The Medal of Honor

       On December 9, 1861, a senator from Iowa introduced a bill that would “promote the efficiency of the Navy” by distributing “medals of honor”. Then on December 21^st the bill was passed and 200 medals were produced "which shall be bestowed upon such petty officers, seamen,landsmen and marines as shall distinguish themselves by their gallantry inaction and other seamanlike qualities during the present war (Civil War)." This was the birth of the Navy Medal of Honor. Two months later, a similar bill was introduced to the Senate by Senator Henry Wilson, only this Medal of Honor was for the Army. Then in 1876 after the influx of candidates from the Battle of Little Big Horn, the criteria changed so that "the conduct which deserves such recognition should not be the simple discharge of duty, but such acts beyond this that if omitted or refused to be done, should not justly subject the person to censure as a shortcoming or failure."

Medal of Honor- Present day-
Army

Medal of Honor- Present Day-
Navy

                                           

     

                    Medal of Honor- Present Day-
         Airforce

        






    On September 27, 1942, SFC Douglas Munro earned the Medal of Honor for going above and beyond the call of duty. Munro’s mission was to rescue a battalion of marines trapped by Japanese troops at Point Cruz, Guadalcanal, and “aftermaking preliminary plans for the evacuation of nearly 500 beleaguered marines, Munro, under constant strafing by enemy machineguns on the island, and at greatrisk of his life, daringly led 5 of his small craft toward the shore.” Munro was killed in action before his mission was complete. Fast forward to modern day and 19 soldiers have been awarded the Medal of Honor since September 11, 2001, the most recent being Captain William D. Swenson, USA, War on Terrorism (Afghanistan). Captain Swenson received the Medal of Honor for risking his life to help save U.S. troops and Afghan allies and retrieve the bodies of four Americans killed in the Ganjal Valley in Eastern Afghanistan on September 8, 2009. This was a rescue and retrieval that was captured on video.

          

  

         

  Over the years, the recipients of the Medal of Honor have changed, however the reason for being awarded it have not. The soldiers that receive the Medal of Honor go above and beyond the call of duty, and that makes me, for one, more than proud to be an American. So why is it that we don't hear more about these men? Why is it that when it comes down to it, all we hear about is national debt and what big scandal is going on with a congressman this week? Our soldiers risk their lives so that we can sleep peacefully at night, and it is not right that they do not all get the credit they are due. I, for one, am growing increasingly angry over the fact that our country seems to be ignoring the fact that we are indeed still living in war times. We are all in this English Composition 101 class together, meaning that we are young. I bet that you are all thinking that there is nothing we can do about this, and if you're thinking that, you are wrong. During the Vietnam War, most protest took place on college campuses. That means that when we think of all the emotions stirred and all of the hatred of the war that we think about began on a college campus. I don't know if you guys have noticed, but we live on a college campus. We have the power to remind people what is really important, we have the power to speak up and raise awareness for our soldiers. We have the power to change the way people see this war, we have the power to remind them that freedom isn't free.