Medal of Honor Design Details - All Branches | CMOHS (2024)

FAQs

What are the different branches of the Medal of Honor? ›

There are three different types of Medal of Honor today: the original star shape established in 1861, which the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard have retained; a wreath version designed in 1904 for the Army; and an altered wreath version for the Air Force, adopted in 1965.

There are three distinct variants of the medal: one for the Army, awarded to soldiers; one for the Naval Service, awarded to sailors, marines, and coast guardsmen; and one for the Air and Space Forces, awarded to airmen and guardians.

All personnel, whether enlisted or officers, in all branches of the service are eligible to receive a Medal of Honor as long as their actions meet the following criteria: the act of bravery must occur while engaged in an action against foreign opposition or an enemy of the United States, secondly the act must be so ...

In the past 70 years, more than half of all Medals of Honor were awarded posthumously. Today, there are 70 living recipients. Due to the prestige of the Medal of Honor, it is a federal crime to manufacture, sell, or trade these awards without authorization of the federal government.

There's no record of a MoH ever being refused. However, there was one recipient, former CPT Charles Liteky (an catholic chaplain in the US Army) who returned his medal as an act of political dissent. Liteky received his MoH for actions performed in 1967 in South Vietnam.

An anchor protruded outward from each of the cross's four arms and the back of the medal bore the words "Awarded To" with a place for the recipient's personal information. The "Tiffany Cross" was not a popular award and is the rarest of all Medals of Honor in existence.

The honored practice is for everyone in service, no matter the rank, to salute the medal worn by anyone, no matter the rank. This is not required, however. When it happens, it is one of rare circ*mstances where officers salute someone lower in rank.

Audie Leon Murphy (20 June 1925 – 28 May 1971) was an American soldier, actor, and songwriter. He was widely celebrated as the most decorated American combat soldier of World War II, and has been described as the most highly decorated soldier in U.S. history.

Medal of Honor recipients are eligible for free travel on DOD military aircraft as Category-III priority “Space-A” travelers.

But the youngest to ever receive the medal received it shortly after the Medal of Honor was created, at only eleven years old. In this lesson, we will explore the story of the youngest Medal of Honor recipient ever, Willie Johnston.

Has anyone won two Medals of Honor? ›

Perhaps the most notable two-time Medal of Honor recipients are Smedley Butler and Dan Daly, both Marines who began their careers in the late-19th century before serving in World War I. Butler received his first medal for guiding his men through a firefight during U.S. involvement in the Mexican Revolution in 1914.

A special tax-free Medal of Honor pension of $1,619.34 per month above and beyond any military pensions or other benefits for which they may be eligible. Most surviving spouses are also eligible for this pension The MoH pension is subject to cost-of-living increases and is tax free.

So far, no one has ever received three Medals of Honor, even when considering that for the first fifty-odd years, it was the only medal for valor in the military. According to (19 Badass Americans Who Were Awarded Multiple Medals of Honor ), 19 Americans were awarded 2 Medals of Honor.

Mary Edwards Walker (November 26, 1832 – February 21, 1919), commonly referred to as Dr. Mary Walker, was an American abolitionist, prohibitionist, prisoner of war, and surgeon. She is the only woman to receive the Medal of Honor.

What is the name of the Medal? Is the "Medal of Honor" or the "Congressional Medal of Honor"? The name of the Medal is simply “Medal of Honor” — the word “Congressional” is sometimes mistakenly used because the Medal was created by Congress; however, the Medal is purely a military award.

Presently, there are three variations of the Medal of Honor. Steeped with symbolism, the Medal has become a historic symbol of our nation's bravest. Out of respect for those who have earned it, its appearance has remained largely unaltered in over 150 years.

How many Medal of Honor Recipients are there? Out of the 41 million who have served in the U.S. military, the Medal has been presented to only 3,517 service members who went above and beyond the call of duty, each of whom can be researched in the Medal of Honor Recipient database located here.

The Medal of Honor is the nation's highest medal for valor in combat that can be awarded to members of the armed forces. The medal was first authorized in 1861 for Sailors and Marines, and the following year for Soldiers as well.