Medal of Honor
| Medal of Honor | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Awarded by the United States of America | |
| Art | medal |
| requirement | American Armed Forces |
| Awarded for | striking heroism |
| status | Is awarded |
| Data | |
| Foundation year | 1862 |
| Benefactor | Abraham Lincoln |
| First awarded | March 25, 1863 to Private Jacob Parrott |
| Last award | October 30, 2019 to Sergeant Mathew O. Williams |
| Awards | 3525 |
| Awarded posthumously | 624 |
| Different people | 3506 |
| Precedence | |
| Next lower award |
Distinguished Service Cross Navy Cross Air Force Cross |
|
|
The Medal of Honor (German: "Ehrenmedaille") is the highest military award of the American government . The badge of honor is presented by the President of the United States on behalf of Congress to members of the American armed forces who have
"Conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States"
"Striking for bravery and fearlessness when life is in danger far beyond the fulfillment of duty in a battle against an enemy of the United States"
have excellent. With these award regulations, the Medal of Honor is often awarded posthumously . Members of all branches of the armed forces are eligible to receive the medal, and there are three versions (one each for Army and Air Force and one common for Navy , Marine Corps and Coast Guard ). The medal is presented to the recipient or, in the case of a posthumous honor, to the next of kin, by the President of the United States. This does this on behalf of the Congress. The award is intended to express the gratitude of American citizens. Because of its special status, the medal is granted special protection according to 18 USC § 704 , u. a. as far as unauthorized driving is concerned (punishable as an offense up to 6 months imprisonment and / or fine).
Since the Medal of Honor is awarded in the name of Congress, it is sometimes incorrectly called the Congressional Medal of Honor .
history
The medal was first introduced on December 21, 1861 by authorization from Abraham Lincoln in the Civil War and was the first award that was without a British model. It was supposed to raise the morale of marines and was only given to marines at the time. A Medal of Honor was given to those "who set themselves apart from the others through their bravery in action". In 1862 the medal was also introduced by the US Army and in 1904 it was supplemented by a separate band, which marked the type of weapon. The US Air Force also received its own ribbon, but only in 1965. The first Medal of Honor was given to Private Jacob Parrott on March 25, 1863, as the first of a group of six, for the Andrews raid on April 12, 1862 , awarded. The first military action to be awarded a Medal of Honor occurred in Arizona on February 13, 1861 , but this was not awarded until January 24, 1894. Colonel Bernard John Dowling Irwin had defeated a superior force of Indians with only 14 men and freed 60 comrades from captivity in the process. In 1865, Mary Edwards Walker was the only woman to be awarded the Medal of Honor for her work as a medic during the First Battle of the Bull Run .
The criteria for awarding the award were tightened after the end of the First World War . Since then, the award has only been given to soldiers who showed extreme heroism that goes far beyond normal duty. This criterion is usually only considered to be fulfilled when a soldier in the fight against the enemy sets the fulfillment of the order or the safety of his comrades before the preservation of his own life ("at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty") ). Due to this criterion, the medal is awarded posthumously more often than the average, but not always . Since the beginning of the Second World War , around 62% of all Medals of Honor have been awarded to fallen soldiers.
Since 2003, the Medal of Honor Flag has been awarded in addition to the medal, a flag with a sky-blue background, a gold border and thirteen white five-pointed stars. It is intended to symbolize the blood that has flowed from excellent soldiers who have been killed and to additionally underline the honor of such a highest distinction. The first such flag was presented in 2005 to the family of Paul Ray Smith , who was killed in Iraq, along with the Medal of Honor.
On February 29, 2016, the medal was presented to United States Navy SEALs Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator Edward Byers , Jr. for rescuing an American hostage in Afghanistan in 2012. Byers was the second Navy member since the Vietnam War to receive the award and the first Navy SEAL to receive the award in active service.
Appearance
Since its introduction in 1862, the Medal of Honor has seen a constant change in appearance. The current army medal consists of a gold star surrounded by a wreath. Above it is a bar with an eagle and the word “ Valor ” (German: “Courage”). The medal is hooked onto a light blue silk collar that is 30 mm wide and 552 mm long.
There is a version of the medal for each division of the Department of Defense: the Army, Navy and Marines, and Air Force. Prior to 1965, members of the U.S. Army Air Corps, U.S. Army Air Forces, and the U.S. Air Force received the Army version of the medal because the Air Force design was not introduced until then.
Award criteria
In general, the criterion for the award is that the recipient must have demonstrated extraordinary bravery:
"Conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against any enemy of the United States; while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. "
“Striking bravery and fearlessness when life is in danger far beyond the performance of duty in an act against an enemy of the United States; while the person is engaged in military operations, including conflicts with an opposing foreign power; or by serving with allied foreign forces who are in an armed conflict with an armed power with which the United States is not at war. "
In summary, the US Congress established the following criteria in July 1963, according to which the award of the medal is decided:
- The soldier must be in a battle with an enemy of the United States or
- the soldier must be in a military operation that involves a conflict with another armed force or
- the soldier, by serving in an allied military, must be in an armed conflict against an enemy force other than the United States being a belligerent power.
In any case, the soldier must belong to the US military. However, nationality is not an issue.
There are two ways to be nominated for the Medal of Honor: On the one hand, a superior can suggest the respective soldier for an award. This is the rule. On the other hand, a member of the congress can also propose an award.
Privileges associated with the Order
- Holders of the order receive an honorary salary . Since 12 December 2019 it amounts to 1,388.68 US dollars per month (about 1,211 euros or 1,366 Swiss francs ).
- Due to the rising cost of living, this amount is increased at irregular intervals.
- Holders of the order receive a 10% surcharge on their pensions.
- NCOs and men receive a special allowance towards the cost of the uniform.
- Holders of the order have preferential entitlement to flight opportunities on military air transport flights.
- You may also wear the uniform at your own discretion, with a few restrictions, even after retiring from active service. Other alumni are only allowed to wear the uniform on very specific festive occasions.
- The children of a Medal of Honor holder are always entitled to participate in the selection process outside the normal quotas for the US military academies.
- Porters are entitled to a funeral at Arlington National Cemetery .
Regardless of these legally guaranteed special rights, according to American military tradition, holders of the order are greeted first by all soldiers - regardless of rank and rank. This military tradition corresponds to comparable traditions in European armies, e.g. B. the custom in the old German armies before the Bundeswehr , according to which the bearers of the Pour le Mérite or the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross were entitled to military honors regardless of rank or rank.
statistics
Key data on the total number, the number of distinguished people and the posthumous awards can be found in the info box at the top right of the article.
19 soldiers received the award twice; 14 of them for two different combat operations, the five others received both the Army and the Navy Medal of Honor. (This has not been possible since February 1919).
A further 85 medals have been awarded, mostly posthumously (59), for actions from past wars since 1979, including those to ex-President Theodore Roosevelt for his service in the Spanish-American War in 1898.
In addition, five medals were "restored" in 1989; these recipients belonged to a group of 911 people who were stripped of the medal after a review in 1916.
Of the 193 peacetime medals awarded, 187 were given to Navy soldiers, five to Marine Corps soldiers, and one to Air Corps reservist Charles Lindbergh for his Atlantic crossing .
In 1986 Charles Liteky returned his MOH in protest over US policy in Central America.
List of Medal of Honor holders
Multiple awards
The following 19 people received the Medal of Honor twice:
| Surname | genus | rank | background | comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frank Baldwin | US Army | First lieutenant, captain | Civil War , Indian Wars | |
| Smedley D. Butler | US Marine Corps | major | Occupation Veracruz, Haiti | |
| John Cooper | US Navy | Helmsman | Civil War | |
| Louis Cukela | US Marine Corps | sergeant | I. World War | Army and Navy MOH for the same action |
| Thomas Custer | US Army | Second lieutenant | Civil War | 1st person who got the MOH twice (battles on 3rd and 6th April 1865) |
| Daniel Daly | US Marine Corps | Private, Gunnery Sergeant | Boxer Rebellion , Haiti | |
| Henry Hogan | US Army | First sergeant | Indian Wars | |
| Ernest A. Janson | US Marine Corps | Gunnery Sergeant | I. World War | Army and Navy MOH for the same action the Army under the name Charles F. Hoffman |
| John J. Kelly | US Marine Corps | Private | I. World War | Army and Navy MOH for the same action |
| John King | US Navy | Water tender, firefighter on board a ship | In peacetime | |
| Matej Kocak | US Marine Corps | sergeant | I. World War | Army and Navy MOH for the same action |
| John Lafferty | US Navy | First class fireman | Civil War , in peacetime | |
| John McCloy | US Navy | Helmsman | Boxer Rebellion , Veracruz occupation | |
| Patrick Mullen | US Navy | sailor | Civil War | |
| John H. Pruitt | US Marine Corps | Corporal | I. World War | Army and Navy MOH for the same action |
| Robert Sweeney | US Navy | sailor | In peacetime | |
| Albert Weisbogel | US Navy | Captain of the Mizzen Top | In peacetime | |
| Louis Williams | US Navy | Captain of the Hold | In peacetime | |
| William Wilson | US Army | sergeant | Indian Wars |
Unknown carrier
1921, an unknown American soldier was honored that in the amphitheater at the National Cemetery in Arlington is buried. The honor was given on behalf of all American soldiers who died in the First World War.
In 1922 four unknown soldiers (one each Belgian, English, French and Italian) were honored, and in 1923 an unknown Romanian soldier was also honored with the Medal of Honor. The honor was given on behalf of all fallen soldiers in these countries.
In 1948, the unknown American World War II soldier was honored who is buried in the amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery.
In 1957, the unknown American soldier of the Korean War was honored who is buried in the amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery.
In 1984 the unknown American soldier of the Vietnam War was honored, who is buried in the amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery. Although he was later identified as First Lieutenant Michael Blassie, this Medal of Honor is still considered to be awarded to an unknown soldier, as it was awarded on behalf of all soldiers who died in the Vietnam War.
literature
- Dwight S. Mears: The Medal of Honor: The Evolution of America's Highest Military Decoration , Lawrence: University Press of Kansas 2018, ISBN 978-0-7006-2665-6 .
Web links
- Congressional Medal of Honor Society (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Archive Statistics. In: cmohs.org. Congressional Medal of Honor Society, 2019, accessed December 29, 2019 (American English).
- ↑ a b Medal of Honor. In: Mohhsus.com. Medal of Honor Historical Society of the United States, October 30, 2019, accessed December 29, 2019 (American English).
- ↑ a b 10 US Code § 7271. Medal of honor: award. In: United States Code . Cornell Law School , accessed December 29, 2019 (American English).
- ↑ 18 US Code § 704. Military medals or decorations. In: United States Code . Cornell Law School , accessed December 29, 2019 (American English).
- ^ Mark Mayo Boatner: Military Customs and Traditions. D. McKay, New York 1956.
- ↑ PARROTT, JACOB. In: cmohs.org. Congressional Medal of Honor Society, 2019, accessed December 29, 2019 (American English).
- ↑ IRWIN, BERNARD J. D. In: cmohs.org. Congressional Medal of Honor Society, 2019, accessed December 29, 2019 (American English).
- ↑ WALKER, DR., MARY E. In: cmohs.org. Congressional Medal of Honor Society, 2019, accessed December 29, 2019 (American English).
- ↑ BYERS, JR., EDWARD C. In: cmohs.org. Congressional Medal of Honor Society, 2019, accessed December 29, 2019 (American English).
- ↑ Highest US honorary award: Navy-Seal receives "Medal of Honor". In: spiegel.de. Spiegel Online , February 29, 2016, accessed December 29, 2019 .
- ^ Compensation - Special Benefit Allowances Rates: 2019. In: benefits.va.gov. United States Department of Veterans Affairs , November 25, 2019, accessed December 29, 2019 (American English).
- ^ A b c Anne Leland: Medal of Honor Recipients: 1979-2014. (PDF; 618 KB) In: fas.org. Congressional Research Service via Federation of American Scientists , December 2, 2014, accessed December 29, 2019 (American English).