A Brief History
On July 12, 1862, a congressional resolution was signed into law authorizing the Army to issue the Medal of Honor to enlisted soldiers (only) for “personal valor.” The Navy already had a similar medal for “personal valor” as of 1861. Prior to this development, the US military had no medals at all since the Mexican War.
Digging Deeper
Objections to the issuing of medals, especially from senior Army General Winfield Scott, were based on the fact that Europeans engaged in the practice, therefore it must be bad. Once the Civil War started it became apparent that some soldiers and sailors performed heroically above and beyond the call of duty, even at great risk to their own life and really deserved to be recognized.
At the time of the Civil War, the Medal of Honor was the only medal for valor issued by the US military. In 1863 congress made the Medal of Honor a permanent decoration, and also authorized officers to be eligible for the award. Also in 1863, on March 25, the Secretary of War presented the first 6 Medals of Honor.
In 1915 the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard became eligible for the Medal of Honor, and in 1965 an Air Force version was authorized. (Prior to 1965 Air Force and Air Corps recipients were given the Army version of the medal.)
Of the 3469 Medals of Honor awarded, more than half of those were awarded for actions during the Civil War.
As of World War II, most Medals of Honor have been awarded posthumously, and normally are presented by the President. In order to be awarded the medal, the request for such a citation can go up the service member’s chain of command or a service member can be nominated by a member of congress. The Medal of Honor is presented in the name of Congress.
Prior to World War II, the Medal of Honor could be awarded for peacetime valor, but as of World War II it can only be awarded for battlefield actions. Recipients are authorized certain special privileges, including but not limited to the following: a special pension (above and beyond any other pension) of about $1300 per month, travel privileges for the recipient and his family on military flights, admission to service academies for their children, and a 10% hike in retirement pay. Additionally, 40 states also confer special privileges or license plates to recipients.
Medal of Honor winners are traditionally saluted by any other service member, although that is not an actual regulation. They are also authorized to wear their medal with civilian clothes and are invited to presidential inaugurations.
In a cracked turn of events, congress passed the Stolen Valor Act of 2005 making it a federal crime to falsely claim to have earned a military medal (of any type), but the Supreme Court decided in 2012 that such a law was an unconstitutional infringement on free speech! (As you may guess, the author of this article thinks that ruling is ridiculous.) In 2013 a revised version of the law was passed making it a federal crime to claim being a Medal of Honor recipient for the purpose of falsely gaining federal benefits.
If you ever get around to reading the stories or citations of how the Medal of Honor has been earned, you will most assuredly be in awe of the courage and valor of those who have earned it. We salute these brave service members and thank them for their service.
Question for students (and subscribers): Has anyone in your family ever earned the Medal of Honor? Please let us know in the comments section below this article.
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Historical Evidence
For more information, please see…
The Editors of Boston Publishing Company. The Medal of Honor: A History of Service Above and Beyond. Zenith Press, 2014.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="2942 http://www.crackedhistory.com/?p=2942">42 Comments
While I view all servicemen and women as heroes, I love that there is a special medal or award for those that go above and beyond. I am forever grateful for those serving our country. I do think it should be illegal to claim to be a recipient of a military medal when one really is not.
I think the Medal of Honor is an excellent way to honor our war heroes that take service to another level.
I know people who have gotten this medal and it is awesome to be given. It is an awesome way to honor people who do their service to the extreme plus some.
AM
I didn’t know it was a federal crime to falsely claim to have earned a military medal.
The courageous things these men did was far beyond the call of duty, and they should be recognized for their efforts. As we all know, veterans never get enough of the recognition that they deserve, so I see no problem at all giving them a medal. Those who are against giving the Medal of Honor to people are likely jealous, and nothing else.
N.W.
I love that the medals give recognition to those who earned it by personal valour. GW
It’s such an honor to receive the Medal of Honor. I love reading about the reasons behind why the people who received it earned it.
I love the idea of the Medal of Honor. It’s such a good way to honor someone who went above and beyond during their time
The idea of the Medal of Honor is an amazing idea. The amount of courage and strength it takes to be given this medal should never go unnoticed.
The medal of honor is a Wonderful act that helps to honor what soldiers have done
and it is consider a crime to falsely claim you have earned such honors is very
helpful.
It was a good idea to start the medal of honor as it symbolizes what good people have done. I believe that people who have done the good as in all the stories deserve to be recognized.
I love the idea of the Medal of Honor because it rewards someone for doing something great and having courage. I think it is great.
I think it was a great idea to give a medal of honor. It shows that the people who have fought for this country are appreciated.
I’m glad to hear that those who receive this honor are able to benefit from it tremendously.
i thik the medal of honor is a great thing. it shows that someone was able to do something great
I had no idea that the Medal of Honor was first created
during the civil war and that more than half of its recipients fought in the
civil war.
The Medal of Honor is such a great award, as it properly commends the heroes of our country. I think the objections at first were absurd. Because the Europeans had similar awards, America couldn’t? That seems extreme to me. These heroes deserve to be recognized.
I think that people who serve in the Army deserve to be awarded not only one but many more awards. Similar to Mikayla’s comment I think that, at first, it was extreme that Americans could not have these kind of awards just because Europeans did. I am sure that great stories hide behind the officers who have earned the Metal of Honor. I would love to read their stories one day.
I think what shocked me from reading this was that, at first, Congress repealed a law on medal fraud based on the infringement of free speech! I know they fixed the law, but it just seems ridiculous to repeal a law meant to protect those truly honored by such awards and to keep from rewarding crooks. I think that I understand what Congress was trying to do here, but that situation brings up a whole other debate about constitutional interpretation.
I can almost see why they would not want to follow a similar practice that the Europeans had due to the overall belief that we had broken away and are a country trying to do everything Europe does, better. Following a similar practice could feed the Europeans ego in a way that Army General Winfield Scott did not want to. Regardless, soldiers deserve to be honored so if he could have presented a better way of honoring them it could satisfy both causes.
I never knew the Medal of Honor or any war metals for that matter, we’re not awarded prior to the civil war in America. I can understand how during that time, people would shy away from doing anything Europeans did. I also didn’t know the Medal of Honor comes with benefits such as a pension of around 1300 a month as well as invited to special events among others.
People have such nerve to claim they were rewarded an award so they could receive benefits from the government. I think it is a great that the government is enforcing a law that it is illegal to claim these awards falsely. The Metal of Honor is a prestige award that is greatly rewarded with the compensation after you receive the reward.
I was formerly unaware that there were money benefits involved with receiving this honor. I agree with the author of this article, that the Supreme Court should not have ruled against making it a federal crime to wear a fake Medal of Honor. These awards are earned and people should be punished for pretending to have earned such an honor.
The Medal of Honor is the highest recognition possible in this country. This honor is incredible to think about. The stories of the men and women who have received this honor are heroic. Their acts of bravery are unquestioned.
I too was unaware of the benefits that come with receiving the medal of honor. I definitely agree, though! Obviously not as an incentive to commit acts of bravery, but as a thank you from the nation you serve. What an honor.
To get a medal of honor is the best award anyone could possibly earn and all the benefits that come along with it is definitely deserved.
The Medal of Honor is something that many people who have fought for our freedom and country rightfully deserve. Even if this was originally a European idea, it was a good thing to carry through to the United States.
The Medal of Honor is viewed with the utmost respect. It truly is only for the best of the best and the bravest of the brave. The men and women who have received the medal deserve to be recognized for their heroism.
I’m shocked that there was any resistance in issuing medals for those in the war. Getting one of those medal’s is now a very prestigious and honorable thing, which is what it should be.
The Medal of Honor represents a true testament of courage, bravery, honor, and service. I did not know there was a time in history where the medal was not awarded for personal valor.
The Medal of Honor is an award above any other. While reading this article I did not realize that more than half of the 3469 Medal of Honor awards given out went to those serving during the Civil War or that recipients of this award were granted a pension of $1300 per month.
I was never aware of all the benefits that went along with the Medal of Honor. The Medal of Honor is a prestigious honor and those who have earned it have much strength and bravery. I could not believe the Supreme Court ruled that falsely claiming to have a military medal was an unconstitutional infringement on free speech. Good thing in 2013 they passed a revision to the law.
It amazes me that a reason for not having a medal in the 1800’s was because the Europeans did. I’m sure many men believed they deserved one, but they were not available. I think having a medal for any honor is a good thing. People need to be rewarded for their bravery.
It is a good thing that to receive this medal it has to face Congress. If people could just give these out left and right then it would not have as much meaning as it should have if Congress or someone else high in power overseas it.
I was shocked to read that of the 3469 Medals of Honor give out, half were for actions taken during the civil war!
I did not know of all the benefits associated with receiving the Medal of Honor. But it makes sense. Willing to sacrifice your life for your country above and beyond the call of duty is something that should be rewarded and praised. I am shocked (but not surprised) the Supreme Court struck it down.
To establish a metal for the sacrifices these men made Nisan accomplishment and a memory. It is sad that this Medal of Honor did not last for these hard working, driven men.
I never knew that medals winners also received money for this. I think the people who receive these medals deserve the money and the honor because they are true American hero. It is amazing that half of the 3469 given out were for actions during the civil war.
I agree with congress’s latest law regarding the Medal of Honor. I believe in the right of free speech, which includes lying. I also believe that fraud is a serious offense and that impostors who try to reap the tangible benefits of the medal should be punished.
For those who do earn medal of honor, all credit to them. But for everyone else that didn’t make that ‘list’ and don’t get that credit, its tough to see.
Not to say they were not deserving of their awards, but perhaps with medals being “new”, they were handed out more easily during the Civil War. I never knew there were benefits associated with being a Medal of Honor recipient!
It’s interested to read that over half of the Medal of Honor awards were awarded to soldiers during the civil war.