14 U.S.C. § 2732 — Medal of honor

Page 175 TITLE 14—COAST GUARD § 2732 Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2021—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted ‘‘indi- vidual’’ for ‘‘person’’. 2018—Pub. L. 115–282 renumbered section 508 of this title as this section. 1952—Subsec. (a). Act July 10, 1952, authorized reim- bursement of necessary expenses to persons other than civil officers, and added stragglers and prisoners to class of offenders. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE Section effective May 31, 1951, see act May 5, 1950, ch. 169, § 5, 64 Stat. 145. § 2712. Payment for the apprehension of strag- glers The Coast Guard may offer and pay rewards for the apprehension and delivery of deserters, stragglers, and prisoners. (Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, 63 Stat. 547, § 644; renum- bered § 2712, Pub. L. 115–282, title I, § 116(b), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4226.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES Based on title 14, U.S.C., 1946 ed., § 147 (May 26, 1906, ch. 2556, § 5, 34 Stat. 200). Said section has been divided. That part relating to rewards for the apprehension of deserters is placed in this section. That part relating to the acceptance of convicted deserters in the armed forces is placed in sec- tion 575 of this title. The first sentence of said section is eliminated inasmuch as it is believed that com- manding officers in the Coast Guard are charged with the duty of apprehending deserters without special statutory authority therefor. The limitation as to amount that could be offered is removed. The provision concerning money due the deserter is eliminated. 81st Congress, House Report No. 557. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2018—Pub. L. 115–282 renumbered section 644 of this title as this section. § 2713. Employment assistance (a) IN GENERAL.—In order to improve the accu- racy and completeness of a certification or verification of job skills and experience required by section 1143(a)(1) of title 10, the Secretary shall— (1) establish a database to record all training performed by members of the Coast Guard that may have application to employment in the civilian sector; and (2) make unclassified information regarding such information available to States and other potential employers referred to in section 1143(c) of title 10 so that States and other po- tential employers may allow military training to satisfy licensing or certification require- ments to engage in a civilian profession. (b) FORM OF CERTIFICATION OR VERIFICATION.— The Secretary shall ensure that a certification or verification of job skills and experience re- quired by section 1143(a)(1) of title 10 is rendered in such a way that States and other potential employers can confirm the accuracy and authen- ticity of the certification or verification. (c) REQUESTS BY STATES.—A State may re- quest that the Secretary confirm the accuracy and authenticity of a certification or verification of job skills and experience provided under section 1143(c) of title 10. (Added Pub. L. 116–283, div. G, title LVXXXII [LXXXII], § 8206(a), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4649.) SUBCHAPTER II—AWARDS Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2018—Pub. L. 115–282, title I, § 116(c)(2), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4229, inserted subchapter II designation and head- ing. § 2731. Delegation of powers to make awards; rules and regulations The President may delegate to the Secretary, under such conditions, regulations, and limita- tions as he prescribes, the powers conferred upon him to make the awards designated in this chapter, and the President may make any and all rules, regulations, and orders which he deems necessary in the conferring of such awards. (Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, 63 Stat. 536, § 499; renum- bered § 2731, Pub. L. 115–282, title I, § 116(b), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4226.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES This section provides for the delegation of powers to make awards to the Secretary. The Navy statute pro- vides for such delegation to force commanders (see title 34, U.S.C., 1946 ed., § 364). 81st Congress, House Report No. 557. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2018—Pub. L. 115–282 renumbered section 499 of this title as this section. § 2732. Medal of honor The President may award, and present in the name of Congress, a medal of honor of appro- priate design, with ribbons and appurtenances, to an individual who, while a member of the Coast Guard, displays conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of such individual’s life above and beyond the call of duty— (1) while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States; (2) while engaged in military operations in- volving conflict with an opposing foreign force; (3) while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an oppos- ing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. (Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, 63 Stat. 535, § 491; Pub. L. 88–77, § 4, July 25, 1963, 77 Stat. 95; renumbered § 2732, Pub. L. 115–282, title I, § 116(b), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4226; Pub. L. 116–283, div. G, title LVXXXV [LXXXV], §§ 8505(a)(25), 8506(c), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4749, 4752.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES This section is new insofar as application to Coast Guard personnel in time of peace is concerned. Such awards can be made to members of the Coast Guard when the Coast Guard is operating with the Navy. Page 176 TITLE 14—COAST GUARD § 2733 The language is parallel to that found in title 34, U.S.C., 1946 ed., § 354, providing for awards to personnel of the Navy. 81st Congress, House Report No. 557. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2021—Pub. L. 116–283, § 8506(c), substituted ‘‘displays conspicuous’’ for ‘‘distinguishes himself conspicuously by’’ and ‘‘such individual’s’’ for ‘‘his’’ in introductory provisions. Pub. L. 116–283, § 8505(a)(25), substituted ‘‘an indi- vidual’’ for ‘‘a person’’ in introductory provisions. 2018—Pub. L. 115–282 renumbered section 491 of this title as this section. 1963—Pub. L. 88–77 enlarged the authority to award the medal of honor, which was limited to those cases in which persons, while in the service of the Coast Guard, distinguished themselves in action involving actual conflict with an enemy, or in the line of his profession, and without detriment to the mission of his command or to the command to which attached, to permit its award for distinguished service by members of the Coast Guard while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States, while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force, or while serving with friendly foreign forces en- gaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party, and substituted the requirement that it be of ap- propriate design, with ribbons and appurtenances, for the requirement that the design be the same as that of the Navy medal of honor. § 2733. Medal of honor: duplicate medal An individual awarded a medal of honor shall, upon written application of that individual, be issued, without charge, one duplicate medal of honor with ribbons and appurtenances. Such du- plicate medal of honor shall be marked, in such manner as the Secretary may determine, as a duplicate or for display purposes only. (Added Pub. L. 107–107, div. A, title V, § 553(d)(1)(A), Dec. 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 1116, § 504; re- numbered § 2733, Pub. L. 115–282, title I, § 116(b), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4226; amended Pub. L. 116–283, div. G, title LVXXXV [LXXXV], § 8505(a)(26), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4749.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2021—Pub. L. 116–283 substituted ‘‘An individual’’ for ‘‘A person’’ and ‘‘that individual’’ for ‘‘that person’’. 2018—Pub. L. 115–282 renumbered section 504 of this title as this section. § 2734. Medal of honor: presentation of Medal of Honor Flag The President shall provide for the presen- tation of the Medal of Honor Flag designated under section 903 of title 36 to each individual to whom a medal of honor is awarded under section 2732 of this title. Presentation of the flag shall be made at the same time as the presentation of the medal under section 2732 or 2743 of this title. In the case of a posthumous presentation of the medal, the flag shall be presented to the indi- vidual to whom the medal is presented. (Added Pub. L. 107–248, title VIII, § 8143(c)(4)(A), Oct. 23, 2002, 116 Stat. 1571, § 505; amended Pub. L. 107–314, div. A, title X, § 1062(b)(1), Dec. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 2650; Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title V, § 555(a), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2217; renumbered § 2734 and amended Pub. L. 115–282, title I, §§ 116(b), 123(b)(2), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4226, 4240; Pub. L. 116–283, div. G, title LVXXXV [LXXXV], § 8505(a)(27), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4749.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2021—Pub. L. 116–283 substituted ‘‘individual’’ for ‘‘person’’ in two places. 2018—Pub. L. 115–282, § 123(b)(2), substituted ‘‘section 2732’’ for ‘‘section 491’’ and ‘‘section 2732 or 2743’’ for ‘‘section 491 or 498’’. Pub. L. 115–282, § 116(b), renumbered section 505 of this title as this section. 2006—Pub. L. 109–364 struck out ‘‘after October 23, 2002’’ after ‘‘section 491 of this title’’ and inserted at end ‘‘In the case of a posthumous presentation of the medal, the flag shall be presented to the person to whom the medal is presented.’’ 2002—Pub. L. 107–314 substituted ‘‘October 23, 2002’’ for ‘‘the date of the enactment of this section’’. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries PRESENTATION OF FLAG FOR PRIOR RECIPIENTS OF MEDAL OF HONOR President to provide for the presentation of the Medal of Honor Flag to living recipients of the Medal of Honor as expeditiously as possible after Oct. 17, 2006, and for posthumous presentation to survivors of de- ceased recipients of the Medal of Honor upon written application therefor, see section 555(b) of Pub. L. 109–364, set out as a note under section 3755 of Title 10, Armed Forces. § 2735. Coast Guard cross The President may award a Coast Guard cross of appropriate design, with ribbons and appur- tenances, to an individual who, while serving in any capacity with the Coast Guard, when the Coast Guard is not operating under the Depart- ment of the Navy, distinguishes himself or her- self by extraordinary heroism not justifying the award of a medal of honor— (1) while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States; (2) while engaged in military operations in- volving conflict with an opposing foreign force or international terrorist organization; or (3) while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an oppos- ing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. (Added Pub. L. 111–281, title II, § 224(a), Oct. 15, 2010, 124 Stat. 2921, § 491a; renumbered § 2735, Pub. L. 115–282, title I, § 116(b), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4226; amended Pub. L. 116–283, div. G, title LVXXXV [LXXXV], § 8505(a)(28), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4749.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2021—Pub. L. 116–283 substituted ‘‘an individual’’ for ‘‘a person’’ in introductory provisions. 2018—Pub. L. 115–282 renumbered section 491a of this title as this section. § 2736. Distinguished service medal The President may present, but not in the name of Congress, a distinguished service medal