Commems Collection Modern: What If? 1995 George C. Marshall WWII Service - Part II

For the start of this George C. Marshall Silver Dollar story, see Part I


Though technically not a companion bill, Harris Wofford (D-PA) sponsored a bill in the Senate - in April 1994, during the Second Session of the 103rd Congress - that was essentially the same as Representative Murphy's previous bill.

The bill called for the same number of Silver Dollars - up to 500,000 - with availability of coins in Proof and Uncirculated qualities; they were to be available from the Mint during Calendar Year 1995.

As with the previous House bill, the coins were to present a "likeness of George C. Marshall on the obverse." The Secretary of the Treasury was to select the final designs for the coin, after consulting with the Friends of George C. Marshall ("Friends") and the Commission of Fine Arts; the Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee was to serve in a design review capacity.

When he introduced his bill, Senator Wofford offered:

"...this year we are marking the 50th anniversary of many critical events of World War II. As we honor the heroes of World War II, none are more deserving than George C. Marshall, a Pennsylvanian, who commanded over 8 million soldiers in the U.S. Armed Forces and led the allies in 1944. He chose some of the most highly regarded officers of the war in Eisenhower, Bradley, Ridgeway, Stillwell, Patton, and Gavin.

"On this day, April 11th, 48 years ago, General Marshall received permanent Five Star General rank, and with that honor, he earned the title of General of the Army. But Marshall was more than a leader of the Armed Forces. After the war, President Truman appointed him Secretary of State. In this role, he developed a comprehensive economic plan to assist war-torn Europe. The Marshall plan earned the General the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953. He is still the only professional soldier ever so honored.

"To commemorate World War II and General Marshall's legacy, I introduce the George C. Marshall Coin Act of 1994. This bill will authorize the minting of a coin in honor of General Marshall, and the proceeds would be used for the construction of the George C. Marshall Memorial and Visitors Center in Uniontown, PA, his boyhood home. The Marshall Center will become a destination for students, scholars, and visitors interested in learning more about the General's formative years, his leading role in organizing the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930's, his experiences in World War II, and all his extraordinary accomplishments.

"President Truman once said of Marshall that 'his standards of character, conduct, and efficiency inspired the entire army, nation, and the world.' We owe it to our children to educate them not only of the horrors of World War II, but also of its heroes."

As with the previous coin bill, the Issue Price of each Silver Dollar was to include a surcharge of $7, with collected surcharges paid to the Friends for the construction of the George C. Marshall Memorial and Visitor Center in Uniontown, Pennsylvania.

Upon its introduction, the bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Banking, but proceeded no further - no Marshall coin would be forthcoming.


See What If? 1997 Marshall Plan Commemoratives for the next phase of the attempts to get General Marshall recongized with a standalone coin program.


For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including other What If? stories, see: Commems Collection