Award was restored by Carter on 10 June 1977.....SMEDLEYBUTLER
Yes, Jimmy Carter did restore Dr.Mary Walker's "Medal of Honor" after it was legitimately revoked in less Politically Correct times. Mary Walker was also celebrated on a U.S. stamp for her award.
Mary Walker's original medal citation reads as follows:
"Rank and organization: Contract Acting Assistant Surgeon (civilian), U. S. Army. Places and dates: Battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861; Patent Office Hospital, Washington, D.C., October 1861; Chattanooga, Tenn., following Battle of Chickomauga, September 1863; Prisoner of War, April 10, 1864-August 12, 1864, Richmond, Va.; Battle of Atlanta, September 1864. Entered service at: Louisville, Ky. Born: 26 November 1832, Oswego County, N.Y. Citation: Whereas it appears from official reports that Dr. Mary E. Walker, a graduate of medicine, "has rendered valuable service to the Government, and her efforts have been earnest and untiring in a variety of ways," and that she was assigned to duty and served as an assistant surgeon in charge of female prisoners at Louisville, Ky., upon the recommendation of Major-Generals Sherman and Thomas, and faithfully served as contract surgeon in the service of the United States, and has devoted herself with much patriotic zeal to the sick and wounded soldiers, both in the field and hospitals, to the detriment of her own health, and has also endured hardships as a prisoner of war four months in a Southern prison while acting as contract surgeon; and Whereas by reason of her not being a commissioned officer in the military service, a brevet or honorary rank cannot, under existing laws, be conferred upon her; and Whereas in the opinion of the President an honorable recognition of her services and sufferings should be made: It is ordered, That a testimonial thereof shall be hereby made and given to the said Dr. Mary E. Walker, and that the usual medal of honor for meritorious services be given her. Given under my hand in the city of Washington, D.C., this 11th day of November, 1866 A.D."
In short, Mary Walker was a rear-echelon Civil War era civilian contract surgeon that did her job as did thousands of other male Cival War era surgeons who never had a U.S. postage stamp issued in their honor. Her POW status was the result of bumping into Confederate soldiers in a non-combat situation and she was soon thereafter the beneficiary of a prisoner exchage.
The current medal that would honor such service (assuming you waive the active duty requirements) would be the Meritorious Service Medal which is now awarded to individuals who have "distinguished themselves by noncombat meritorious achievement or service. The DMSM is specifically intended to recognize exceptionally meritorious service performance and to honor an individual's accomplishments over a sustained period."
The feminists trumpet the fact that Dr. Mary Walker "was the only woman ever to receive the Medal of Honor, her country's highest military award" without ever bothering to mention that, during the Civil War era the then called "usual medal of honor for meritorious services" was handed out for such things as simply re-enlisting for manning Washington, DC area fortifications not involved in combat and for being an Honor Guard at Lincoln's funeral.
Mary Walker's Medal of Honor was revoked along with the medals of 910 males, including "Buffalo Bill" Cody, who did not meet the new strict citeria set for the Medal of Honor in 1917. She alone refused to return an award whose meaning had changed. She alone had it reinstated. She alone is now passed off as having met the current standards of "America's highest honor" when, in fact, it was not originally awarded to her in that context.
Thus, Mary Walker has earned a place in U.S. military history, not for being the first female to legitimately earn the equivalent of the modern-day Meritorious Service Medal, but, rather, as the Politically Correct recipient of America's only "Affirmative Action Medal of Honor".
The high standards for the modern-day award of the Medal of Honor is exemplified in the citation of it's award to Hospital Corpsman Second Class David R. Ray, USN:
CITATION: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Corpsman with Battery D, 2nd Battalion at Phu Loc 6, near An Hoa on 19 March 1969. During the early morning hours an estimated battalion sized enemy force launched a determined assault against the battery's position and succeeded in effecting a penetration of the barbed-wire perimeter. The initial burst of enemy fire caused numerous casualties among the Marines who had immediately manned their howitzers during the rocket and mortar attack. Undaunted by the intense hostile fire, Petty Officer Ray moved parapet to parapet, rendering emergency -medical treatment to the wounded. Although seriously wounded himself while administering first aid to a Marine casualty, he refused medical aid and continued his lifesaving efforts. While he was bandaging and attempting to comfort another wounded Marine, Petty Officer Ray was forced to battle two enemy soldiers who attacked his position, personally killing one and wounding the other. Rapidly losing his strength as a result of his severe wounds, he nonetheless managed to move through the hail of enemy fire to other casualties. once again, Petty Officer Ray was faced with the intense fire of oncoming enemy troops and, despite the grave personal danger and insurmountable odds, succeeded in treating the wounded and holding off the enemy until he ran out of ammunition, at which time he sustained fatal wounds. Petty Officer Ray's final act of heroism was to protect the patient he was treating. He threw himself upon the wounded Marine, thus saving the man's life when an enemy grenade exploded nearby. Through his determined and preserving actions, courageous spirit, and loyalty to the welfare of his Marine comrades, he served to inspire the men of Battery D to heroic efforts in defeating the enemy. Petty Officer Ray's exemplary conduct, steadfast determination, and unwavering devotion to duty reflected great credit upon himself and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
HN2 David R. Ray, USN (Who never had a U.S. postage stamp issued in his honor.)