Myths, Little Known Facts and Potpourri

Myths

Myth: Out nation’s highest honor for valor in combat is the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Fact: While it is common for the Medal to be referred to as the Congressional Medal of Honor, the official name is the Medal of Honor. Perhaps the misunderstanding stems from the fact the Medal is awarded “in the name of the Congress.” Also confusing the issue is the fact that the Congress chartered the Society of living Medal of Honor recipients as the “Congressional Medal of Honor Society” in 1958.

Myth: No women have ever received the Medal of Honor.

Fact: One woman was awarded the Medal of Honor for her actions during the Civil War. Her name was Dr. Mary Walker and she cared for wounded Union soldiers on the battlefield and for the sick and wounded after she was captured and became a prisoner of war. Because she was a contract surgeon and not a member of the military, her Medal was rescinded by a board of review in 1917. It was reinstated during the administration of President Carter.

Myth: You must be a U.S. citizen in order to be awarded the Medal of Honor.

Fact: You must be serving in the U.S. military to qualify for the Medal of Honor, but it is not a prerequisite that an individual be a U.S. citizen. For example, Medal of Honor Alfred Rascon, who emigrated from Mexico, was not a U.S. citizen at the time of the action for which he was later awarded the Medal of Honor.

Myth: No Medals of Honor have been awarded for non-combat action.

Fact: There was a period of time between 1920 and 1940 when the Medal of Honor was awarded to a number of individuals who were not engaged in combat action. For example, Charles Lindbergh was awarded the Medal of Honor for his non-stop flight in the Spirit of St. Louis from New York and Paris in 1927. Richard Byrd and Floyd Bennett were awarded the Medal of Honor for their flight over the North Pole in 1926. Today, one must be a member of the U.S. military engaged in combat to qualify for the Medal of Honor and, since 1940, all Medals of Honor have been awarded for heroism in combat.

Myth: A superior officer must render a military salute to a Medal of Honor recipient of lower rank.

Fact: Although not required by law or military regulation, it is customary for members of the uniformed services to render salutes to recipients of the Medal of Honor as a matter of respect and courtesy regardless of rank or status.

Myth: No member of a foreign military has ever been awarded the Medal of Honor.

Fact: The Medal of Honor has been awarded to the unknown soldiers of the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Belgium and Romania from WWI.

Little Known Facts

Factoid: More than 60% of the Medals of Honor awarded since the beginning of World War II have been awarded posthumously.

Factoid: Of the more than 40 million veterans who have served since the beginning of the Civil War, fewer than 3,500 Medals of Honor have been awarded.

Factoid: Despite their many heroic actions, no Asian Americans or African Americans were awarded the Medal of Honor in WWII. This was redressed in the early 1990’s when, upon review, 7 Medals of Honor were awarded to African Americans from WWII (only one was still living) and, in 2000, to 22 Asian Americans from WWII.

Factoid: The remains of the unknowns interred in the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington Cemetery from WWI, WWII and Korea have been awarded the Medal of Honor by the President of the United States following those conflicts. Originally, the remains of the unknown from the Vietnam War were also entombed in the Tomb of the Unknowns and awarded the Medal of Honor. However, because of advances in science, those remains were identified through DNA and removed from the tomb and returned to the family.  

Factoid: One member of the U.S. Coast, Douglas Munro, was awarded the Medal of Honor during WWII for his actions at Point Cruz, Guadalcanal, on September 27, 1942. During wartime, the Coast Guard falls under the Department of the Navy.

Factoid: There have been 19 double awards of the Medal of Honor. Five of those were for the same action. Under an Act passed in 1918, an individual can be awarded the Medal of Honor only once.

Factoid: The Medal of Honor is the only military decoration worn around the neck. Other medals are worn over the left breast, normally on formal military uniforms.

Factoid: It is illegal to sell, wear, or manufacture the Medal of Honor. These restrictions were expanded to all military medals for valor by the Stolen Valor Act in 2005.

Potpourri

There have been fewer than 3,500 “winners” of the Medal of Honor. It’s true that fewer than 3,500 Medals of Honor have been awarded, BUT you don’t “win” the Medal of Honor, you earn it and those who have received the Medal are referred to as “recipients.” There are no “winners” in war; people die.  The living Medal recipients adamantly resist being referred to as “winners.”

The first African-American recipient of the Medal of Honor was William Carney for his actions during the Civil War on July 18, 1863 at Fort Wagner, SC. He seized the colors when the color bearer was fatally shot and carried it throughout the battle.

The Medal of Honor has been awarded to minorities:

  • African-Americans – more than 85 (one African-American was awarded the Medal twice)
  • Hispanic-Americans – more than 40
  • Asian-Americans – more than 30
  • Native-Americans – more than 20

The first action for which a Medal of Honor was ultimately awarded took place before the Civil War had even begun, February 13-14, 1861, in what is now Arizona. Bernard J.D. Irwin was an Assistant Surgeon in the Army when he voluntarily led a command of troops to relieve a surrounded detachment of the 7th Infantry. Irwin’s Medal was not awarded until January 24, 1894, over 30 years after he had performed his deed.

The first Medals of Honor were awarded on March 25, 1863. The first was presented to Private Jacob Parrott from among a group of 6 men awarded the Medal for their actions in “The Great Locomotive Chase” in April 1862. They were the first ever to wear the Medal of Honor.

The last of the 6 of 15 Medal of Honor recipients who survived the Japanese attack on Hawaii and Pearl Harbor was John Finn who passed away in 2010 at the age of 100.

There have been two father-son awards of the Medal of Honor. One was President Theodore Roosevelt for leading the charge on San Juan Hill and his son, Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr. for actions on D-Day in WWII. The second was Douglas MacArthur for his heroic action during the Civil War and son, Douglas MacArthur, Jr. for action during WWII. 

On July 25, 1963 Congress established a set of guidelines under which the Medal of Honor could be awarded that are still in effect today. The individual must be a member of the Armed Forces and distinguish himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:

  • While engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States;
  • While engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or,
  • While serving with friendly forces engaged in armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.