Military Medals and Decorations History

Prior to the Civil War, veterans of military service did not receive medals for their valor. The display of medals on a uniform was considered a European tradition usually reserved for royalty and worn by men who got them not for anything special that they did, but because of WHO they were. President George Washington did award a semblence of a medal, a heart-shaped piece of purple material, four times. Other than that, the only "badge of courage" exhibited by the men and women who fought for independence was the scars of battle permanently etched in their bodies.

Dduring the Civil War, Congress authorized a "Medal of Honor" to "promote the efficiency of the Navy". During the Civil War, more than 2,000 men (and one woman) were awarded Medals of Honor... some under dubious circumstances. Politics, fraud, and the dignity of the award led to a review of all 2,625 Medals of Honor awarded to members of the U.S. Army prior to 1917 by a review board of five retired generals. When the review board finished, 910 Medals of Honor were revoked as not having been properly awarded.

More importantly, the review board led to the creation of a PYRAMID OF HONOR...a hierarchy of military awards with the Medal of Honor at the peak...to be awarded to American veterans of military service. Inside this display you will learn the history of military awards other than the Medal of Honor. We'll show you each medal, tell you how it came about and what a soldier must do to earn it.