The Medal of Honor is awarded March 25th every year and is one of the highest and most prominent decorations that the United States can bestow to
American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen. The medal is given to those that show the highest degree of heroism and sacrifice for their country.
The Medal of Honor was first proposed in 1861 by Lt. Colonel Edward D. Townsend to Lt. General Winfield Scott the Commanding General of the U.S. Army. Scott, however, was
strongly against the Medal, claiming it to be too much like the European military tradition. After Scott retired ( October 1861 ) the Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles wanted a decoration
to honor those of the navy for their distinguished service. So in early December of the same year Iowa Senator and Chairman on the Committee of Naval Affairs, James W. Grimes
introduced bill S.28. The bill made provisions and authorized the making of 200 Medal of Honor awards for petty officers, seaman, landsmen and marines. Later in the same month President
Abraham Lincoln signed the bill into law and in May 1862 a total of 175 medals were ordered by the Department of the Navy. In July 1862 the Chairman on the Senate Committee for Military
Affairs, Senator Henry Wilson, made a resolution for the Medal of Honor to be awarded to members of the U.S. Army. It was approved by Congress and signed into law and 2,000 medals for
the Army were struck by the same company ( Philadelphia Mint ) that had delivered the same medal for the Navy. Both were made of copper and coated with bronze which gave the medal a reddish tint.
Only one woman has ever been decorated with the Medal of Honor, Mary Edwards Walker in 1865. She was the first female surgeon in the U.S. Army and was awarded the medal due to
her heroism when she went behind enemy lines in an effort to treat wounded civilians. She was caught , treated as a spy and sent to a Confederate prison to wait out the wars end.
Theodore Roosevelt was the only president awarded the Medal of Honor and he received that posthumously.
William "Willie" Johnson was the youngest to receive the medal. During the Civil War he was a drummer boy with the 3rd Vermont Volunteer Infantry Regiment in Company D.
During the Seven Days Battle near Richmond Virginia, while the Union Army retreated, soldiers and musicians alike dropped their weapons and instruments in their effort to get away.
Young Willie though, was the only drummer to retreat with his drum intact. On September 16 1863 at the age of 13 he was awarded the Medal of Honor, though he was recognized for his wartime service at age 11.
There are 3 variants of the Medal of Honor, one to honor those in the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Navy which also includes the United States Marine Corp and the United Sates Coast Guard.
To date, 3,536 Medal of Honor awards have been given by the Presidents of the United States of America and there are currently 61 Medal of Honor holders still alive today.
Anyone can celebrate on March 25th by ensuring that they remember those that have been awarded the Medal of Honor. It's a great day also to learn of those people and the history of the medal.
Just this year, Texas spent over $300 million dollars on their new Medal of Honor museum to honor those that have served and have been award the highest decoration that our country can bestow.
The Medal of Honor is awarded March 25th every year and is one of the highest and most prominent decorations that the United States can bestow to
American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen. The medal is given to those that show the highest degree of heroism and sacrifice for their country.
The Medal of Honor was first proposed in 1861 by Lt. Colonel Edward D. Townsend to Lt. General Winfield Scott the Commanding General of the U.S. Army. Scott, however, was
strongly against the Medal, claiming it to be too much like the European military tradition. After Scott retired ( October 1861 ) the Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles wanted a decoration
to honor those of the navy for their distinguished service. So in early December of the same year Iowa Senator and Chairman on the Committee of Naval Affairs, James W. Grimes
introduced bill S.28. The bill made provisions and authorized the making of 200 Medal of Honor awards for petty officers, seaman, landsmen and marines. Later in the same month President
Abraham Lincoln signed the bill into law and in May 1862 a total of 175 medals were ordered by the Department of the Navy. In July 1862 the Chairman on the Senate Committee for Military
Affairs, Senator Henry Wilson, made a resolution for the Medal of Honor to be awarded to members of the U.S. Army. It was approved by Congress and signed into law and 2,000 medals for
the Army were struck by the same company ( Philadelphia Mint ) that had delivered the same medal for the Navy. Both were made of copper and coated with bronze which gave the medal a reddish tint.
Only one woman has ever been decorated with the Medal of Honor, Mary Edwards Walker in 1865. She was the first female surgeon in the U.S. Army and was awarded the medal due to
her heroism when she went behind enemy lines in an effort to treat wounded civilians. She was caught , treated as a spy and sent to a Confederate prison to wait out the wars end.
Theodore Roosevelt was the only president awarded the Medal of Honor and he received that posthumously.
William "Willie" Johnson was the youngest to receive the medal. During the Civil War he was a drummer boy with the 3rd Vermont Volunteer Infantry Regiment in Company D.
During the Seven Days Battle near Richmond Virginia, while the Union Army retreated, soldiers and musicians alike dropped their weapons and instruments in their effort to get away.
Young Willie though, was the only drummer to retreat with his drum intact. On September 16 1863 at the age of 13 he was awarded the Medal of Honor, though he was recognized for his wartime service at age 11.
There are 3 variants of the Medal of Honor, one to honor those in the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Navy which also includes the United States Marine Corp and the United Sates Coast Guard.
To date, 3,536 Medal of Honor awards have been given by the Presidents of the United States of America and there are currently 61 Medal of Honor holders still alive today.
Anyone can celebrate on March 25th by ensuring that they remember those that have been awarded the Medal of Honor. It's a great day also to learn of those people and the history of the medal.
Just this year, Texas spent over $300 million dollars on their new Medal of Honor museum to honor those that have served and have been award the highest decoration that our country can bestow.