After reviewing every Medal awarded until 1916, the review board decided to rescind 911 Medals, including the only one awarded to a woman-Civil War Assistant Surgeon Mary Walker. There were increasing concerns that the Medal was being presented too easily, and that it had often been awarded for events not meriting such honor. Twenty-six years later, a Medal of Honor review board was created to review each Army Medal of Honor awarded prior to that year. In 1890, the Medal of Honor Legion was established with the responsibility of protecting the integrity of the Medal. The most significant changes allowed officers to receive the medal, applied “new standards” which meant the medal could not be awarded for “simple discharge of duty” but had to be for significant acts above and beyond those of others, and the recommendation had to have eyewitness testimony and could not be self-recommended. Between 18, requirements for awarding the Medal of Honor and who could receive it gradually changed. However, prior to World War I, the MOH was awarded much more frequently-nearly 3,000 times. Today, the Medal of Honor is known to be a rare award representing action of incredible valor or self-sacrifice. Later that year the bill was signed into effect, creating the US Army Medal of Honor.
In February 1862, a similar bill was introduced to create a medal to be awarded to privates in the army who distinguished themselves. Thus, the Navy Medal of Honor was created. In December 1861, a bill was passed in the Senate to authorize the production and awarding of “medals of honor” in an effort to “promote the efficiency of the Navy.” This first Medal could be awarded to enlisted sailors and Marines only. In the early months of the American Civil War, the US military had no valor awards which could be given to soldiers or sailors distinguishing themselves in combat. The Medal has a long history, and took many years to become the award held in such high regard as it is today. The citations for the awards read as a “Who’s Who” of some of the bravest, most selfless, and at times, most sacrificial young men in America’s history. First authorized in 1861, in the 159 years since, 3,525 Medals of Honor have been bestowed upon American servicemen.
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is our nation’s highest military award for valor.
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