CA SJR7

Urges the United States Congress to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Merrill's Marauders, a World War II military unit composed of approximately 3,000 American soldiers from 15 ethnic groups.

Merrill's Marauders conducted a long-range penetration mission in Japanese-occupied Burma beginning in February 1944, trekking approximately 1,000 miles through dense jungle with no artillery support while fighting 5 major and 30 minor engagements against the Japanese 18th Division.

The unit successfully captured the town of Myitkyina and its airstrip by August 1944, disrupting Japanese supply and communication lines, but suffered severe casualties from tropical diseases, malaria, typhus, and dysentery with only 130 soldiers fit for duty afterward.

Merrill's Marauders received the Distinguished Unit Citation (later the Presidential Unit Citation) and each member earned a Bronze Star with Valor device; their legacy continues through the modern 75th Ranger Regiment, which traces its lineage to the original unit.

Only 13 of the original 3,000 Merrill's Marauders were living at the time of this resolution in 2019, marking the 75th anniversary of their mission in what was called the "forgotten theater of World War II."