A CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL FOR DUKE

            The John Wayne National Gold Medal is in recognition of John Wayne's love of country and his contributions as actor and private citizen in formulating images which his fellow citizens can relate to.

The idea reached a ground swell of popular support culminating in tearful entreaties before Congress by two of filmdom's most glamorous stars - Elizabeth Taylor, and the Duke's ofttime leading lady, Maureen O'Hara - and the sober official proposal by Senator Barry Goldwater, all of which resulted in the striking of the medal.

On May 3, 1979, introducing the bill to strike a commemorative medal for John Wayne, Senator Barry Goldwater revealed that he had known Duke since 1928, when they were brothers in the same fraternity, Wayne at USC and Goldwater at the University of Arizona. The Senator then said, in part: "He has dedicated his entire life to America and I believe I am safe in saying that the American people have an affection for John Wayne such that they had for very few people in the history of America.

It was no small honor for Duke. The first such medal was struck in honor of George Washington himself, and of the 200 + created since, only 74 honored individuals, including Winston Churchill, General MacArthur, Jonas Salk, General Pershing, Marian Anderson, Robert Frost, and others deemed worthy of being immortalized by this nation.

You can still buy a Medal made of bronze at the United States Mint.