1991 | P.L. 102-32, 105 Stat. 175-176 | Military | General | Recognized for his "exemplary performance as a military leader in coordinating the planning, strategy, and execution of the United States" and coalition forces in liberating Kuwait |
| General Colin Powell | 102nd Congress April 23, 1991 | P.L. 102-33, 105 Stat. 177-178 | Military | General | Recognized for his "exemplary performance as a military leader and advisor to the President in planning and coordinating the military response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait" |
| American Philosophical Society and the 250th Anniversary of the birth of Thomas Jefferson | 102nd Congress October 22, 1992 | P.L. 102-249, 106 Stat. 2308-2309 | Public Service | President, Vice President, Secretary of State, and Delegate to Continental Congress | "To pay tribute to the American Philosophical Society and to Thomas Jefferson's devotion to learning as exemplified in the principles and programs of the American Philosophical Society" |
| Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson | 103rd Congress November 2, 1994 | P.L. 103-457, 108 Stat. 4799-4800 | Religious Leader | Clergy | Recognized for his "outstanding and enduring contributions toward world education, morality, and acts of charity." He was the leader of the Lubavitch movement for more than four decades |
| Ruth and Billy Graham | 104th Congress February 13, 1996 | P.L. 104-111, 110 Stat. 772-773 | Religious Leader | Clergy | Honored for "their outstanding and enduring contributions toward faith, morality, and charity" |
| Francis Albert “Frank” Sinatra | 105th Congress May 14, 1997 | P.L. 105-14, 111 Stat. 32-33 | Entertainer | Vocalist | Recognized for his "outstanding and enduring contributions through his entertainment career and humanitarian activities" |
| Mother Teresa of Calcutta | 105th Congress June 2, 1997 | P.L. 105-16, 111 Stat. 35-36 | Humanitarian, Religious | Catholic Nun, Saint | Recognized for her nearly 70 years of "selfless dedication to humanity and charitable works" |
| Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew | 105th Congress October 6, 1997 | P.L. 105-51, 111 Stat. 1170-1171 | Religious Leader | Clergy, Spiritual Leader | Recognized for "outstanding and enduring contributions to religious understanding and peace." He was the spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians around the world |
| Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela | 105th Congress July 29, 1998 | P.L. 105-215, 112 Stat. 895-896 | Civil Rights, Public Service | President of South Africa | Memorialized for his "lifelong dedication to the abolition of apartheid and promotion of reconciliation among the people of the Republic of South Africa" |
| Little Rock Nine: Minnijean Brown, Elizabeth Eckford, Ernest Green, Thelma Mothershed, Melba Pattillo, Gloria Ray, Terrence Roberts, Jefferson Thomas, Carlotta Walls | 105th Congress October 21, 1998 | P.L. 105-277, 112 Stat. 2681-597 | Civil Rights | Activists | Recognized for the selfless heroism they exhibited "in the cause of civil rights by integrating Central High School in Little Rock Arkansas" |
| President Gerald R. Ford and First Lady Betty Ford | 105th Congress October 21, 1998 | P.L. 105-277, 112 Stat. 2681-598 | Public Service | Former Member of the U.S. House of Representatives; Former Vice President, and Former President and First Lady of the United States | Honored for "their dedicated public service and outstanding humanitarian contributions to the people of the United States" |
| Rosa Parks | 106th Congress May 4, 1999 | P.L. 106-26, 113 Stat. 50-51 | Civil Rights | Activist | Honored for her "quiet dignity," which "ignited the most significant social movement in the history of the United States" |
| Theodore M. Hesburgh | 106th Congress December 9, 1999 | P.L. 106-153, 113 Stat. 1733-1734 | Civil Rights | Activist | Recognized for his "outstanding and enduring contributions to civil rights, higher education, the Catholic Church, the Nation, and the global community" |
| John Cardinal O'Connor | 106th Congress March 3, 2000 | P.L. 106-175, 114 Stat. 20-21 | Military, Clergy | Naval chaplain | Recognized for "his accomplishments as a priest, a Navy chaplain, and a humanitarian" |
| Charles M. Schulz | 106th Congress June 20, 2000 | P.L. 106-225, 114 Stat. 457-458 | Artist | Illustrator, Artist | Recognized for his "lasting artistic contributions to the Nation and the world." Charles Schulz was the creator of the comic strip Peanuts |
| Pope John Paul II | 106th Congress July 27, 2000 | P.L. 106-250, 114 Stat. 622-623 | Religious Leaders | Clergy, Pope | Recognized for "his many and enduring contributions to peace and religious understanding" |
| President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan | 106th Congress July 27, 2000 | P.L. 106-251, 114 Stat. 624-625 | Public Service | Former President and First Lady of the United States | Recognized for their "service to the nation" |
| Navajo Code Talkers | 106th Congress December 21, 2000 | P.L. 106-554, 114 Stat. 2763A-311 - 2763A-312 | Military | Navajo Soldiers. Military Pioneers | Recognized for developing a code using their native language to communicate military messages during World War II. The code developed by these Native Americans proved to be unbreakable and was used extensively throughout the Pacific theater |
| General Henry H. Shelton | 107th Congress January 16, 2002 | P.L. 107-127, 115 Stat. 12405-2406 | Military | General | Recognized for his leadership in coordinating the United States and NATO's successful combat action throughout Operation Allied force in the Balkans |
| Prime Minister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom | 108th Congress July 17, 2003 | P.L. 108-60, 117 Stat. 862-863 | Public Service | Prime Minister of the United Kingdom | Recognized for his "outstanding and enduring contributions…to maintaining the security of all freedom-loving nations" |
| Jackie Roosevelt Robinson | 108th Congress October 23, 2003 | P.L. 108-101, 117 Stat. 1195-1197 | Athlete, Civil Rights | Activist, Baseball Player | Recognized for his "many contributions to the nation" |
| Dr. Dorothy Height | 108th Congress December 6, 2003 | P.L. 108-162, 117 Stat. 2017-2019 | Civil Rights | Activist | Recognized for her contribution "as one of the preeminent social and civil rights activists of her time, particularly in the struggle for equality, social justice, and human rights for all people" |
| Reverend Joseph A. DeLaine, Harry and Eliza Briggs, and Levi Pearson | 108th Congress December 15, 2003 | P.L. 108-180, 117 Stat. 2645-2647 | Civil Rights | Civil Rights Activist | Recognized "for their contributions to the Nation as pioneers in the effort to desegregate public schools that led directly to the landmark desegregation case of Brown et al. v. the Board of Education of Topeka et al" |
| Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King | 108th Congress October 25, 2004 | P.L. 108-368, 118 Stat. 1746-1748 | Religious Leader, Civil Rights | Civil Rights Activist, Clergy | Recognized for their contribution "to the Nation on behalf of the civil rights movement" |
| The Tuskegee Airmen | 109th Congress April 11, 2006 | P.L. 109-213, 120 Stat. 322 | Military | Military Pioneers, Commemorative | Recognized for "their unique military record, which inspired revolutionary reform in the Armed Forces..., paving the way for full racial integration in the Armed Forces" |
| Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama | 109th Congress September 27, 2006 | P.L. 109-287, 120 Stat. 1231-1232 | Religious Leader, Civil Rights | Peace Activist, Clergy, Nobel Peace Prize Recipient (1989) | Recognized for "his many enduring and outstanding contributions to peace, non-violence, human rights, and religious understanding." He "has used his leadership to promote democracy, freedom, and peace for the Tibetan people through a negotiated settlement of the Tibet issue" |
| Byron Nelson | 109th Congress October 16, 2006 | P.L. 109-357, 120 Stat. 2044-2046 | Athlete, Entertainer | Golfer, Broadcaster | Recognized for his "significant contributions to the game of golf as a player, a teacher, and a commentator" |
| Dr. Norman E. Borlaug | 109th Congress December 14, 2006 | P.L. 109-395, 120 Stat. 2708-2710 | Scientist | Science, Botanist | Recognized for "bringing radical change to world agriculture and uplifting humanity." He is known for "developing a strand of wheat that could exponentially increase yields while actively resisting disease" |
| Michael Ellis DeBakey, M.D. | 110th Congress October 16, 2007 | P.L. 110-95, 121 Stat. 1008 | Military, Doctor | Surgeon | Recognized for making "numerous recommendations for the proper staged management of war wounds, which led to the development of mobile army surgical hospitals or 'MASH' units." Also honored for triggering "the most explosive era in modern cardiac surgery, when he performed the first successful coronary bypass" |
| Daw Aung San Suu Kyi | 110th Congress May 6, 2008 | P.L. 110-209, 122 Stat. 721 | Public Service | Peace Activist in Burma, Myanmar | Recognized for "her courageous and unwavering commitment to peace, nonviolence, human rights, and democracy in Burma" |
| Constantino Brumidi | 110th Congress July 1, 2008 | P.L. 110-259, 122 Stat. 2430-2432 | Artist | Italian Artist | Recognized for his dedication to the beautification of the United States Capitol. Most notably he painted "The Apotheosis of Washington," in the eye of the Capitol Dome |
| Edward William Brooke III | 110th Congress July 1, 2008 | P.L. 110-260, 122 Stat. 2433-2435 | Public Service | Member of the United States Senate | Recognized for his "unprecedented and enduring service to our Nation." Edward William Brooke III was "the first African American elected by popular vote to the United States Senate" |
| Native American Code Talkers | 110th Congress October 15, 2008 | P.L. 110-420, 122 Stat. 4774 | Military | Military Pioneers, Commemorative | Recognized for developing "secret means of communication based on native languages and were critical to winning the war" |
| Women Airforce Service Pilots of WWII (‘WASP’) | 111th Congress July 1, 2009 | P.L. 111-40, 123 Stat. 1958 | Military | Military Pioneers, Commemorative | Recognized for being "the first women in history to fly American military aircraft…[and] through their actions, the WASP eventually were the catalyst for revolutionary reform in the integration of women pilots into the Armed forces" |
| Neil A. Armstrong, Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin, Jr., Michael Collins, and John Herschel Glenn, Jr. | 111th Congress August 7, 2009 | P.L. 111-44, 123 Stat. 1966-1967 | Space | Astronauts, Space Pioneers | Neil A. Armstrong was recognized for being "the first human to walk on the moon; Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin Jr., the pilot of the lunar module and second person to walk on the moon; Michael Collins, the pilot of their Apollo 11 mission's command module; and the first American to orbit the Earth, John Herschel Glenn, Jr" |
| Arnold Palmer | 111th Congress September 30, 2009 | P.L. 111-65, 123 Stat. 2003 | Athlete | Golfer | Recognized for "his service to the Nation in promoting excellence and good sportsmanship in golf" |
| Dr. Muhammad Yunus | 111th Congress October 5, 2010 | P.L. 111-253, 124 Stat. 2635 | Humanitarian | Economist and Entrepreneur | Recognized for "his contributions to the fight against global poverty… Muhammad Yunus is the recognized developer of the concept of microcredit, and the Grameen Bank, which he founded, has created a model of lending that has been emulated across the globe" |
| 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and the Military Intelligence Service, United States Army | 111th Congress October 5, 2010 | P.L. 111-254, 124 Stat. 2637 | Military | Military Pioneers, Commemorative | Recognized for their "dedicated service during World War II." "The United States remains forever indebted to the bravery, valor, and dedication to country these men faced while fighting a 2-fronted battle of discrimination at home and fascism abroad." "The MIS was made up of about 6,000 Japanese American soldiers who conducted highly classified intelligence operations that proved to be vital to United States military successes in the Pacific Theatre" |
| Montford Point Marines | 112th Congress November 23, 2011 | P.L. 112-59, 125 Stat. 749-751 | Military | Military Pioneers, Commemorative | To commemorate the first Black Marines and their accomplishments |
| The Fallen Heroes Act: Honoring the Men and Women who Perished as the result of the Terrorist Acts on the United States on September 11, 2001 | 112th Congress December 23, 2011 | P.L. 112-76, 125 Stat. 1275 and 1276 | Commemorative | To recognize, memorialize, and honor the Men and Women who perished as a result of the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001 | |
| Raoul Wallenberg | 112th Congress July 26, 2012 | P.L. 112-148, 126 Stat. 1140-1143 | Acclaimed Lifesaver/Humanitarian | Diplomat | To recognize his "achievement and heroic actions during the Holocaust." "Wallenberg created a new Swedish passport, the Schutzpass, which looked more imposing and official than the actual swedish passport…The schutzpasses alone are credited with saving 20,000 Jewish lives." "Of the 120,000 Hungarian Jews that survived, Raoul Wallenberg, acting under the War Refugee Board, is credited with saving an estimated 100,000 of them in a six month period" |
| Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Wesley | 113th Congress May 24, 2013 | P.L. 113-11, 127 Stat. 446-447 | Civil Rights | Commemorative | To "commemorate the lives they lost…in the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, where these 4 little Black girls' ultimate sacrifice served as a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement" |
| The First Special Service Force, World War II | 113th Congress July 12, 2013 | P.L. 113-16,127 Stat. 477-479 | Military | Commemorative | To commemorate "the First Special Service Force, in recognition of its superior service during World War II." "The Force was the only unit formed during World War II that consisted of troops form Canada and the United States." The force fought in treacherous conditions and was "among the first Allied troops to liberate Rome." "The United States is forever indebted to the acts of bravery and selflessness of the troops of the Force, who risked their lives for the cause of freedom" |
| American Fighter Aces | 113th Congress May 23, 2014 | P.L. 113-105, 128 Stat. 1157-1159 | Military | Commemorative | To recognize "their heroic military service and defense of our country's freedom throughout the history of aviation warfare." An American Fighter Ace is a fighter pilot who has served honorably in a United States military service and who has destroyed 5 or more confirmed enemy aircraft in aerial combat during a war or conflict in which American armed forces have participated" |
| World War II members of the 17th Bombardment Group known as "Doolittle Tokyo Raiders" | 113th Congress May 23, 2014 | P.L. 113-106, 128 Stat. 1160-1161 | Military | Combat Pilots, Commemorative | To recognize their outstanding heroism, valor, skill, and service to the United States in conducting the bombings of Tokyo during World War II, while knowing the “extremely hazardous mission” had a high risk of death, injury, or capture |
| World War II members of the Civil Air Patrol | 113th Congress May 30, 2014 | P.L. 113-108, 128 Stat. 1164-1169 | Military | Volunteer Civil Air Patrol, Commemorative | To recognize the "unpaid volunteer members of the Civil Air Patrol [who] during World War II provided extraordinary humanitarian, combat, and national services during a critical time of need for the Nation." The CAP "used their own aircraft to perform a myriad of essential tasks for the military and the Nation within the United States, including attacks on enemy submarines off the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts" |
| President Shimon Peres | 113th Congress June 9, 2014 | P.L. 113-114, 128 Stat. 1175-1177 | Public Service | President of Israel | Awarded to President Peres to proclaim Congress' "unbreakable bond with Israel" and to reaffirm "its continual support for Israel." At the time, President Peres was the only surviving member of the founding generation of Israel |
| Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives Section under the Allied Armies (Monuments Men) | 113th Congress June 9, 2014 | P.L. 113-116, 128 Stat. 1179-1181 | Military | Commemorative | To recognize the Monument Men's "heroic role in the preservation, protection, restitution of monuments, works of art, and artifacts of cultural importance during and following World War II" |
| 65th Infantry Regiment, United States Army, known as the Borinqueneers | 113th Congress June 10, 2014 | P.L. 113-120, 128 Stat. 1187-1192 | Military | Military Pioneers, Commemorative | The first Hispanic military unit, and the first unit of the Korean War, to be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal |
| Jack Nicklaus | 113th Congress December 16, 2014 | P.L. 113-210, 128 Stat. 2077-2080 | Athlete | Golfer | To recognize "his service to the Nation in promoting excellence, good sportsmanship, and philanthropy" |
| Foot Soldiers who participated in Bloody Sunday, Turnaround Tuesday, or the final Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights March in March of 1965 | 113th Congress March 7, 2015 | P.L. 114-5, 129 Stat. 78 | Civil Rights | Commemorative | To recognize "the Foot Soldiers who participated in Bloody Sunday, Turnaround Tuesday, or the final Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights March in March of 1965, which served as a catalyst for the Voting Rights Act of 1965" |
| Filipino Veterans of World War II | 114th Congress December 14, 2016 | P.L. 114-265, 130 Stat. 1376 | Military | Military Pioneers, Commemorative | To recognize the service of the Filipino veterans during World War II. "Filipinos who fought in the Philippines were not only defending or fighting for the Philippines, but also defending, and ultimately liberating, sovereign territory held by the United States Government" |
| Office of Strategic Services | 114th Congress December 14, 2016 | P.L. 114-269, 130 Stat. 1391 | Military | Intelligence, Commemorative | To recognize "the members of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in recognition of their superior service and major contributions during World War II. The OSS was America's first effort to implement a system of strategic intelligence during World War II and provided the basis for the modern-day American intelligence and special operations communities" |
| Bob Dole | 115th Congress September 15, 2017 | P.L. 115-60, 131 Stat. 1154 | Public Service | Member of the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate | To recognize "his service to the nation as a soldier, legislator, and statesmen." He "was known for his ability to work across the aisle and embrace practical bipartisanship on issues such as Social Security" and the ADA. He's been a member of the House of Reps, Senate Minority Leader, and Senate Majority Leader |
| Anwar Sadat, former President of Egypt | 115th Congress December 13, 2018 | P.L. 115-310, 132 Stat. 4424 | Public Service | Anwar Sadat, former President of Egypt | To recognize "his heroic achievements and courageous contributions to peace in the Middle East." "President Sadat bravely reached out to Israel and dedicated himself to peace, furthering the national security of Egypt and the stability of the Middle East..."the Camp David Accords and the Peace Treaty continue to serve the interests of the United States by preserving peace and serving as a foundation for partnership and dialogue in a region fraught with conflict and division" |
| Lawrence Eugene "Larry" Doby | 115th Congress December 17, 2018 | P.L. 115-332, 132 Stat. 4440 | Military, Athlete, Civil Rights | Baseball | To recognize "his achievements and contributions to American major league athletics, civil rights, and the Armed Forces during World War II." He "became the first African-American to play in the American League…and the first African-American player to hit a home run in a World Series game" |
| Chinese-American Veterans of World War II | 115th Congress December 20, 2018 | P.L. 115-337, 132 Stat. 5029 | Military | Military Pioneers, Commemorative | To recognize "the Chinese-American Veterans of World War II, in recognition of their dedicated service during World War II… Despite the anti-Chinese discrimination at the time, as many as 20,000 Chinese Americans served in the Armed Forces during World War II, of whom, approximately 40 percent were not United States citizens due to the laws that denied citizenship to persons of Chinese descent" |
| The Crew of the USS Indianapolis | 115th Congress December 20, 2018 | P.L. 115-338, 132 Stat. 5033 | Military | Naval Officers and Crew | To recognize the perseverance, bravery, and service to the United States of the crew of the USS Indianapolis. The crew successfully delivered key components of the atomic bomb, "Little boy." The ship was also hit by two torpedoes leaving the survivors stranded in the water for four days |
| Stephen Michael Gleason | 115th Congress January 3, 2019 | P.L. 115-415, 132 Stat. 5433 | Athlete, Activist | Football player | To recognize the former NFL player for beginning "a mission to show that patients can not only live but thrive after a diagnosis of ALS" by establishing "The Gleason Initiative Foundation." He has been an activist for the Steve Gleason Act of 2015 and has coordinated ALS research |
| Katherine Johnson, Dr. Christine Darden, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and to award a Congressional Gold Medal to honor all of the women who contributed to the success of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration during the Space Race. | 116th Congress November 8, 2019 | P.L. 116-68, 133 Stat. 1129-1133 | Scientist, Mathematician, Space | Mathematicians, Scientists, Engineers | To recognize Katherine Johnson for her service to the United States as a mathematician; Dr. Christine Darden for her service as an aeronautical engineer, as well as Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson for their service to the United States during the Space Race. In addition to this, one Gold Medal was to recognize all of the women at NASA between the 1930s and the 1970s |
| United States Merchant Mariners of World War II | 116th Congress March 13, 2020 | P.L. 116-125, 134 Stat. 171-173 | Military | Merchant Marine Officers and Crew, Commemorative | To recognize the Merchant Marines for "providing the link between domestic production and the fighting forces overseas," during World War II, "providing combat equipment, fuel, food, commodities, and raw materials to troops stationed abroad" |
| Merrill's Marauders 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional) | 116th Congress October 17, 2020 | P.L. 116-170, 134 Stat. 775-777 | Military | Army Officers and Infantry | To recognize "their bravery and outstanding service in the jungles of Burma during World War II" |
| Rosie the Riveter Congressional Gold Medal Act to honor women in the United States who joined the workforce during World War II, providing the aircraft, vehicles, weaponry, ammunition and other material to win the war. | 116th Congress December 3, 2020 | P.L. 116-195, 134 Stat. 984-986 | Public Service | Citizens, Commemorative | To collectively recognize "the women in the United States who joined the workforce during World War II, providing the aircraft, vehicles, weaponry, ammunition and other material to win the war" |
| Greg LeMond | 116th Congress December 4, 2020 | P.L. 116-208, 134 Stat. 1008-1010 | Athlete, Activist | Cyclist | To recognize his contributions to the nation as an athlete, activist, role model and community leader |
| The United States Capitol Police and those who protected the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 | 117th Congress August 5, 2021 | P.L. 117-32, 135 Stat. 322-324 | Police | Capitol Police and DC Police | To honor the "United states Capitol Police and those who protected the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021" against a mob of insurrectionists |
| 369th Infantry of World War I "Harlem Hellfighters" Gold Medal Act | 117th Congress August 25, 2021 | P.L. 117-38, 135 Stat. 333-335 | Military | Army Officers and Enlisted, Commemorative | To recognize the first regiment of African-Americans deployed overseas during World War I for their bravery and outstanding service, never losing a foot of ground, despite the segregation of the Armed Forces |
| The Servicemembers who perished in Afghanistan on August 26, 2021 | 117th Congress December 16, 2021 | P.L. 117-72; 135 Stat. 1511-1513 | Military | Servicemembers from the Marines, Army, and Navy | To honor the servicemembers who perished in Afghanistan on August 26, 2021, "during the evacuation of citizens of the United States and Afghan allies at Hamid Karzai International Airport." |
| Willie O'Ree | 117th Congress January 31, 2022 | P.L. 117-84; 136 Stat. 8-10 | Athlete, Activist | Hockey Player | To honor Willie O'Ree as "the first Black player to compete in the National Hockey League" as well as recognizing his life-long commitment to inclusion in the sport. |
| Ghost Army, Twenty-third Headquarters Special Troops | 117th Congress February 1, 2022 | P.L. 117-85, 136 Stat. 11-14 | Military | Army, Commemorative | To honor the Ghost Army's "unique and highly distinguished service in conducting deceptive operation in Europe during World War II." |
| The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, known as the ‘‘Six Triple Eight’’ | 117th Congress March 14, 2022 | P.L. 117-97, 136 Stat. 36-39 | Military | Military Pioneers, Commemorative | To honor the African American women who served in the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion for the "pioneering military service..., the devotion to duty..., [and] the contributions made by those women to increase the morale of all United States personnel stationed in the European Theater of Operations during World War II." |
| The United States Army Rangers Veterans of World War II | 117th Congress June 7, 2022 | P.L. 117-132, 136 Stat. 1232-1237 | Military | Army Servicemembers, Commemorative | To collectively honor the United States Army Rangers veterans of World War II, "whose bravery and sacrifice in combat contributed greatly to the military success of the United States and the allies of the United States." |
| Glen Doherty, Tyrone Woods, J. Christopher Stevens, and Sean Smith | 117th Congress December 21, 2022 | P.L. 117-256, 136 Stat. 2368-2370 | Public Service and Military | Diplomats, Military Servicemembers, Civilians | To recognize their contributions and giving the ultimate sacrifice to the Nation in Benghazi, Libya. |
| Former Hostages of the Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979–1981 | 117th Congress December 27, 2022 | P.L. 117-320, 136 Stat. 4426-4429 | Public Service | Diplomats, Military Servicemembers, Civilians | To highlight their resilience throughout the unprecedented ordeal that they lived through and the national unity it produced, marking 4 decades since their 444 days in captivity, and recognizing their sacrifice to the United States. |
| Benjamin Berell Ferencz | 117th Congress December 29, 2022 | P.L. 117-328, 136 Stat. 5549-5551 | Public Service | Civilian; Lawyer | In recognition of Benjamin Berell Ferencz's service to the United States and international community during the post-World War II Nuremberg trials and lifelong advocacy for international criminal justice and rule of law. |
| Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley | 117th Congress January 5, 2023 | P.L. 117-334, 136 Stat. 6140-6142 | Civil Rights | Citizens | To honor the legacy of Emmett Till and the incredible suffering and equally incredible courage, resilience, and efforts of Mamie Till-Mobley that led to the civil rights movement that began in the 1950s. |
| United States Army "Dustoff" Helicopter Crews of the Vietnam War | September 26, 2024 | P.L. 118-87, 138 Stat. 1550-1553 | Military | Army Servicemembers, Commemorative | To recognize the heroic military service of the United States Army, which saved countless lives and contributed directly to the defense of the United States |
| Billie Jean King | 118th Congress September 26, 2024 | P.L. 118-88, 138 Stat. 1554-1556 | Athlete, Activist | Tennis Player | To recognize Billie Jean King's contribution to the United States and her courageous and groundbreaking leadership advancing equal rights for women in athletics, education, and our society |
| Forgotten Heroes of the Holocaust | 118th Congress December 12, 2024 | P.L. 118-149, 138 Stat. 1678-1681 | Public Service | Diplomats | To recognize 60 diplomats from around the world for "their bravery and heroism during the Holocaust." |
| Shirley Chisholm | 118th Congress December 12, 2024 | P.L. 118-150, 138 Stat.1682-1684 | Public Service | Member of U.S. House of Representatives, Activist | To recognize Shirley Chisholm for her public service to the United States and for her contributions to the advancement of African Americans and women in politics. |
| Hello Girls of World War I, Army Signal Corps | 118th Congress December 23, 2024 | P.L. 118-159, Title LV Sec. 5703, 138 Stat. 2467-2471 | Military | Army Servicemembers, Commemorative | To recognize their roles as communication pioneers who paved the way for all women in uniform, and for service that was essential to victory in World War I. |
| Everett Alvarez, Jr. | 118th Congress December 23, 2024 | P.L. 118-161, 138 Stat. 2572-2574 | Military | Navy Pilot | To recognize Commander Everett Alvarez, Jr.'s "historic sacrifices for the United States as the first United States pilot 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." |
| Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal | 119th Congress December 12, 2025 | P.L. 119-53, 139 Stat. 702 | Athlete | U.S. Olympic Athletes, Hockey | To recongnize the extraordinary achievement at the XIII Olympic Winter Games where, being comprised of amateur collegiate players, they defeated the dominant Soviet hockey team in the historic “Miracle on Ice”, revitalizing morale in the United States at the height of the Cold War, inspiring generations, and transforming the sport of ice hockey in the United States. |
Footnotes
*The legislation for both George Cohan and Irving Berlin stated that the medal was not in the name of Congress. The debate for Cohan's medal noted that it was on behalf of the American people.
1Incorrectly spelled "Truxton" in Statutes at Large, 6th Cong. 1 sess. 1800, p.87.
2Incorrectly spelled "Blakely" in Statutes at Large, 13th Cong. 3rd sess.1814, p.148.
3Incorrectly spelled "Susquehannah," in Statutes at Large, 35th Cong. 1 sess. 1858, p.869.
4H.R. 7482 designated 650 gold-plated Congressional Gold Medals to be presented to the entire 1980 Summer Olympic Team by the President of the United States. The large striking necessitated the creation of gold-plated medals.