Medal of Honor History

Type I MoH Civil WarOn the 12th of July 1862 President Abraham Lincoln authorized the MoH, initially intended to recognize “gallantry in action” among enlisted.

Award was retroactive to the beginning of the civil war.

In 1918 Congress passed an Act which established a criteria for the award as being “incontestable proof of acts of heroism so unique, and above and beyond the call of duty”.

Mary WalkerMary Walker, one of America’s first female surgeon was awarded the MoH by President Andrew Johnson in 1866 for relentlessly tending to soldiers on the front line supporting the 52nd Ohio infantry, was taken POW by Confederates.