De Fleury Medal The De Fleury Medal , an award of the US Army Engineer Association , was named in honor of François - Louis Teissèdre de Fleury , a French Engineer in the Continental Army . As the Corps of Engineers implemented the U . S . Army Regimental System , the senior Engineer leadership sought a method for the Corps to honor those individuals who have provided significant contributions to Army Engineering . The Army Regimental System was developed to emphasize the history , customs , and traditions of the Corps ; so MG Daniel R . Schroeder , then Commanding General of Fort Leonard Wood and US Army Engineer School Commandant , wanted an award that would tie in with the beginnings of the nation and the Army Corps of Engineers . The Engineer Regiment adopted the de Fleury Medal as an award because of the values demonstrated by the man for whom it was struck – values of special meaning to Engineer Soldiers . It is understood that the de Fleury Medal was the first Congressional Medal struck , if not the first medal authorized . Medal description . On the obverse of the medal is a Latin inscription meaning : " A MEMORIAL AND REWARD FOR COURAGE AND BOLDNESS " . In the center appears the image of a helmeted soldier standing amidst the ruins of a fort , holding in his right hand an unsheathed sword , and in his left the staff of the enemy ' s flag , which he tramples underfoot . On the reverse , again in Latin : " FORTIFICATIONS , MARSHES , ENEMIES OVERCOME " . In the center the fortress at Stony Point is depicted with both turrets and a flag flying . At the base of the hill are two shore batteries , one of which is firing at one of six vessels on the Hudson River . Beneath the fort is the legend : " STONY POINT CARRIED BY STORM , JULY 15 , 1779 " . Levels of de Fleury Medals . The Engineer Regiment makes four award levels of the de Fleury Medal . Presentation of the de Fleury Medal , to those individuals meeting established criteria , was started by the Engineer Regiment as the move of the Engineer School from Fort Belvoir , Virginia to Fort Leonard Wood , Missouri was completed in 1989 . The gold medal presentation is the highlight of the annual Engineer Regimental Dinner held at Fort Leonard Wood each spring . Gold Medal recipients . 1989 – The Honorable John O . Marsh , Jr . Secretary of the Army 1990 – The Honorable Robert W . Page Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works 1991 – GEN Maxwell R . Thurman , USA Retired 1992 – GEN Andrew J . Goodpaster , USA Retired 1993 – LTG Emerson C . Itschner , USA Retired 1994 – Mr . John B . Mahaffey Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army 1995 – LTG Frederick J . Clarke , USA Retired 1996 – SMA Leon L . Van Autreve , USA Retired 1997 – LTG John W . Morris , USA Retired 1998 – Mr . Allen M . Carton 1999 – The Honorable Ike Skelton Congressman , State of Missouri 2000 – LTG Julius W . Becton , Jr . , USA Retired and CSM Robert W . Elkey , ( Posthumous ) 2001 – LTG Max W . Noah , USA Retired and COL Claude L . Roberts , Jr . , ( Posthumous ) 2002 – MG Richard S . Kem , USA Retired 2003 – Honorable Daniel K . Inouye Senator , State of Hawaii 2004 – COL Edward C . Gibson , USA Retired 2005 – LTG Daniel R . Schroeder , USA Retired 2006 – MG John G . Waggener , USA Retired and SFC Paul Ray Smith ( Posthumous ) 2007 – LTG Elvin R . “ Vald ” Heiberg III , USA Retired 2008 – LTG Robert B . Flowers , USA Retired 2009 - LTG Henry J . Hatch and Kisuk ( Charlie ) Cheung ( Posthumous )