FReeper Canteen ~ Surprising Facts About The Medal of Honor ~ July 15, 2013

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[Kathy in Alaska]

 

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Surprising Facts About The
Medal of Honor
Info from here.

           

On July 25, 1862, the Medal of Honor was created.

Citations for Medal of Honor recipients describe feats of courage, strength, and resilience. Recipients overcame the paralysis of fear, and in some cases, they persevered in spite of wounds that would normally be so painful as to be disabling. Some of these heroes willingly gave their lives for the sake of their buddies.

While it is worth setting aside time to remember the extraordinary service and sacrifice symbolized by the Medal of Honor, it is even more important share that legacy with current and future generations.

Here are eight surprising facts about the Medal of Honor.

1. The earliest actions for which the Medal was awarded took place before the Civil War had even begun (Feb. 13-14, 1861). Bernard J.D. Irwin was an Assistant Surgeon in the Army when he voluntarily went to the rescue of 2d Lt. George N. Bascom who was trapped with 60 members of the 7th Infantry. Irwin and 14 men began the 100-mile trek to Bascom’s forces riding mules. After fighting and capturing Apaches along the way, as well as recovering stolen horses and cattle, Irwin reached Bascom’s forces and helped break the siege. The Medal of Honor was awarded to Irwin on Jan. 24, 1894 – more than 30 years after he performed his heroic deed.

2. Originally, the Medal of Honor was only awarded to enlisted service members. On March 3, 1863, this was extended to include officers as well.

3. There are three versions of the Medal of Honor: U.S. Army, U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force. Members of the U.S. Marines Corps and U.S. Coast Guard are eligible to receive the Navy version. Each of the armed services maintains their own regulations governing the award.

4. Only one woman has received the Medal of Honor and her award was temporarily rescinded. President Andrew Johnson presented the Medal of Honor to Dr. Mary E. Walker on Nov. 11, 1865 for her work as a Contract Acting Assistant Surgeon in a series of battles from First Bull Run in 1861 to the Battle of Atlanta in 1864. Caught by Confederate troops and arrested as a spy, she also spent four months as a Prisoner of War. Although her award was rescinded along with hundreds of others in 1917, upon the passage of legislation that stated the medal could only be given to persons who had engaged in “actual combat with an enemy,” Walker’s Medal of Honor was restored on June 10, 1977 by President Jimmy Carter.

Because of her selfless service during the war, Dr. Mary E.
Walker became the only woman in U.S. history to receive the
Medal of Honor, which was rescinded in 1917 and restored in 1977.
 

5. The Medal of Honor recommendation process can take in excess of 18 months with intense scrutiny every step of the way because of the need for accuracy. The following organizations and individuals play key roles in the Army Medal of Honor recommendation process: the Soldier’s Chain of Command, a Member of Congress, Department of the Army Personnel Command, Manpower and Reserve Affairs, Chief of Staff of the Army, Secretary of the Army, Secretary of Defense and the President. To see a visual depiction of the process, visit http://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/steps.html

6. Children of Medal of Honor recipients are not subject to quotas if they are qualified and desire to attend the U.S. military academies.

Colin Romesha, son of former Staff Sgt. Clinton Romesha, is escorted off
the President’s podium during the Medal of Honor ceremony in honor of his
father at the White House in Washington, D.C., Feb. 11, 2013. Romesha
received the Medal of Honor for his courageous actions during a daylong
firefight in Afghanistan in October 2009.

7. Medal of Honor recipients have uniform privileges, which allow them to wear their uniforms at any time or place they choose, unlike other military personnel or retirees.

8. Although not required by law or military regulation, service members are encouraged to salute Medal of Honor recipients as a gesture of respect and courtesy regardless of rank or status and, if the recipients are wearing the medal, whether or not they are in uniform. This is the only instance where a Soldier will receive a salute from members of a higher rank.

What facts about the Medal of Honor would YOU add to this list? Be sure to let us know in the comments section.

Please remember the Canteen is here to honor, support and entertain our troops and their families.  This is a politics-free zone!  Thanks for helping us in our mission! 

[txradioguy]

I’m good. Finally getting to enjoy some top down time with my convertible.

Felt like I was living in Washington State for awhile over here...rain all the time.

[MEG33]

Record rainfall in Waco yesterday. Old record 1.18” in 1949. New record 2.45”.

We MAY break another
Record temps for lowest daytime high possible in Waco. Record is 81. Forecast 79-80.

It’s 67 now.
(((HUGS))

[Arrowhead1952]

It’s dropped to 68 here in central Texas under rain cooled skies.

[Arrowhead1952]

Good morning ladies and (((HUGS))).

[txradioguy]

Write it down...might not happen again...Western Germany is warmer than Texas! LOL!

[Arrowhead1952]

There are some heavier showers to the west and headed our way. I hope some hit the lake’s watershed.

[Arrowhead1952]

I wanted to take the dog walking, but it’s drizzling now. I may need jeans if I do go.

[beachn4fun]

Youz guyz stolez our cool temps!

hehehe

[beachn4fun]

felt like I was living in Washington State for awhile over here...rain all the time.

Know what you mean...we've had a lot of rain too; now it's hot & humid. Although it's the clearest I've seen the sky in some time.

[ken5050]

Good morning all.

I'm just gonna jump right in and sort of sound off...so pardon the rant, or not..

One of the things that has most annoyed me about Obama has been the politicization of the MoH, as he's upgraded several DCS's from WW II. In no way am I questioning the valor or courage of those heroes, just that revisiting events from so long ago, after the facta isn't warranted, and causes major problems.

If we're going to look back, then we should also be willing to do the following:

]1. Almost half of MoH's were awarded during the Civil War, and nearly 90% of those were handed out to staff officers who never saw combat. Those names should be scrubbed from the list. Most of those went to living recipients, whereas the majority of those awarded in WW I, WW II, Korea, and Vietnam were posthumous.

At the start of WW II, when the military was still recovering from the shock and devastation of Pearly Harbor, the Navy handed out MoHs and Navy Crosses to any sub commander who completed a patrol and managed to sink an enemy vessel. Again...these standards are not compatible with what we have come to accept, and understand now, the true meaning, value, and significance of the award.

Happily, during the recent wars...Iraq I, Iraq II, and Afghanistan, casualties are far, far less, than in WW II, Korea, and Vietnam. As a former junior Marine officer, I've read closely many of the citations that accompanied the awards of the Navy Cross to Marines in these conflicts, and a great many of them easily compare favorably with MoH awards to Marines in earlier conflicts. The main difference..these NC recipients were still alive. There is so much politics going on inside the Pentagon these last 25 years, I feel they were almost loath to make an MoH award unless it was posthumous.

We've all read about the now aborted attempt to award a combat medal to drone operators. The mere fact that such a STUPID idea could come out of the Pentagon shows just how badly that place needs to be hosed out, top to bottom.

During WW II, when there were some 14,000,000 American in uniform, the total number of flag officers was some 40% LESS than there is today, where we have just over 2,000,000 active duty and reserve personnel..think about it..a lot MORE chiefs..a whole lot FEWER Indians.

I wonder if it is now time for Congress, which authorizes the Medal, to consider legislation that would end the practice of considering upgrading awards to the MoH after say, 10 years after the event.

[MEG33]

We’ll return them soon!

After all..It’s summer in Texas..This is a pleasant break for us.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

I read that before the MOH, the highest military medal was the Purple Heart.

The MOH can only be awarded once now. Law changed sometime in the early 1900s. IIRC was 1917 or 19.

[beachn4fun]

I'm just gonna jump right in and sort of sound off...so pardon the rant, or not.

Sound off! We all do at some point. LOL

We've all read about the now aborted attempt to award a combat medal to drone operators. The mere fact that such a STUPID idea could come out of the Pentagon shows just how badly that place needs to be hosed out, top to bottom.

It's those damn progressives...they want "all's fair in love and war". < / my rant off > hehe

[ken5050]

Thank you..this is far and away always an enjoyable, happy, fun thread.almost an escape from the garbage of daily politics.....and I didn’t want to “upset” the dynamic..hope everyone’s OK with that

[luvie]

It's raining, Early Birds!!
AND it's only 65 degrees...
...AND I'm off today! WOOOHOOOOOO!
Wonderful after the 100+ of yesterday!
Sorry 'bout the humidity, Beachy!
This kind of humidity I can love. :)
All you Early Birds have a Mahv'lus Monday!
And don't work too hard!
((((hugs))))

[Arrowhead1952]

Good rainy day LUV. We are having some heavy rain that has been coming down for the last hour or so.

[fredhead]

Chaplain (LCDR)Joseph T. O’Callahan, USN (World War II);

He was the Chaplain on the USS Franklin when it was hit and set ablaze by japanese bombs. He did everything short of taking command during the fight to save the ship. It was the most damaged ship to survive the war.

The official damage report on the Franklin:

http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/franklincv13_wdr.htm

From the Dictionary of American Naval fighting Ships:

http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/f/franklin.htm

[E.G.C.]

((HUGS))Good morning, LUV W. How’s it going?

[luvie]

Ain’t it grand??

Ours isn’t heavy but it’s steady. And it’s forecast for the next two days, so maybe our land will be healed somewhat!

[luvie]

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