do medal of honor recipients wear the medal of honor all the time

Navy Personnel Awarded the Medal of Honor During World War I The Navy Medal of Honor (an overview of the history of the medal)Įxtraordinary Bravery: Lieutenant Weedon Osborne and the Battle of Belleau Wood Visit the Curator page for information on artifact documentation, preservation, and loans. The Curator Branch of NHHC holds several Medals of Honor in its collections. The design is encircled by 34 stars, representing the states of the Union at the time of the outbreak of the Civil War. The central motif is an allegory in which Columbia, in the form of the goddess Minerva uses the shield of the republic to put down the figure of Discord, plainly a reference to the unfolding split in our nation. The design of our highest military decoration is rooted in the Civil War.

Legislation in 1915 made naval officers eligible for the award.Īlthough originally awarded for both combat and non-combat heroism, the Medal of Honor today is presented for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty. The Navy and Marine Corps' Medal of Honor is our country's oldest continuously awarded decoration, even though its appearance and award criteria has changed since it was created for enlisted men by Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles on 16 December 1861.

Do medal of honor recipients wear the medal of honor all the time