Commems Collection Classic: What If? 1958 War Dead Remembrance

Emmet Francis Byrne (R-IL) introduced a bill in the House of Representatives of the 85th Congress "To authorize the coinage of special fifty-cent pieces in honor of the war dead of America." The coins were to be struck "in honor of all the valiant men and women who have given their lives in the defense of America." The bill was introduced in July 1958 and referred to the House Committee on Banking and Currency.

The timing of the coin proposal is interesting, coming so close, at the time, to Byrne's potential end of service in Congress. (Byrne went on to lose his 1958 re-election bid, so the 85th Congress was his only Congress.) With World War II and the Korean War in the rear view mirror, and the Vietnam War still only a future possibility for the US, maybe Byrne's motivation was to ensure the horrors of war were not forgotten by the American public. Or, maybe, Byrne, a World War I veteran, was simply "going on record" with his support for the US military and believed a potential lasting personal legacy could be achieved with a military-related circulating commemorative coin. Or, maybe, Byrne was just looking to expand the memorial scope of the USS Arizona Remembrance bill he introduced at the same time. Unfortunately, it's likely to remain unknown due to its lack of consideration and discussion in Congress.

As noted above, Byrne was a one-term Representative and introduced this bill, and the one to honor the lost crew of the USS Arizona after it had been sunk during the Pearl Harbor attack, during the last few weeks of his time in Congress - too little time remained for Congress to act, however. (A link to my post on the USS Arizona coin bill can be found below.)

Byrne's proposal called for a circulating half dollar of standard specifications, with its designs and mintage to be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury; no restriction was placed on the Mint facilities that could be used to strike the coins nor on when the coins could be struck. The US Government was to be responsible for all production and distribution costs associated with the coins (including die preparation) - the coin did not have a private sponsor to take care of such costs. Seigniorage on the coins was expected to cover the expenses.

The Committee did not take action on the bill and it died when the 85th Congress adjourned in August 1958.

To read about Byrne's USS Arizona bill, check out:

- What If? 1958 USS Arizona Memorial


For more of my topics on commemorative coins and medals, including more What If? stories, see: Commems Collection.