Medal of Honor

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Medals of Honor from each branch of the United States Military

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration given in the United States for valor in combat, and is presented by the President in the name of the Congress. It sometimes is referred to as the "Congressional Medal of Honor."[1] The medal is presented only to the bravest of the brave; to date, 3,465 Medals of Honor have been awarded, and only five have been presented for service in Iraq and Afghanistan, covering all branches of the United States military.[2] Individuals who wear it call themselves "recipients," not winners.

History

While engaged in the fight for American independence, General George Washington felt a need to recognize the valor of individual soldiers on the battlefield. From his headquarters in Newburgh, New York on August 7, 1782, Washington wrote:

"The General ever desirous to cherish virtuous ambition in his soldiers, as well as to foster and encourage every species of Military merit, directs that whenever any singularly meritorious action is performed, the author of it shall be permitted to wear on his facings over the left breast, the figure of a heart in purple cloth, or silk, edged with narrow lace or binding. Not only instances of unusual gallantry, but also of extraordinary fidelity and essential service in any way shall meet with a due reward."[1]

He further wrote that the issuing of the award must be grounded in "incontestible proofs" as to the valor of the man receiving it, "accompanied with certificates from the Commanding officers of the regiment and brigade". Only three men received what was then known as the "Badge of Military Merit" before it fell into disuse for nearly 150 years; resurrected by General Douglas MacArthur in 1932, it became - with slight changes - the Purple Heart.

A need for military decorations was presented at least once early in the American Civil War; Lt. Colonel Edward Davis Townsend, and assistant to Army Adjutant General Lorenzo Thomas, recommended the creation of a "medal for valor", but the idea was quashed by then-Army head Lt. General Winfield Scott, who felt that decorations were too close to European royalty. However, the valor demonstrated on the battlefields of the Civil War demonstrated that such valor and heroism could not go unrecognized; moreover, Navy Secretary Gideon Welles liked Townsend's idea, which he placed in a series of recommendations to President Abraham Lincoln. On December 9, 1861 Iowa Senator James W. Grimes introduced S. No. 82, a bill intended to "promote the efficiency of the Navy" by the authorization, production, and distribution of what was termed "medals of honor". On December 21, the bill was passed, authorizing 200 such medals be produced "which shall be bestowed upon such petty officers, seamen, landsmen and marines as shall distinguish themselves by their gallantry in action and other seamanlike qualities during the present war." President Lincoln signed the bill and the Medal of Honor was born, authorized for Sailors and Marines.[3]

Less than two months later on February 17, 1862 Massachusetts Senator Henry Wilson introduced a similar bill to authorize "the President to distribute medals to privates in the Army of the United States who shall distinguish themselves in battle." Over the following months wording changed slightly as the bill made its way through Congress. When President Abraham Lincoln signed S.J.R. No 82 into law as 12 Stat. 623-624 on July 14, 1862, the Army had its own Medal of Honor:

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby, authorized to cause two thousand "medals of honor" to be prepared with suitable emblematic devices, and to direct that the same be presented, in the name of the Congress, to such non--commissioned officers and privates as shall most distinguish themselves by their gallantry in action, and other soldier-like qualities, during the present insurrection (Civil War).[4]

Description

The Medal of Honor
United States Army United States Navy
United States Marine Corps
United States Coast Guard
United States Air Force
Moh army.jpg
Moh navmarinecg.jpg
Moh airforce.jpg

Secretary Welles delegated the crafting and design of the medal to James Pollock, Director of the United States Mint, who in turn delegated responsibility for the actual design to artist Christian Schuller. The medal was cast from bronze in the shape of an inverted star; within the center is the Roman goddess Minerva, bearing the shield of the Union of the states in her right hand, and the fasces - ancient Roman symbol of authority - in her left. She is repulsing the figure of Discord, who was shown crouching with snakes in his hand. Pollock referred to Discord as "the foul spirit of secession and rebellion" in a letter he sent to Welles. Circling the figures were thirty-four stars, representing the Union of states prior to the secession.

The Navy version of the medal was suspended from an anchor; the Army's version was suspended from an eagle over the word "VALOR"; both were hung from a red, white, and blue ribbon representing the flag.

The present Medal of Honor reflects changes made to the design during the period of the First World War. The striped ribbon was replaced by a blue field bearing 13 stars, but it remained a "pin-on" medal until World War II, when the pin-clasp was replaced with a rounded pad suspended from a blue silk neck ribbon. A change was made to the star as well: the Army replaced the central figures with a profile of the head of Minerva; and when the newly-created United States Air Force had theirs, they chose the profile of the head of Liberty. Both added a green wreath of laurel around the star. The Navy retained the original design.

References

  1. Army.mil Features
  2. Harry Hayward. What is the Medal of Honor?, University of Washington, August 21, 2009.
  3. History of the Medal of Honor, CMOHS.org.
  4. Carl Sandburg. American Valor . History of the Medal, PBS.

See Also

External links