Celebrating National Medal of Honor Day – March 25, 2021
The National Medal of Honor Day is celebrated each year on March 25th to honor our Medal of Honor recipients' sacrifices and heroic efforts. The Medal of Honor is the highest military distinction awarded to U.S. military personnel by the President of the United States for extraordinary heroism acts beyond the call of duty. There are three versions of the Medal of Honor: Army, Air Force, and the Navy. The Medal of Honor for the Marine Corps and the Coast Guard are awarded the Navy's version. The History of the National Medal of Honor Day On March 25, 1863, Edwin Stanton, the Secretary of War, presented the first-ever Medals of Honor to six members who participated in the Great Locomotive Chase, an American Civil War raid, in April 1862. Among the recipients were William Bensinger, Elihu H. Mason, Robert Buffum, William Pittenger, Jacob Parrott, and William H. H. Reddick. Since then, 3468 Medals of Honor have been awarded to Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, Coast Guards, and Marines. The country has been celebrating the National Medal of Honor Day since 1991, when George H. W. Bush signed Public Law 101-564 on November 15, 1990, which the 101st United States Congress passed. The Story of Edward C. Byers, Jr. – A Medal of Honor Recipient Chief Edward C. Byers Jr. is a retired United States Navy SEAL. He was born on August 4, 1979, in Toledo, Ohio. He received the Medal of Honor on February [...]