What on EARTH is that flag?

The Medal of Honor is regarded as the highest decoration given to American soldiers when valiant efforts are given against American enemy forces. It was designed honor the brave men and women who show the courage and selflessness during military combat. It serves as a symbol of respect and valor to those who have received it.

Today, there are 3 types of Medals of Honor, the Army, Navy, and Air Force medals respectively. Presently, there have been 3,467 which include one woman, Mary Walker, and 19 double recipients. They have been presented to the likes of William “Buffalo Bill” Cody, Douglas Macarthur, and Theodore Roosevelt.

Congress originally proposed a “certificate of merit” for military bravery and action on March 3, 1847; yet the MOH would take 15 years to become formally created. The medal was officially established on July 12, 1862 by President Abraham Lincoln and having 2000 medals “minted”, 88 soldiers were awarded from previous battle actions.

Receiving the award gives many more benefits than just receiving the medal:

Privileges:

• Each Medal of Honor recipient may have his or her name entered on the Medal of Honor Roll. Each person whose name is placed on the Medal of Honor Roll is certified to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs as being entitled to receive the special pension of US$1,027 per month above and beyond any military pensions or other benefits for which they may be eligible. As of December 1, 2004, the pension is subject to cost-of-living increases.

• Enlisted recipients of the Medal of Honor are entitled to a supplemental uniform allowance.

• Recipients receive special entitlements to air transportation under the provisions of DOD Regulation 4515.13-R.

• Special identification cards and commissary and exchange privileges are provided for Medal of Honor recipients and their eligible dependents.

• Fully qualified children of recipients are eligible for admission to the United States military academies without regard to the nomination and quota requirements.

• Recipients receive a 10% increase in retired pay under 10 U.S.C. § 3991.

• Those awarded the medal after October 23, 2002, also receive a Medal of Honor Flag. The law also specifies that all 103 living prior recipients also receive the flag.(14 U.S.C. § 505).

• As with all medals, retired personnel may wear the Medal of Honor on “appropriate” civilian clothing. Regulations also specify that recipients of the Medal of Honor are allowed to wear the uniform “at their pleasure” with standard restrictions on political, commercial, or extremist purposes; other former members of the armed forces may do so only at certain ceremonial occasions.

Saluting:

• It is customary for a Medal of Honor recipient to always be saluted, no matter what the rank.

• Recipients are always greeted and saluted before non-recipients are greeted or saluted.

Other privileges and courtesies:

• Many states offer distinctive Medal of Honor vehicle license plates to recipients without additional charges or fees.

• Living Medal of Honor recipients are often invited to Presidential Inaugurations and accompanying festivities.”

The awards are more than just a medal though; they are symbol of dedication to their country and fellow soldiers. Often times, the recipients have made great sacrifices for the men and women around them, many times giving the ultimate sacrifice to protect them. These incredible badges of courage are many times given to the families of these heroes due to the fact that their lives are often given up in battle. They deserve our sincerest appreciation and gratitude.

FAQ’s about the Medal of Honor:

Who was the first person to be awarded the Medal of Honor?
The first person (chronologically) to earn the Medal of Honor was Colonel Bernard JD Irwin, an army surgeon who rescued 60 men and a young boy who had been captured by an Apache Chief Cochise. He did this using only 14 other men in his squad. The event took place on February 13, 1861, but the Medal of Honor was not awarded until January 21, 1894.

Who was the last person to be awarded the Medal of Honor?
SPC Ross McGinnis is the most recent recipient of the award. He was awarded for saving 4 of his fellow soldiers lives. Instead of jumping out of the gunners hatch (where he was manning) and risking the other 4 men’s lives in the vehicle, SPC McGinnis decided to jump on the grenade and take a majority of the impact directly to his body. He saved the lives of the other 4 men that day. The event took place on December 4, 2006 and he was awarded the Medal of Honor on June 2, 2008 by President George W. Bush. Learn more about SPC MCGinnis here.

Updated Sept 17, 2009: SFC Jared C. Monti was awarded the Medal of Honor on September 17, 2009 for his actions on June 21, 2006. SFC Jared C. Monti was mortally wounded when making 3 attempts to rescue one of his men from an intense battle despite extremely heavy fire from enemy forces. The man he was attempting to rescue survived the attack but later died being returned to the rescue helicopter. President Obama will honor the soldier. There is a website dedicated to Jared, including a Memorial fund here.

What is the official name of the medal, Medal of Honor or Congressional Medal of Honor?
The official name is the Medal of Honor. The reason many people call it the Congressional Medal of Honor is because it is awarded by the President “in the name of Congress”.

Has anyone in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom earned the Medal of Honor?

US Army

• SFC Paul Smith – Operation Iraqi Freedom

• SPC Ross McGinnis – Operation Iraqi Freedom

• SFC Jared C. Monti – Operation Endouring Freedom

US Navy

• LT Michael Murphy (SEAL) – Operation Enduring Freedom

• MA2 Michael Monsoor (SEAL) – Operation Iraqi Freedom

USMC

• Crpl Jason Dunham-Operation Iraqi Freedom

Who was the only Coast Guard Medal of Honor recipient?
Douglas Albert Munro was awarded the Medal of Honor during World War 2 in the Guadalcanal campaign.

Has anyone been awarded the Medal of Honor twice?
Yes, actually 19 men have won the award twice, 5 of them for the same action. The way that this happens is that you are recommended by separate branches of the military. For example, one of the last double recipients was Cpl John Henry Pruitt, a Marine Corps member, who has been awarded both the Army and Navy Medal of Honor for the same action.

What is the breakdown of Medals of Honor given by war?
Civil War – 1,522
Indian Wars – 426
Korean Expedition – 15
Spanish-American War – 110
Samoan Civil War – 4
Philippine-American War – 86
Boxer Rebellion – 59
Mexican Expedition – 56
Haiti (1915-1934) – 8
Dominican Republic Occupation – 3
World War I – 124
Occupation of Nicaragua – 2
World War II – 464
Korean War – 133
Vietnam War – 246
Battle of Mogadishu – 2
Iraq War – 4
Afghanistan War – 2
Peacetime – 193
Unknowns – 9

Sources:

*Medal of Honor. (2009, September 16). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 06:42, September 16, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Medal_of_Honor&oldid=314290700

**Congressional Medal of Honor Society (n.d.). Retrieved September 16, 2009, from
http://www.cmohs.org/