Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor is the United States of America ' s highest military honor , awarded for personal acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty . The medal is awarded by the President of the United States in the name of Congress to US military personnel only . There are three versions of the medal , one for the Army , one for the Navy , and one for the Air Force . Personnel of the Marine Corps and Coast Guard receive the Navy version . There have been 3 , 468 Medals of Honor awarded to the nation ' s soldiers , sailors , airmen , marines , and coast guardsmen since the decoration ' s creation in 1861 . There were no military awards or medals in use at the beginning of the American Civil War ( 1861 – 1865 ) . As the only award available during this conflict , almost half of all Medals of Honor presented to date were awarded for actions in the four years of the Civil War . The Medal of Honor is usually presented by the President at the White House in a formal ceremony intended to represent the gratitude of the American people , with posthumous presentations made to the primary next of kin . In 1990 , Congress designated March 25 annually as " National Medal of Honor Day " . Due to its prestige and status , the Medal of Honor is afforded special protection under U . S . law against any unauthorized adornment , sale , or manufacture , which includes any associated ribbon or badge . Etymology . Although the medal is sometimes erroneously referred to as the " Congressional Medal of Honor " , the original and official name is simply the " Medal of Honor " . Appearance . There are three versions of the Medal of Honor , one for each of the military departments of the Department of Defense : Army , Navy , and Air Force . Members of the Marine Corps and Coast Guard are eligible to receive the Navy version . Each is constructed differently and the components are made from gilding metals and red brass alloys with some gold plating , enamel , and bronze pieces . The United States Congress considered a bill in 2004 which would require the Medal of Honor to be made with 90 % gold , the same composition as the lesser - known Congressional Gold Medal , but the measure was dropped . Army recipients . The Army version is described by the Institute of Heraldry as " a gold five pointed star , each point tipped with trefoils , 1 1 / 2 inches wide , surrounded by a green laurel wreath and suspended from a gold bar inscribed " VALOR " , surmounted by an eagle . In the center of the star , Minerva ’ s head surrounded by the words " UNITED STATES OF AMERICA " . On each ray of the star is a green oak leaf . On the reverse is a bar engraved " THE CONGRESS TO " with a space for engraving the name of the recipient . " The pendant and suspension bar are made of gilding metal , with the eye , jump rings , and suspension ring made of red brass . < ref name = " MIL - DTL - 3943 / 1F " > < / ref > The finish on the pendant and suspension bar is hard enameled , gold plated , and rose gold plated , with polished highlights . Navy , Marine , and Coast Guard recipients . The Navy version is described as " a five - pointed bronze star , tipped with trefoils containing a crown of laurel and oak . In the center is Minerva , personifying the United States , standing with left hand resting on fasces and right hand holding a shield blazoned with the shield from the coat of arms of the United States . She repulses Discord , represented by snakes . The medal is suspended from the flukes of an anchor . " It is made of solid red brass , oxidized and buffed . < ref name = " MIL - DTL - 3943 / 2H " > < / ref > Air Force recipients . The Air Force version is described as " within a wreath of green laurel , a gold five - pointed star , one point down , tipped with trefoils and each point containing a crown of laurel and oak on a green background . Centered on the star , an annulet of 34 stars is a representation of the head of the Statue of Liberty . The star is suspended from a bar inscribed with the word " VALOR " above an adaptation of the thunderbolt from the Air Force Coat of Arms . " The pendant is made of gilding metal . < ref name = " MIL - DTL - 3943 / 3G " > < / ref > The connecting bar , hinge , and pin are made of bronze . The finish on the pendant and suspension bar is hard enameled , gold plated , and rose gold plated , with buffed relief . Historical versions . The Medal of Honor has evolved in appearance over time . The upside - down star design of the Navy version ' s pendant adopted in early 1862 has not changed since its inception . The Army 1862 version followed and was identical to the Navy version except an eagle perched atop cannons was used instead of an anchor to connect the pendant to the suspension ribbon . In 1896 , the Army version changed the ribbon ' s design and colors due to misuse and imitation by nonmilitary organizations . In 1904 , the Army " Gillespie " version introduced a smaller redesigned star and the ribbon was changed to the light blue pattern with white stars seen today . In 1913 , the Navy version adopted the same ribbon pattern . After World War I , the Navy decided to separate the Medal of Honor into two versions , one for combat and one for non - combat . The original upside - down star was designated as the non - combat version and a new pattern of the medal pendant , in cross form , was designed by the Tiffany Company in 1919 . It was to be presented to a sailor or Marine who " in action involving actual conflict with the enemy , distinguish [ es ] himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty " Despite the " actual conflict " guidelines — the " Tiffany Cross " was awarded to Navy CDR ( later RADM ) Richard E . Byrd and Floyd Bennett for arctic exploration . The " Tiffany Cross " itself was not popular . In 1942 , the Navy returned to using only the original 1862 inverted 5 - point star design , and ceased issuing the award for non - combat action . In 1944 , the suspension ribbons for both the Army and Navy version were replaced with the now familiar neck ribbon . When the Air Force version was designed in 1956 , it incorporated similar elements and design from the Army version . It used a larger star with the Statue of Liberty image in place of Minerva on the medal and changed the connecting device from an eagle to an heraldic thunderbolt flanked with wings as found on the service seal . Flag . On October 23 , 2002 , was enacted , modifying , authorizing a Medal of Honor flag to be presented to recipients of the decoration . The flag was based on a concept by retired Army Special Forces First Sergeant Bill Kendall of Jefferson , Iowa , who designed a flag to honor Medal of Honor recipient Captain Darrell Lindsey , a B - 26 pilot from Jefferson who was killed in World War II . Kendall ' s design of a light blue field emblazoned with 13 white five - pointed stars was nearly identical to that of Sarah LeClerc ' s of the Institute of Heraldry . LeClerc ' s design , ultimately accepted as the official flag , does not include the words " Medal of Honor " and is fringed in gold . The color of the field and the 13 white stars , arranged in the form of a three bar chevron , consisting of two chevrons of five stars and one chevron of three stars , replicate the suspension ribbon of the Medal of Honor . The flag has no set proportions . A special Medal of Honor Flag presentation ceremony was held for over 60 living Medal of Honor recipients on board the on September 30 , 2006 . Presenting . There are two distinct protocols for awarding the Medal of Honor . The first and most common is nomination and approval through the chain of command of the service member . The second method is nomination by a member of the U . S . Congress , generally at the request of a constituent , and the subsequent approval via a special Act of Congress . In both cases , the Medal of Honor is presented by the President on behalf of , and in the name of , the Congress . Since 1941 , more than half of the Medals of Honor have been awarded posthumously . Medal of Honor recipients are usually personally decorated by the President . If the Medal of Honor is awarded posthumously it is presented to the recipient ' s family . Evolution of criteria . Congress drew the three permutations of combat from President Kennedy ' s executive order of April 25 , 1962 , which previously added the same criteria to the Purple Heart . On August 24 , Kennedy added similar criteria for the Bronze Star Medal . The amendment was necessary because Cold War armed conflicts did not qualify for consideration under previous statutes such as the 1918 Army Medal of Honor Statute that required valor " in action involving actual conflict with an enemy , " since the United States has not formally declared war since World War II as a result of the provisions of the United Nations Charter . According to congressional testimony by the Army ' s Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel , the services were seeking authority to award the Medal of Honor and other valor awards retroactive to July 1 , 1958 , in areas such as Berlin , Lebanon , Quemoy and Matsu Islands , Taiwan Straits , Congo , Laos , Vietnam , and Cuba . Note : In 1968 , Navy Captain William McGonagle ( 1925 – 1999 ) was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the USS " Liberty " incident on June 8 - - 9 , 1967 . This " friendly fire " incident occurred during the Arab - Israeli Six Day War ( June 5 - - 10 , 1967 ) . Authority and privileges . The four specific authorizing statutes amended July 25 , 1963 : " The President may award , and present in the name of Congress , a medal of honor of appropriate design , with ribbons and appurtenances , to a person who while a member of the Army " ( naval service ; Navy and Marine Corps ) ( Air Force ) ( Coast Guard ) , " distinguished himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty . " Privileges and courtesies . The Medal of Honor confers special privileges on its recipients . By law , recipients have several benefits : Legal protection . The Supreme Court ' s decision did not specifically address the constitutionality of the older portion of the statute which prohibits the unauthorized wearing , manufacturing , or sale of military medals or decorations . Under the law , the unauthorized wearing , manufacturing , or sale of the Medal of Honor is punishable by a fine of up to $ 100 , 000 and imprisonment of up to one year . A number of veteran support organizations and private companies devote themselves to exposing those who falsely claim to have received the Medal of Honor . Duplicate medals . Medal of Honor recipients may apply in writing to the headquarters of the service branch of the medal awarded for a replacement or display Medal of Honor , ribbon , and appurtenance ( Medal of Honor flag ) without charge . Primary next of kin may also do the same and have any questions answered in regard to the Medal of Honor that was awarded . Recipients . The Medal of Honor has been awarded to 3 , 461 different persons . A total of 19 men have been awarded the Medal of Honor twice , 14 of these received two separate medals for two separate actions , while 5 received both the Navy and Army Medals of Honor for the same action . As of June 2011 , since the beginning of World War II , 851 Medals of Honor have been awarded , 523 ( 61 . 45 % ) posthumously . Since the Medal of Honor has been awarded 621 ( 17 . 90 % ) have been awarded posthumously . While the governing statute for the Army Medal of Honor ( ) , beginning in 1918 , explicitly stated that a recipient must be " an officer or enlisted man of the Army , " " distinguish himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty , " and perform an act of valor " in action involving actual conflict with an enemy , " exceptions have been made : Double recipients . Nineteen men have been awarded the Medal of Honor twice . Five of these men were awarded both the Army and Navy Medal of Honor for the same action . Since February 1919 , no single individual can be awarded more than one Medal of Honor for the same action , although a member of one branch of the armed forces can receive the Medal of Honor from another branch if the actions for which it was awarded occurred under the authority of the second branch . To date , the maximum number of Medals of Honor earned by any service member has been two . Related recipients . Arthur MacArthur , Jr . and Douglas MacArthur are the first father and son to be awarded the Medal of Honor . The only other such pairing is Theodore Roosevelt ( awarded in 2001 ) and Theodore Roosevelt , Jr . Five pairs of brothers have received the Medal of Honor : Another notable pair of related recipients are Admiral Frank Friday Fletcher ( rear admiral at the time of award ) and his nephew , Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher ( lieutenant at the time of award ) , both awarded for actions during the United States occupation of Veracruz . Belated recipients . Since 1979 , 50 belated Medal of Honor decorations have been made to recognize actions from the Civil War to the Vietnam War . The most recent of these occurred on April 11 , 2013 when President Obama presented the Medal of Honor posthumously to Army chaplain Captain Emil Kapaun for his actions as a prisoner of war during the Korean war . This follows other recent awardings to Army Sergeant Leslie H . Sabo , Jr . for conspicuous gallantry in action on May 10 , 1970 , near Se San , Cambodia , during the Vietnam War and to Army Private First Class Henry Svehla and Army Private First Class Anthony T . Kahoʻohanohano for their heroic actions during the Korean War . 27th Maine and other revoked awardings . During the Civil War , Secretary of War Edwin M . Stanton promised a Medal of Honor to every man in the 27th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment who extended his enlistment beyond the agreed - upon date . The Battle of Gettysburg was imminent , and 311 men of the regiment volunteered to serve until the battle was resolved . The remaining men returned to Maine , but with the Union victory at Gettysburg the 311 volunteers soon followed . The volunteers arrived back in Maine in time to be discharged with the men who had earlier returned . Since there seemed to be no official list of the 311 volunteers , the War Department exacerbated the situation by forwarding 864 medals to the commanding officer of the regiment . The commanding officer only issued the medals to the volunteers who stayed behind and retained the others on the grounds that , if he returned the remainder to the War Department , the War Department would try to reissue the medals . In 1916 , a board of five Army generals on the retired list convened under act of law to review every Army Medal of Honor awarded . The board was to report on any Medals of Honor awarded or issued for any cause other than distinguished service . The commission , led by Nelson A . Miles , identified 911 awards for causes other than distinguished service . This included the 864 medals awarded to members of the 27th Maine regiment , 29 who served as Abraham Lincoln ' s funeral guard , six civilians , including Dr . Mary Edwards Walker and Buffalo Bill Cody , and 12 others . Dr . Walker ' s medal was restored by President Jimmy Carter in 1977 . Cody and four other civilian scouts who rendered distinguished service in action , and who were therefore considered by the board to have fully earned their medals , had theirs restored in 1989 . The report was endorsed by the Judge Advocate General , who also advised that the War Department should not seek the return of the revoked medals from the recipients identified by the board . In the case of recipients who continued to wear the medal , the War Department was advised to take no action to enforce the statute . Similar decorations within the United States . The following decorations , in one degree or another , bear similar names to the Medal of Honor , but are entirely separate awards with different criteria for issuance :