HISTORY OF THE MEDAL OF HONOR Virginia Tech

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About the Medal The highest military award of the United States Given for “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty…” Only awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for actions during combat Submitted by peer(s) who witnessed the action and validated by eyewitness accounts

By the numbers Signed into law in 1861 by President Lincoln First awarded on March 25, 1863 3497 total Recipients of the Medal of Honor and 3516 total medals awarded 76 living Recipients of the Medal of Honor

Army – 2,450 Air Force - 18 Air Force - 18 Navy - 748 Marines - 299 Coast Guard - 1 Army – 2,450 Air Force - 18 Air Force - 18

Beginnings For “petty officers, seamen, landsmen December 9, 1861 Iowa Senator James W. Grimes introduces legislation to: "promote the efficiency of the Navy“ For “petty officers, seamen, landsmen and marines” for their gallantry in action

1862 February 17, 1862 Massachusetts Senator Henry Wilson introduced a similar bill, this one to authorize "to distribute medals to privates in the Army of the United States who shall distinguish themselves in battle."

Navy MoH here

Navy MOH continued to be for enlisted personnel only. March 1863 Congress extended the tat of the Army MOH to officers as well as non-commissioned officers and privates. Navy MOH continued to be for enlisted personnel only.

First Recipient Pvt. Jacob W. Parrott Company K, 33d Ohio Infantry. ‘Andrews’ Raiders’, Georgia, April 1862. Entered service: Hardin County, Ohio. Birth: July 17, 1843 Awarded: March 25, 1863 Age of 19 and Atlanta.[1 Pvt. Jacob W. Parrott

Dr. Mary Edwards Walker First Female Recipient First Battle of Bull Run Battle of Fredericksburg Battle of Chickamauga Assist Surgeon General, 52nd Ohio Infantry Battle of Atlanta Prisoner of War Awarded Medal of Honor Revoked in 1917 Restored in 1977

Army MoH Video here

Air Force MoH Here

First African-American Recipient * William H. Carney William Harvey Carney Company C, 54th Massachusetts, Colored Infantry Regiment, United States Army A freeman, he joined the Union Army with 40 other former slaves Awarded Medal of Honor May 5, 1900

Youngest Recipient Willie Johnston William Harvey Carney 11 years old Received MOH on September 16, 1863 Received the 7th Medal of Honor awarded

Medals of Honor awarded to members of the United States Army and Navy. CIVIL WAR 1861-1865 1,522 MEDALS OF HONOR AWARDED Medals of Honor awarded to members of the United States Army and Navy.

New standard for Medal of Honor signed by President Hayes 1876 “The conduct which deserves such consideration should not be the simple discharge of duty, but such acts beyond this that if omitted or refused to be done, should not justly subject the person to censure as a shortcoming or failure…” “The conduct which deserves such consideration should not be the simple discharge of duty, but such acts beyond this that if omitted or refused to be done, should not justly subject the person to censure as a shortcoming or failure.” New standard for Medal of Honor signed by President Hayes

President William McKinley 1897 Only Only be awarded for ‘gallantry and intrepedidity’ above and beyond that of one’s fellow soldiers. Required that submission for the MOH must be made by a person other than the veteran who had performed the heroic action. Required testimony, under oath, of one or more eyewitnesses to the heroic action(s). Set a time limit of one year for any person to be submitted for the MOH for an act occurring after June 26, 1887. President William McKinley

1898 The Army issued proper instructions for display of the MOH suspended from a neck ribbon.

PRESIDENT THEODORE ROOSEVELT EXECUTIVE ORDER · SEPTEMBER 20, 1905 “The Presentation of the Medal of Honor to an officer or enlisted man in the military service… will always be made with formal and impressive ceremony…the presentation will be made by the President, as Commander-in-Chief…” . “The Presentation of the Medal of Honor to an officer or enlisted man in the military service… will always be made with formal and impressive ceremony…the presentation will be made by the President, as Commander-in-Chief… Believed to have done the most of any President to advance the stature and prestige of the Medal of Honor.

Congress authorizes the President to award in the name of Congress 1918 “a suitable Medal of Honor to be awarded to any officer of the Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard who shall have distinguished himself in battle or displayed extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession.” “a suitable Medal of Honor to be awarded to any officer of the Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard who shall have distinguished himself in battle or displayed extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession.” Congress authorizes the President to award in the name of Congress

Pyramid of Honor General Order No. 6 (1918) Distinguished Service Cross - Army Distinguished Service Medal Distinguished Service Cross Silver Star General Order No. 6 (1918)

Sergeant Alvin C. York World War I Meuse-Argonne Offensive Credited with single-handedly killing 28 Germans and capturing 132. Historic event, not for the Medal itself, but for the legendary status its recipients would receive in the years to follow.

“…awarded for action against an enemy of the United States Criteria Change - 1963 Congress amended Titles 10 and 14 of the US Code establishing criteria and guidelines for awarding the MOH “…awarded for action against an enemy of the United States …while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force, or while serving with friendly forces…”

Largest of three designs. All suspended from identical blue ribbon. Air Force Design - 1965 Largest of three designs. All suspended from identical blue ribbon.

Colonel Robert L. Howard United States Army Special Forces The most highly decorated serviceman in the history of the United States. Recommended for the Medal of Honor three times (1967 - 68).

Medal of Honor Day March 25

Medal of Honor Society www.cmohs.org. Located aboard the USS Yorktown, Patriot’s Point, Mt. Pleasant, SC www.patriotspoint.org