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Earned, not won
- While many awards are given to the winners of an event or competition, the Medal of Honor is a recognition bestowed to those who have sacrificed and served above and beyond the call of duty. The Medal of Honor is earned, not won—and recipients often bear a heavy burden as it symbolizes all who have served and made the ultimate sacrifice.
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Although Medals of Honor can only be awarded to members of the U.S. Armed Forces, being a U.S. citizen is not a prerequisite for eligibility to receive the medal. Sixty-one Canadians who were serving in the United States Armed Forces have received the Medal of Honor; most received it for actions in the American Civil War.
The name of the Medal is simply “Medal of Honor” — the word “Congressional” is sometimes mistakenly used because the Medal was created by Congress; however, the Medal is purely a military award.
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces ' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians, and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. [1][12] The medal is normally awarded by the president of the United States (the commander in chief of...
- Jennie Cohen
- 1 min
- At first, the idea of a Medal of Honor was dismissed as too “European.” During the American Revolution, George Washington established the first combat decoration in U.S. history, known as the Badge of Military Merit.
- Only one woman has received the Medal of Honor, and her award was temporarily rescinded. A medical doctor who supported feminist and abolitionist causes, Mary Edwards Walker volunteered with the Union Army at the outbreak of the Civil War.
- Theodore Roosevelt is the only U.S. president to have received the Medal of Honor, which he was awarded posthumously. When the Spanish-American War broke out, Assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt famously quit his job to lead a volunteer regiment known as the Rough Riders.
- The youngest Medal of Honor recipient was awarded at 11 and was granted it at 13. Born in New York, 11-year-old Willie Johnston enlisted in the Union Army alongside his father, serving as a drummer boy with the 3rd Vermont Infantry during the Civil War.
Timeline. The Medal of Honor has achieved prominence in American history like few other awards have. It’s a symbol for the very values its recipients displayed in the moments that mattered, an honor bestowed upon only the most honorable.
The Medal of Honor is the United States' highest award for military valor in action. And while over 150 years have passed since its inception, the meaning behind the Medal has never tarnished.