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What Every American Should Know About the Medal
- The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force which can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed Services of the United States. It was created by Congress in 1861 and the medal is bestowed by the President of the United States.
- To be recommended for a Medal of Honor a soldier must perform an act of personal bravery or self-sacrifice; the act must involve risk of life; and the action must represent gallantry above the call of duty and have at least two eyewitnesses.
- Since the Civil War, more than 39 million men and women have answered the call to serve. Of those, 3,463 served with such uncommon valor that they were presented the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military award.
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The first award of the Medal
of Honor was made March 25, 1863, to Private Jacob Parrott, and five others.
Since then there have been:
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3,466 Medals of
Honor Awarded
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For 3,460
separate acts of heroism
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Performed by
3,447 individuals (including 9 "Unknowns")
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Today, there are
102 living Recipients of the Medal of Honor.
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42% of the living
Recipients earned their Medals more than 50 years ago
while serving in WWII (29) or Korea (14)
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There are 61
living recipients who performed actions in Vietnam
- The President of the United States normally renders a salute to a Medal of Honor recipient when he is wearing the medal.
- The Medal of Honor (often referred to as the Congressional Medal of Honor) is the only medal awarded to members of the armed forces that is worn around the neck.
- More than 65% of the medals bestowed are done so posthumously.
- The only woman to receive the medal, Mary Walker, was a contract surgeon in the Civil War who was held as a prisoner of war for several months.
- The only president to be awarded the Medal of Honor was President Theodore Roosevelt for leading his Rough Rider cavalry unit in a charge up San Juan Hill in the Spanish-American War.
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