Awards of
World War IIThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration of the United States of America, awarded to enlisted personnel and officers for heroic actions above and beyond the call of duty.
Materials
Gilt bronze.
Artist
Navy Medal - William Wilson & Sons. Army Medal - George Gillespie.
Awarded to
Members of the Armed Forces of the United States of America.
Basis for the Award
For courage and heroism displayed in combat and above and beyond the call of duty.
The Medal of Honor is one of the oldest medals awarded to US military personnel, dating back to 1863. During World War II, it existed in two versions, the Navy Medal of Honor and the Army Medal of Honor. A total of 464 awards were made for heroic actions during World War II. All awards of this medal are made in the name of the United States Congress and presented personally by the President of the United States of America.
An early version of this award appeared at the beginning of the Civil War in 1861, when the design was approved by the U.S. Senate and approved by President Lincoln as the Naval Medal of Valor. In 1862, the question of awarding a medal to the ground forces arose, and the U.S. Army Medal of Honor was developed and established. Along with the establishment of this new award, the Navy Medal of Honor was also renamed. Initially, this medal was intended to be awarded only during the Civil War, but after its conclusion, the Medal of Honor was given permanent status.
Prior to World War II, the medal was awarded to Army and Navy personnel for heroic actions, as well as to civilians. However, awards are not always given for specific military exploits. Among those awarded are pilot Charles Lindbergh, who was awarded the medal for his transatlantic flight, and several others who received their medals for non-combat merit.
After the outbreak of World War II, the Medal of Honor began to be awarded only for exceptional heroism and bravery above and beyond the call of duty, which in turn led to 60% of all awards being made posthumously.
The Navy Medal of Honor is an inverted five-pointed star, the ends of which are adorned with laurel leaves, symbolizing victory, and the inner rays are adorned with oak leaves, symbolizing strength. The central portion of the star contains a circle containing 34 stars (the number of states at the time the medal was designed). Within the circle is a composition of two figures symbolizing the victory of wisdom over discord. The first figure is Minerva, the goddess of wisdom, holding a fasces and a shield; the second is a man holding a ball of snakes. The medal is attached to an octagonal medal bar with an anchor-shaped clasp, covered with a blue ribbon bearing thirteen stars. The Army Medal of Honor differs from the Navy Medal in that it is attached to the bar not with an anchor, but with the figure of an eagle holding a cluster of arrows in its talons. Furthermore, the medal is framed by a wreath of laurel and oak leaves around the circumference, and the central design is replaced by the helmeted head of the goddess Minerva.