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Congressional Medal of Honor Society Recognizes the Service and Sacrifices of Others on
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C.--- On National Medal of Honor Day, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society—the membership organization of the 66 living Medal of Honor recipients—took the opportunity to shine the spotlight on others—both military and civilian—rather than themselves.
March 25 was established by Congress as National Medal of Honor Day to “foster public appreciation and recognition of Medal of Honor recipients.” It was on March 25, 1863, that Private Jacob Parrot received the first Medal of Honor for his actions during the Civil War. The Society has traditionally marked the day in two ways, both of which include honoring others.
Wreath Laying
Each year, Medal of Honor recipients lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. The “unknowns” buried here are all Medal of Honor Recipients, and it allows recipients to recognize the sacrifices and service of the men and women they served alongside and those who came before them. Laying the wreath on behalf of the Society this year are Medal of Honor Recipients Barney Barnum and Brian Thacker, both veterans of the Vietnam War.
The Society also held a wreath laying ceremony on the USS Yorktown on the Charleston Harbor at the home of the Society and its Medal of Honor Museum. It featured a flyover by a C-17 aircraft from the 317th Airlift Wing at Joint Base Charleston, and the Medal of Honor recipients also had opportunity to meet with JROTC students overnighting on the ship.
Vietnam War veterans and Medal of Honor Recipients James Livingston, Joe Marm and Melvin Morris participated in the ceremony as did Medal of Honor recipients and veterans of the War on Terrorism, Leroy Petry and Ryan Pitts.
Petry, who serves as the President of the Society, commented on the importance of the day.
“As the Congressionally Charted organization for all living Medal of Honor Recipients, we are gratified that our nation continues to recognize the values that the Medal of Honor represents— courage, sacrifice, honor, duty, selflessness, and integrity, and we seek to ensure that these values be honored on this day and every day. To us, they represent those we served alongside, the friends we lost, and we believe they are a source of inspiration for all Americans.”
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Arlington National Cemetery Arlington, VA
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Each year, Medal of Honor recipients lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. The “unknowns” buried here are all Medal of Honor Recipients, and it allows recipients to recognize the sacrifices and service of the men and women they served alongside and those who came before them. This year, the wreath will be presented by Medal of Honor Recipients.
Other commemorative events taking place around the country can be found at MedalofHonorDay.com.
About the Congressional Medal of Honor Society
The Congressional Medal of Honor Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Medal of Honor and its Recipients, inspiring Americans, and supporting the Recipients as they connect with communities across the country. Chartered by Congress in 1958, its membership consists exclusively of those individuals who have received the Medal of Honor. There are 66 living Recipients.
The Society carries out its mission through outreach, education and preservation programs, including the Medal of Honor Museum, Congressional Medal of Honor Outreach Programs, the Congressional Medal of Honor Character Development Program, and the Congressional Medal of Honor Citizen Honors Awards for Valor and Service. The Society’s programs and operations are funded by donations.
As part of Public Law 106-83, the Medal of the Honor Memorial Act, the Medal of Honor Museum, which is co-located with the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s headquarters on board the U.S.S. Yorktown at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, was designated as one of three national Medal of Honor sites.
Learn more about the Medal of Honor and the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s initiatives at https://www.cmohs.org.