Initiatives: Medal of Honor: Portraits of Valor Beyond the Call of Duty Available in bookstores - order now from Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble “Medal of Honor,” now available in a revised and expanded edition, is a stirring tribute to our bravest military heroes, men who have earned their place in history and who continue to inspire and awe their fellow citizens through their selflessness and strength of character. This magnificent hardcover book, sponsored by the Foundation and published in collaboration with Artisan, the illustrated book division of Workman Publishing in New York, is a collection of contemporary portraits and stories of 139 living or recently deceased Medal of Honor recipients as captured by best-selling author Peter Collier and award-winning photographer Nick Del Calzo. The recipients’ stories of selfless and courageous action will inspire Americans of all ages, and honor all of our country’s veterans. An elegant foreword by former President George W. Bush and powerful essays by Tom Brokaw, Senator John McCain, and noted historian, Victor Davis Hanson, in which they write about the Medal of Honor recipients and what they represent add to the stature of the book. The book culminates with a short history of a very special Medal and a moving portrait and profile tribute to the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington Cemetery. Many Americans are not aware that the “soldiers” interred there, “known but to God,” have also been bestowed with the Medal of Honor. A 90-minute bonus DVD is included with the book. It provides an uplifting brief history of the Medal narrated by Tom Brokaw and reflections from many recipients on the Medal and what it represents. The DVD also includes eleven individual stories on video as told by the recipients themselves. The Foundation is particulary grateful to the many generous individual and corporate donors who have made it possible to place more than 54,000 copies of this book in public and private middle and junior/senior high schools in every state, plus the District of Columbia. This book is "must" reading for people in all walks of life. Medal of Honor resided on the New York Times hardcover, non-fiction best-seller list for more than one month in late 2003 and has now been released as a revised edition with nearly 300,000 copies in circulation. This is the most comprehensive and complete compilation of contemporary photographs and recounted stories of America's most revered heroes. Each of the Medal recipients in this book, many in the twilight of their years, agreed to sit for a portrait and to recount their story one more time for the benefit of future generations. Sadly, some of them have passed away since the photographer and author were privileged to work with them, and there are now fewer than 100 living recipients. Yet together, these recipients, living or dead, help us put a face on the meaning of hero and understand what their heroism represents to us all.    Smithsonian American History Museum Exhibit The Foundation worked with the project staff at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and a Foundation board member who sponsored The Price of Freedom: Americans at War, a permanent exhibition that includes a section dedicated to the Medal of Honor. This 18,600 square foot exhibition portrays the role of the American military in shaping our nation's history from the colonial era to the present. Using hundreds of original artifacts and graphic images, the exhibition tells how Americans have fought to establish the nation's independence, determine its borders, shape its values of freedom and opportunity, and define its role in world affairs. The exhibition culminates with an area dedicated to the Medal of Honor that includes priceless artifacts, videos of Medal recipient stories told by the recipients themselves and a comprehensive interactive Medal of Honor database and educational quiz. The Price of Freedom exhibition opened to the public on November 11th, 2004. The renovated American History Museum reopened to the public in November 2008.                      Medal of Honor Exhibit Entrance                                          Medal of Honor Artifacts                                         Act Signed by President Lincoln Capitol Visitor Center Medal of Honor Exhibit  The Foundation worked with the Office of the Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Visitor Center project staff to incorporate a Medal of Honor exhibit into the new Capitol Visitor Center when it opened in December of 2008. As of May 2009 more than one million visitors had been welcomed to the U.S. Capitol, more than double the previous year before the Visitor Center was open. The Medal of Honor was established by an Act of Congress in 1861 and is awarded in its name. Until several years ago, the very first Medal of Honor, awarded to Private Jacob Parrot during the Civil War, was on display in the Capitol Building. There are 21 Medal of Honor recipients who have served in Congress and one, Senator Daniel Inouye, serves today.     Living History Stories The Foundation, in partnership with Citi Smith Barney (now Morgan Stanley Smith Barney), sponsored a project to capture on video the stories of living Medal of Honor recipients, as told by the recipients themselves, for future generations to learn from and enjoy. So far, more than 100 recipients have been interviewed and had their stories recorded for history. These interviews have been synthesized into five to eight minute vignettes that tell the recipient's individual story. The full interviews are available at the Congressional Medal of Honor Society headquarters for research and education purposes. The short stories are now being used in educational programs where teachers, students, and visitors will have an opportunity to gain a greater appreciation for what the Medal of Honor and the recipients who wear it represent. Moving composite videos with extracts from recipient interviews overlaid title graphics, file footage, and music have also been produced and shown to numerous audiences and on television as a Medal of Honor outreach initiative. The airman-related vignettes are presently shown at the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum in Washington, D.C. and the vignettes have been added to Medal of Honor kiosks described below. Film Initiatives The Foundation collaborated in the production of several Medal of Honor documentaries in 2008 and 2009. Florentine Films with Ken Burns as executive  producer and Roger Sherman producer created the a 90-minute documentary, Medal of Honor, which premiered on PBS in November 2008. In the latter half of 2007, the Foundation assisted 45 North Communications in the production of the documentary, The Medal, that aired on television around Memorial Day 2008. This documentary received the Movie Guide Faith and Freedom Award as the best television documentary in 2008 and is part of the series of documentaries in The American Patriot Series. In 2009, Discovery Communications commissioned Creative Street Media Group to produce a documentary for the Discovery Military Channel on Medal of Honor recipients Hershel "Woody" Williams (WWII), Tibor "Ted" Rubin (Korea) and Sammy Davis (Vietnam). Medal of Honor Kiosks In March 2007, the Foundation provided the first prototype Medal of Honor kiosk to the Museum of Flight in Seattle. The kiosk contains a complete Medal of Honor database selectable by name, service or war and an educational quiz. It has received widespread use. A second prototype with living history videos was installed in May 2009. It contains more than 100 five-to-eight minute short stories told by the recipients themselves using interview footage, action file footage, narration and music to enhance the overall content and impact. Production kiosks are now being installed in select museums across the country for educational purposes, including the Museum of Flight in Seattle, the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, the National Museum of the Marine Corps, the National Museum of the U.S. Navy in Washington, D.C., the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, OH, and the National Liberty Museum in Philadelphia, PA. This project was made possible through the support and generosity of the Citi Smith Barney (now Morgan Stanley Smith Barney), the Lockheed Martin Corporation, the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation and the T. Boone Pickens Foundation. Medal of Honor Burials and Marking of Gravesites The Foundation has supported the re-interment of several Medal of Honor recipients at Arlington Cemetery and the placement of Medal of Honor markers on about 20 gravesites that did not have a Medal of Honor marker. Shown below is the re-interment ceremony for Korean War posthumous recipient Cornelius Charlton and the gravesite marker for Civil War Medal of Honor recipient John Galloway. Previously, there was no Medal of Honor marker at his gravesite. May they rest in peace with the appropriate dignity, honor and respect of the American public for their heroic deeds.             Posthumous Korean War MoH Cornelius Charlton                      Civil War MoH Recipient John Galloway Gravesite Marker              Re-interred at Arlington Cemetery On the Horizon The Foundation is actively pursuing other initiatives that will enhance awareness of the Medal of Honor and what it represents. These include: Consolidated Society and Foundation website. Expanded youth and citizen educational programs that embody the ideals of courage, sacrifice, and patriotism that can be applied in daily life, in partnership with other like-minded nonprofit organizations. A corporate responsibility verification program in partnership with select American corporations. Development of multi-media materials that enhance awareness and educate the American public on the Medal of Honor. Establishment of a Foundation awards program that recognizes prominent individuals who have demonstrated the values embraced by the Foundation in promoting the ideals of freedom and democracy and contributing to international peace and security.  Expanded public outreach activities by Medal of Honor recipients and board members to enhance awareness of the principles embodied by the Medal of Honor. Expanded Medal of Honor displays in museums and like institutions across America. Site last updated on January 25, 2010.