A Brief History - The Medal of Honor*
The first formal system for rewarding acts of individual gallantry
by the nation's fighting men was established by General George
Washington on August 7, 1782. Designed to recognize "any
singularly meritorious action," the award consisted of a
purple cloth heart. Records show that only three persons received
the ward: Sergeant Elijah Churchill, Sergeant William Brown,
and Sergeant Daniel Bissel Jr.
The Badge of Military Merit, as it was called, fell into oblivion
until 1932, when General Douglas MacArthur, then Army Chief of
Staff, pressed for its revival. Officially reinstituted on February
22, 1932, the now familiar Purple Heart was at first an Army award,
given to those who had been wounded in World War I or who possessed
a Meritorious Service Citation Certificate. In 1943, the order
was amended to include personnel of the Navy, Marine Corps, and
Coast Guard. Coverage was eventually extended to include all
services and "any civilian national" wounded while serving
with the Armed Forces.
Although the Badge of Military Merit fell into disuse after the
Revolutionary War, the idea of a decoration for individual gallantry
remained through the early 1800s. In 1847, after the outbreak
of the Mexican-American War, a "certificate of merit"
was established for any soldier who distinguished himself in action.
No medal went with the honor. After the Mexican-American War,
the award was discontinued, which meant there was no military
award with which to recognize the nation's fighting men.
Early in the Civil War, a medal for individual valor was proposed
to General-in-Chief of the Army Winfield Scott. But Scott felt
medals smacked of European affectation and killed the idea.
The medal found support in the Navy, however, where it was felt
recognition of courage in strife was needed. Public Resolution
82, containing a provision for a Navy medal of valor, was signed
into law by President Abraham Lincoln on December 21, 1861. The
medal was "to be bestowed upon such petty officers, seamen,
landsmen, and Marines as shall most distinguish themselves by
their gallantry and other seamanlike qualities during the present
war."
Shortly after this, a resolution similar in wording was introduced
on behalf of the Army. Signed into law July 12, 1862, the measure
provided for awarding a medal of honor "to such noncommissioned
officers and privates as shall most distinguish themselves by
their gallantry in action, and other soldierlike qualities, during
the present insurrection."
Although it was created for the Civil War, Congress made the
Medal of Honor a permanent decoration in 1863.
Almost 3,400 men and one woman have received the award for heroic
actions in the nation's battles since that time.
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* Quoted from "Armed Forces Decorations and Awards,"
a publication of the American Forces Information Service. Copies
of the pamphlet are available upon request (in print format only),
via the "DefenseLINK Comment/Question Form" in the "Questions"
section.
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