The Congressional Medal of Honor

          

          The Medal of Honor is the highest ranking United States’ combat award. The Navy, Army, and the Air Force all have a different design for the Medal of Honor; the Marine Corps and Navy share a design. 

          For the U.S. Navy, the Medal of Honor was authorized in December 1861, during the Civil War, as an award for enlisted men and originally served to “further promote the efficiency of the Navy” but subsequently included “deeds of gallantry and heroism in times of War and Peace” on the part of the officers and enlisted men. However, in 1942, criteria were restricted to acts of extraordinary heroism in armed combat and it is presented for “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty”. To date, there have been 746 Medals of Honor presented to Navy personnel. A total of 3,445 Medals of Honor have been presented to people in all military branches

          The original Army Medal of Honor was very similar to the Navy Medal of Honor, with the exception that instead of an anchor there was an eagle perched on a cannon clutching a saber in it its talons. As with all Medals of Honor, it is awarded to someone who has “distinguished themselves above and beyond the call of duty by risking their own lives in combat action with a known armed enemy of the United States”. They are awarded sparingly and are awarded to the bravest of the brave and the courage must be well documented. Since 1998, “at least 15 other Medals of Honor have been awarded to correct past administrative errors, oversights and follow-up on lost recommendations or as a result of new evidence”.

          The United States Air Force was originally part of the United States Army and remained under the Army until the National Security Act of 1947 was passed and the Air Forced was deemed to be its own separate military branch. On 6 July 1960, the United States Congress established the Congressional Medal of Honor as the highest award specifically granted by the United States Air Force. It is awarded to officers and enlisted members of the United States Air Force who have “distinguished themselves above and beyond the call of duty by risking their own lives in combat action with a known armed enemy of the United States”. The current version used by the Air Force was approved in 1965. On 19 January 1967, Major Bernard F. Fisher became the first person in the United States Air Force to receive the Medal of Honor. He was bestowed this honor for his actions on 10 March 1966 in Vietnam. On that day, Fisher risked his life under an attack of 2,000 hostile North Vietnamese Army regulars to fly in and rescue and downed airman who had crash landed on the airstrip in the area. The downed airman survived that day and avoided capture by the enemy because of Major Fisher’s actions that day.

          The first African American recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor was William Carney. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in 1863 at Fort Wagner, South Carolina. He was a member of the 54^th Massachusetts Regiment in the Civil War. It was the state’s first all-black regiment. During the battle he noticed that the man carrying the flag had been wounded so he bravely rescued the flag and carried it safely to his regiment. It is reported that after it was safely in position he shouted “Boys, the old flag never touched the ground”. He was wounded during the battle. However, he was not awarded the Medal of Honor until May 1900, a whole 37 years later. The brave deed of Carney rescuing the flag before it hit the ground is depicted on the Saint-Guadens Monument in Boston and the flag itself is enshrined in Memorial Hall in Boston.

          There has only ever been one woman to receive the Medal of Honor. Dr. Mary Walker, a surgeon during the American Civil War, was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Andrew Johnson for her actions at Bull Run on 21 July 1861. However, in 1917, her award was rescinded along with some 900 others; the complete reason being unknown. There has been speculation that her medal was rescinded because of her involvement as a suffragette, but she refused to return the medal that had been bestowed upon her and wore it until her death in 1919. On 10 June 1977 the United States Congress reinstated her medal posthumously and it was restored by President Jimmy Carter. Although she is the ONLY woman to receive the Medal of Honor, there are TWO women’s names on the Roll of Honor. The second woman on the Roll of Honor is M. Sando Vargas, the mother of Marine Captain Jay R. Vargas. Captain Vargas received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Vietnam War but before he was awarded the medal, his mother passed away. He requested that her name be engraved on the back of his Medal of Honor instead of his own and President Richard Nixon honored this request.

          Did you know there has ever been only ONE President of the United States to receive the Medal of Honor??? Theodore Roosevelt received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions as a Colonel in the U.S. Army during the Spanish-American War. Oddly enough, his son, Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. was also awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions on 6 June 1945 during the Normandy landings. He is one of the TWO sons of U.S. Presidents to receive this award. Webb Cook Hayes, son of President Rutherford B. Hayes, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Philippine Insurrection. Also in the Medal of Honor history, 19 men have been awarded this honor twice and 5 sets of brothers have been awarded the Medal of Honor as well.