Medal of Honor - History

History

• 1780: The Fidelity Medallion was a small medal worn on a chain around the neck, similar to a religious medal, that was awarded only to three militiamen from New York state, for the capture of a British officer and spy connected directly to General Benedict Arnold (American and British general-1780) during the American Revolutionary War (1775--1783). The capture saved West Point (fort) from the British Army.

• 1782: Badge of Military Merit: The first formal system for rewarding acts of individual gallantry by American soldiers was established by George Washington when he issued a field order on August 7, 1782, for a Badge of Military Merit to recognize those members of the Continental Army who performed "any singular meritorious action". This decoration is America's first combat decoration and the second oldest American military decoration of any type following the Fidelity Medallion. Although the Badge of Military Merit fell into disuse after the American Revolutionary War, the concept of a military award for individual gallantry by members of the U.S. Armed Forces had been established.

• 1847: Certificate of Merit: After the outbreak of the Mexican-American War (1846--1848) a Certificate of Merit was established in 1847 for soldiers who distinguished themselves in action. The certificate was discontinued and reintroduced in 1876. In 1918, the certificate was granted medal status as the Certificate of Merit Medal).

• 1861: There were no military awards or medals at the beginning of the Civil War (1861--1865) except for the Certificate of Merit which was awarded for the Mexican-American War. In the fall of 1861, a proposal for a battlefield decoration for valor was memorandumed to Winfield Scott, the general-in-chief of the army, by Lt. Colonel Edward D. Townsend, an assistant adjutant at the War Department and Scott's chief of staff. Scott however, was strictly against medals being awarded which was the European tradition. After Scott retired in October 1861, the Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Welles, adopted the idea of a decoration to recognize and honor distinguished naval service. On October 9, U.S. Senator (Iowa) James W. Grimes, Chairman on the Committee on Naval Affairs, proposed Public Resolution Number 82, "to promote the efficiency of the Navy" which included a provision for a Navy Medal of Valor which was signed into law (12Stat329) by President Abraham Lincoln on December 21, 1861, "to be bestowed upon such petty officers, seamen, landsmen, and marines as shall most distinguish themselves by their gallantry and other seamen-like qualities during the present war". Secretary Wells directed the Philadelphia Mint to design the new military decoration.

• 1862: On May 15, the Navy Department ordered 175 medals with the words "Personal Valor" on the back from the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia. Senator Henry Wilson, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Military Affairs, introduced a resolution on February 15 for an Army Medal of Honor. The resolution was approved by Congress and signed into law on July 12, 1862. This measure provided for awarding a medal of honor "to such non-commissioned officers and privates as shall most distinguish themselves by their gallantry in action and other soldier-like qualities during the present insurrection". During the war, Townsend would have some medals delivered to some recipients with a letter requesting acknowledgement of the "Medal of Honor". The letter written and signed by Townsend on behalf of the Secretary of War, stated that the resolution was "to provide for the presentation of medals of honor to the enlisted men of the army and volunteer forces who have distinguished or may distinguish themselves in battle during the present rebellion". By mid-November the War Department contracted with Philadelphia silversmith William Wilson and Son, who had been responsible for the Navy design, to prepare 2,000 Army medals to be cast at the mint. The Army version had "The Congress to" written on the back of the medal. Both versions were made of made of copper and coated with bronze, which "gave them a reddish tint."

• 1863: Congress made the Medal of Honor a permanent decoration. The Secretary of War presents the Medal of Honor first to six Union Army volunteers on March 25, 1863 in his office.

• 1963: A separate Coast Guard medal was authorized in 1963, but not yet designed or awarded.

• 1965: A separate design for a version of the medal for the U.S. Air Force was created in 1956, authorized in 1960, and officially adopted on April 14, 1965. Previously, 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.