Medal of Honor

"Life to you was rich and sweet, Yet with a purpose high and brave, You willed it that your comrades keep What you so nobly gave."

"General Sladen told me then that I could stand at ease, and I was altogether more comfortable physically than I'd been before. But I was still upset in my mind. I kept thinking how awful it would be if there'd been some mistake, and they'd picked out the wrong fellow to decorate. I still didn't know what it was General Pershing had pinned on me, so as soon as I dared I squinted along my nose. I couldn't see anything but a little blue ribbon with white stars. I knew that the medal beneath it was the Congressional Medal of Honor. There'd been two of those in our family before. The first one had been given to a major-general who was related to my mother's family."

"On April 4, 1997, the day before my pilgrimage, I visited Castle Aghinolfi from the German side of the lines. The invisible hand squeezed my soul. We were worse off than I had realized fifty-two years earlier. The Germans had more of an advantage and tougher defenses than we knew. Not only were they hitting us with mortar rounds from the castle, but there was a German mortar battery behind us that we had missed in our charge up those hills. The ravine was deeper than I remembered; the distance to the castle greater. We never had a chance. And yet we did it."

""Into the Hot Zone," the article Mick Ware writes about that night, is Time magazine's cover story less than two weeks later. I earn a Silver Star. But all I hear for ten years is, "Bullshit. I don't believe it. That didn't happen." Then I get a call from the military paper Stars and Stripes. "Hey, you're nominated for the Medal of Honor, did you know that? I hear there's a videotape. Do you have a comment? I'm immediately on the defensive. No one who's served in Iraq has received the US Armed Forces' highest military decoration, except posthumously. "What's on the tape? How did you find out?" The Army's trying to tell me that I'm getting the Medal of Honor, and I'm acting like they're trying to put me in jail. Turns out Ware sold a documentary to HBO. He filmed the entire firefight. Honestly, Ware's anti-war and pro-freedom for the press to tell the truth, but he's got the biggest balls of anyone I've ever met in my life. He was right there the whole time. Because of Michael Ware, everything is corroborated. He was recording the fight the entire time."

"They name me the first living recipient to earn the Medal of Honor for bravery in the Iraq War. A coworker of mine reads about the award. "Hey, some guy with your name is getting the Medal of Honor. Isn't that weird? How many David Bellavias are out there?" "I know, right? It's so weird," I say. It's surreal and unnatural to get credit when you've lived your entire life to be about the team. It's never about the individual. I'm not here to celebrate me. I decide to be the first guy to bring his entire unit to the ceremony. If I'm going to go through with this, I'm going to go with the guys that I did it with fifteen years ago. So I get the whole crew in. I bring thirty-two service members to the ceremony in the East Room at the White House in June 2019, including the twelve who were there with me on that night in 2004, plus five Gold Star families, the interpreter, and Mick Ware."

"I served with some of the greatest men I've ever met in my entire life. And I truly believe that 99 percent of our military is Medal of Honor capable. Any soldier who is put in a position to bleed in order to save people would do exactly what I did. This is who we are and how we were raised in the Armed Forces. There are a million reasons why we're divided in this country, but I've never cared what your skin color was, who you worshipped, how you voted, or who you loved. Male, female, if you are willing to get shot at for me and my buddies, I will follow you, and I will lead you anywhere. We're family. That's what makes us elite American warriors. When I was younger, I thought I needed hate to win, hate and anger at my enemy to sustain myself. Now, as I look back, I recognize that we don't fight out of hate. We fight for love- love of our country, our homeland, our family, and our unit. That's stronger than anything the enemy has."

"When President Reagan placed the Congressional Medal of Honor around my neck, it all came racing back to me. The blood flooding the floor of the helicopter and gushing out of the doors as we banked and ran from that Cambodian jungle. The sights and sounds of my six hours in hell. The agony of the wounded and dying kept repetitively flashing through my mind while I watched the honor guard and heard the president, my commander-in-chief, read the details of the award. I was not ashamed of the tears that blinded my eyes."

"When I was a young man in the 1950s, right after World War II, there was a special category of hero everyone in America recognized: the men who wore the distinctive ribbon and star of the Medal of Honor. In those years when the legacy of war and sacrifice, bravery and humility was a touchstone in every community, the very mention of the Medal of Honor was part of the secular liturgy, an ideal to be honored and always remembered."

"I have learned from the MOH recipients invaluable and common lessons. They have an enduring humility about their heroic acts, almost always saying, "I'd rather talk about my buddy who didn't come back." They represent the fundamental fabric of America ethnically, geographically, and economically. They come in all sizes. My friend Jack Jacobs, a Vietnam-era MOH recipient, is a bantamweight. The late Joe Foss looked as if he could be a middle linebacker until the day he died in his mid-eighties. Bob Bush lost an eye on Okinawa, but he sees reality twice as well as anyone I know. Over the years I've been privileged to attend any number of big deals, from presidential summits to state dinners to royal weddings, World Series, Super Bowls, and Broadway openings, but nothing means as much to me as the time I've spent with the Medal of Honor recipients, many of whom you will read about in this book. They always make me laugh, make me cry, and, most of all, make me proud that we're fellow citizens."

"It's not necessarily anything I welcome, but it's part of my job now. This isn't something we ask for, this is something that is bestowed upon you. And with it comes some obligations."

"To tell you the truth, I did it. I know I did it. Other people know I did it. But I'll be God damned if I know how I did it. Put it that way."

"I don't remember much about the incident and I definitely don't remember what I was thinking about in the moment, but, again, that's the amazing thing about people: You never know how you're going to step up, or when."

"Whereas the Medal of Honor is the highest distinction that can be awarded by the president, in the name of the congress, to members of the armed forces who have distinguished themselves conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of their lives above and beyond the call of duty ... Whereas public awareness of the importance of the Medal of Honor has declined in recent years; and Whereas the designation of National Medal of Honor Day will focus the efforts of national, State, and local organizations striving to foster public appreciation and recognition of Medal of Honor recipients.""

"The Medal of Honor is the United States' highest award for military valor in action. And while over 150 years have passed since its inception, the meaning behind the Medal has never tarnished. Etched within are the very values that each Recipient displayed in the moments that mattered—bravery, courage, sacrifice, integrity. A deep love of country and a desire to always do what is right. A distinguished award presented only to the deserving, the Medal tells a story of its own."

"Real heroes don't seek recognition- their acts of bravery generally take place under circumstances which permit no thought of medals or special awards. Sometimes heroism is prompted by the instinct for survival. Sometimes the unnatural excitement of battle drives men to apparently superhuman feats that surprise the performers as much as their witnesses. And, sometimes the deeds are coolly calculated by men who are fully aware of the possible risks and consequences involved. However, regardess of the types of men who become heroes and regardless of their motivations, Medal of Honor winners share certain attributes in common because of the rules established for the award."

"Despite changes in the law, from 1862 forward, the Medal of Honor has represented the Nation's highest award for heroism in war and- occasionally- in peace. It has been the subject of many legends and misconceptions, but the fact is that most recipients have been modest men who have neither exploited it nor sought wide publicity for it. Being a Medal of Honor hero has its moment of supreme glory when the award is made by a high official, often at a personal audience with the President of the United States. The wearers hold the honor with pride for the rest of their lives. But most of them prefer to cherish the medal quietly, without subsequent fanfare- not merely out of a sense of modesty, but because public knowledge of the award can actually become a liability. Often so much is expected of a Medal of Honor winner that if he makes even a slight mistake at his job or gets into any kind of financial or marital trouble, he is likely to be subjected to far more adverse criticism and unpleasant publicity than an ordinary citizen."

"The figures tend to indicate that it is more difficult to earn a Medal of Honor now than in the past, and the fact is regulations governing this Nation's highest award have tightened over the years. The care with which legal terminology and restrictions have been worked out in connection with the Medal has made it virtually impossible for an undeserving person to become a recipient. However, no specific regulations can ever give assurance that all genuine heroes will be publicly honored. Undoubtedly there have been thousands of acts of supreme bravery that have gone unrecognized and unrewarded. But it is equally certain that to most of these heroes, courage, like virtue, is its own reward."

"During the Civil War, and for some years afterward when the Army was fighting Indians on the western plains, the Medal of Honor was often awarded for deeds that would now be considered more melodramatic than heroic. In some cases, citations were later stricken from the roll after regulations for the Award were tightened. But in reviewing some of the past records, it becomes clear that popular notions of valor have changed to some degree with the changing times. War has lost its oldtime aura of glamor. An act which was once considered heroic might now be looked upon as merely foolhardy. Modern warfare is seen as a strictly practical, if ugly and unpleasant, job to be done. Because it is a mortally dangerous job, the men who see it through are the heroes."

"The Medal of Honor was first awarded during the Civil War. Of the millions of Americans who have served in uniform since, only 3,429 have received America's highest award. Today only 164 recipients are living; one of whom is Colonel Wesley L. Fox (USMC Ret) who currently serves as Deputy Commandant at Virginia Tech. The Commandant of Cadets between 1884 and 1887 was Lieutenant John C. Gresham. Four years after leaving Virginia Tech his valor in action during the Indian Wars was recognized with the Medal of Honor. Two great Americans who were not recipienst themselves perhaps best reflect the honor associated with the medal. President Harry S. Truman once said of the award, "I'd rather have this than be President." General George S. Patton told a recipient, "I would give my immortal soul for that medal.""

"When I began this book, I felt that those heroes of Virginia Tech would likely have a common characteristic- perhaps a family trait, religion, athletic ability, or academic success. I found no such commonality. What Id id discover was seven men from different backgrounds and experiences, each set apart in a special way. As I reviewed newspapers, official documents, personal letters, and interviewed family, friends and comrades, I started to feel as if I knew each of these men long departed from the light of this earth. Each responded to the nation's call to service immediately. Those who survived their gallantry continued to serve their nation in the way they were best suited. All exemplified the University's motto Ut Prosim (That I May Serve.) And they each were models in their lives of that trait which our nation has always depended on in its hours of need."

"In a powerful show of support, fifteen Medal of Honor recipients have officially endorsed Donald Trump for the 2024 presidential election. These decorated veterans, who represent some of the highest honors in the military, sent a letter highlighting their belief in Trump's leadership and vision for the future of America. This rare endorsement by such a prestigious group adds to the growing political momentum for the former president as he seeks a return to the White House. The letter, signed by Medal of Honor recipients from various branches of the military, praises Trump’s commitment to the country’s armed forces and his unwavering dedication to national security during his time in office. They expressed confidence that Trump is the right leader to tackle the challenges facing America today. “We’ve seen firsthand what it takes to defend freedom,” the letter states. “President Trump has shown the same unwavering resolve and patriotism in his leadership. He’s the leader America desperately needs right now.” The Medal of Honor recipients pointed to Trump’s military policies, including the rebuilding of the U.S. armed forces and his efforts to strengthen veterans' benefits. Many praised his push for higher defense budgets and his aggressive foreign policy stances, which they believe made the country safer during his presidency."

"In their letter, the honorees encouraged their fellow veterans and patriots across the country to join them in supporting Trump’s 2024 bid, emphasizing the need for a strong leader who values America’s military and is willing to make tough decisions in the nation’s best interest. “Donald Trump stood up for the military like no other president before him,” one recipient said in an interview with Military Times. “He fought to make sure we had the tools to succeed, and he cared about those who served.” The letter also highlighted Trump's historic efforts in securing peace deals in the Middle East, his decisive actions against terrorism, and his administration’s tough stance against foreign adversaries like China and Iran. Following the release of the letter, Trump expressed his gratitude to the Medal of Honor recipients, calling their endorsement an “incredible honor.” He took to his social media platform to thank the veterans for their service and support. “These great heroes understand what it takes to protect America, and I am truly humbled by their endorsement,” Trump said. “Together, we will restore our country’s greatness and keep it safe for future generations.”"

"Despite the high praise from the Medal of Honor recipients, Trump’s endorsement by military figures has not been without controversy. Critics point to instances during his presidency when he faced backlash for his remarks about military leaders and veterans, including a reported incident where he allegedly referred to fallen soldiers as “losers” and “suckers”—a claim he vehemently denied. Nevertheless, the Medal of Honor recipients' endorsement is a significant boost to Trump’s campaign, signaling continued support from a critical voting bloc—veterans and military families. As the 2024 race heats up, Trump is expected to leverage this endorsement to strengthen his appeal to voters who prioritize national security and military strength."

"[They have] whatever it takes to go out and do what they did to get the Medal of Honor, whatever it is- the guts, the courage, or whatever. They had the guts, and stupidity too. I didn't have enough sense to come in out of the rain. But I was mad a lot of the time, pissed off. I can truthfully say that I don't remember being scared to death. But I was God damn mad. Anger, hunger, and sex; those are the greatest instincts that we've got. Those are things we are born with. What else is there?"

"I have been asked if the Medal of Honor helped me advance throughout my career. When U.S. Army centralized selection boards meet to consider a soldier's qualifications for schools, commands, and promotion, awards and decorations are certainly considered. My philosophy has been straightforward- I paid little attention to where my officers went to college or what awards they have received in the past. Instead, I focused on what they could do today, tomorrow, and the next day in leading their soldiers and enhancing unit readiness. I am convinced that my superiors have, for the most part, exercised a similar outlook."

"On the other hand, there have been incidents in the past where Medal of Honor recipients expected special treatment. On one occasion, I received a phone call from the Fort Benning garrison commander requesting my advice about a newly arrived Medal of Honor recipient who complained that he was not being saluted as he wore his award around post and wanted to know when his welcome parade would be scheduled. I took very little time to straighten this soldier out. I see no evidence of expectations from today's recipients, but I have witnessed disdain from a few leaders with preconceived notions about the self-aggrandizing nature of Medal of Honor recipients. For example, one time a general officer and senior rater of my officer efficiency report said to me, "The blue ribbon you wear is an albatross around your neck." I am convinced that I have earned respect from others not due to past awards but because of who I am and the leadership attributes I possess that can help accomplish the mission and make a difference in leading soldiers."

"To [crewmember name], As Captain, it has been an outstanding honor to be your representative in accepting the Congressional Medal of Honor for the extraordinary heroism above and beyond the call of duty which you and every officer and man in the Barb displayed. How fortunate I am, how proud I am, that the President of the United States should permit me to be the caretaker of this most distinguished honor which the Nation has seen fit to bestow upon a gallant crew and a fighting ship, the Barb. Sincerely, Eugene B. Fluckey."

"There were more bullets in the air than stars in the sky. A wall of bullets at every one at the same time with one crack and then a million other cracks afterwards. They're above you, in front of you, behind you, below you. They're hitting in the dirt early. They're going over your head. Just all over the place. They were close— as close as I've ever seen."

"The president clasps the medal around my neck, and I can feel the weight of it now. We embrace for a moment- the president and me. Blinking back tears, I turn to face the audience and applause fills the room. But I know it's not for me alone. I know I am part of something bigger, something vast and still incomprehensible. I look at my mom and dad. I look at Brennan's parents, and I look at Mendoza's. And I try to communicate to Brennan and Mendoza wordlessly: This is for you... and for everyone who has fought and died. For everyone who has made the ultimate sacrifice. I am not a hero. I am just a soldier."

"I think about my daughter often when I'm out traveling around, giving speeches, shaking hands, talking about my friends in the military. I want her to be proud of me, and to know that what I'm doing is important. I want her to know that I accept the Medal of Honor not for myself, but because it provides a forum for talking about my brothers and the job they are doing, and the sacrifices they've made. Those men and women who do the fighting- too often, they don't get to talk. I want their voices to be heard."

"I love watching the brass lock their heels and snap to attention when they see that itty bitty ribbon."

"When I was decorated in 1969, there were 450 living recipients of the Medal of Honor. Today, there are only about one hundred, and the average age is near eighty. Statistically, in five years there will only be fifty or sixty still alive, and in less than fifteen years there will be none of us left. There has not been a living Medal of Honor recipient from any conflict since the war in Vietnam."

"Perhaps now resigned to the verity that time waits for no one, recipients get together as often as possible, but forty years ago, when men now long gone were still young and were going to live forever, we gathered only every other year. At the first Medal of Honor Society dinner I attended, my tablemates included Charles "Commando" Kelly, the first recipient in Europe in World War II; the flamboyant Marine aviator Pappy Boyington; and the World War I ace Eddie Rickenbacker, who sat to my immediate right. I was twenty-six and passing dinner rolls to a man who had piloted a biplane in dogfights against the Kaiser's "Flying Circus," before my father was born. And it is even more astonishing that also in attendance was Bill Seach, who was born in England in 1877 and had recieved the Medal of Honor for, among other exploits, leading a bayonet charge during the Boxer Rebellion in China in 1900. These men, proud representatives of both their nation and the valor of their fallen comrades, are all gone now."

"Today, the oldest living recipient of the Medal of Honor is John Finn, who was decorated for action on Pearl Harbor Day. Born in 1909, John joined the Navy in 1926, and, loquacious as we all tend to be when we finally grasp that we have too many stories and not enough time, he will transfix anyone who cares to listen with tales of what it was like to grow up before the First World War and to ply the Yangtze River as a young sailor aboard an American gunboat. In 1941, he was stationed in Kaneohe Bay, with a squadron of Navy patrol planes. Rudely rousted from bed by the cacaphony of the Japanese bombs destroying the fleet anchored at Pearl Harbor, John raced from his quarters, sped to the hangars that housed his aircraft, and manned a .50-caliber machine gun mounted on an exposed section of a parking ramp. For the next two hours, Finn, in the open and suffering from more than twenty shrapnel wounds in his back and stomach, blasted at the attacking enemy planes, hitting many of them and not relinquishing his post until the attack was over. Even when we were young, those of us who were raised on stirring John Wayne war movies assumed there was more than a little hyperbole and cinematic license in them. But for forty years I have known a man whose real-life exploits render the movies limp, pallid, and ineffectual in contrast. Art can often approximate life, but it has a hard time doing it justice."

"Recipients of the Medal of Honor really have little in common. They have been from every state, economic station, and ethnic group. But they have shared a strong sense of duty and of purpose and the motivating burden of personal responsibility at the perilous moment of decision. They feared death, but their biggest fear was failing themselves, their friends, and their nation, and thus they have been no different from the tens of millions of the other men and women who have served in uniform."

"I never thought about it. I was sent there to participate, but they still wanted to know if there was anybody who would volunteer to pick these guys up. My answer is, 'It was the right thing to do. And I was the most logical person to do it.' By that time I was a military professional. My thoughts were: You should save your butt. The mission was to get the three guys, I got the three guys, and we got of there okay, and I'm happy. That's the limit of my thinking. If you start thinking about medals, you're gonna lose your shirt. I've heard of several people who set out to win, not win, but be awarded the Medal of Honor, and, to my knowledge, every one of them got killed."

"The day before the army left Rhea's Mills, Jeff was surprised to hear his name called while the company was lined up at a morning inspection. Noah's name was called too. Obediently each took two steps forward and saluted. With a measured stamping of feet on the drill ground, half a dozen officers approached. Out of the corner of one eye, Jeff spied Clardy among them. Recoiling, he felt his insides tighten. What had he done now? The tramping stopped. A big man with black whiskers and two curved rows of brass buttons on the front of his blue dress coat, ambled up to Jeff and Noah. He was short and heavyset, with a thick neck and sloping shoulders. He walked with a roll, swaying his hips and planting his feet carefully, like a sea captain. In one hairy hand he carried a piece of paper. Everybody saluted. Then Jeff recognized General Blunt. Dumbfounded, he wondered what this was all about. In a bass voice sonorous as a bell, Blunt began reading from the document in his hand: "...for gallantry beyond the call of duty... distinguished themselves conspicuously at the risk of life... voluntarily assisted a battery that was hard pressed, although it was their first experience with artillery and they had already participated intrepidly in the infantry charge... the Medal of Honor, presented in the name of Congress.""

"Then the general stepped so close that Jeff could smell the pomade on his thick black hair. Leaning forward, he passed a ribbon around Jeff's neck and underneath his collar. Suspended from the ribbon was a tiny piece of red, white and blue fabric. And dangling from the fabric was a shiny bronze star and eagle that flashed more brilliantly in the sunshine than even the general's gold shoulder bars. Noah got one, too. Just as Jeff began to realize that he and Noah were being decorated, the general was shaking hands stiffly with each of them. Jeff couldn't hide the embarrassment and the unbelief in his face. Somebody had made a mistake. He hadn't done anything in the battle but follow Noah. If this was the way the army handed out decorations, then something was wrong with the system. "Shoot, General," Jeff blurted in protest, "all we did was load her and swab her.""

"I downplayed the fact that I was a Medal recipient until recently. I was too busy being a naval officer, and I certainly did not want to let having the Medal of Honor give me any special advantage when it came to accomplishing certain things, okay? I bent over backward to avoid that, so I ended up downplaying the Medal completely. But now I found that it does permit me to have doors opened here in the state of Massachusetts to help veterans, and for that reason alone I am probably more active than I used to be."

"I don't consider the Medal my personal property. As a recipient, I feel I am wearing it to represent all the men and women who have served over the years with the same dedication and courage. Having said that, it did make me very aware of my responsibilities as a recipient, talking to kids, trying to instill the values of service, courage, honor, and duty, so it's been a very good part of my life. Personally and professionally it added a dimension. I certainly don't dwell on events of thirty-one years ago. That was thirty minutes out of my life and it came and went and life goes on. I've led a wonderful life since then."

"Because the Medal of Honor is presented “in the name of the Congress of the United States,” it is frequently called the Congressional Medal of Honor. The terms are used interchangeably, but regardless of designation, the Medal of Honor remains the most prestigious and treasured of all decorations in the armed services."

"The Medal of Honor is the most revered and highest award for military valor in action. Since the decoration’s inception in 1861, for the Navy, the medal has been bestowed in the name of Congress 3,530 times, including on one woman and on 19 individuals who have received multiple awards. The standards to award the medal have evolved over time. On July 25, 1963, Congress approved guidelines and established the current criteria to recognize “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of one’s life above and beyond the call of duty.” Secretary of War Edwin Stanton first bestowed the medal on the surviving members of a Union Army scouting detachment known as Andrews’ Raiders on March 25, 1863. Pvt. Jacob Parrott holds the distinction of being the medal’s initial recipient. Though each honoree possesses a unique story and deserves the gratitude of the nation, three recipients illustrate that heroism can overcome prejudice."

"On Thursday, former President Donald Trump spoke at an event where he made some flippant remarks about the Medal of Honor and the heroes who have received it. In the video that has circulated online and in the media, the former president was recognizing Miriam Adelson in the audience who he awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom during his time in office. As he described the medal as the civilian version of the Medal of Honor, he went on to opine that the Medal of Freedom was “much better” than the military’s top award, because those awarded the latter are, in his words, “ … either in very bad shape because they’ve been hit so many times by bullets or they’re dead.” He continued by comparing Miriam to MoH recipients saying, “She gets it and she’s a healthy beautiful woman. They are rated equal.” These asinine comments not only diminish the significance of our nation’s highest award for valor, but also crassly characterizes the sacrifices of those who have risked their lives above and beyond the call of duty. When a candidate to serve as our military’s commander-in-chief so brazenly dismisses the valor and reverence symbolized by the Medal of Honor and those who have earned it, I must question whether they would discharge their responsibilities to our men and women in uniform with the seriousness and discernment necessary for such a powerful position. It is even more disappointing when these comments come from a man who already served in this noble office and should frankly already know better."

"While the Presidential Medal of Freedom maybe our nation’s highest civilian award, the Medal of Honor is more sacred as it represents the gallantry and intrepidity of courageous and selfless service members, often at the cost of grievous wounds and even their lives. It’s because of our Medal of Honor recipients that great Americans like Miriam Adelson have the freedom to live to their fullest potential and make such lasting contributions to our great nation. We would like to remind Mr. Trump that the 12 times he had the honor of awarding the Medal of Honor as president of the United States, those were heroes not of his own choosing. He bestowed those medals on behalf of Congress, representing all Americans of a grateful nation. We hold the donation of their lives in service to our country in the highest esteem, and so should he."

"These medal winners were not blessed with an ethereal gift that somehow rendered them fearless. To the contrary, they were as petrified as anyone else would be. Who wouldn't be afraid when outnumbered, outgunned, and alone? Who wouldn't tremble when a simple mistake will cost not only your life but the lives of many others? These heroes did not simply confront certain death. They got up in its face, smelled its heat, and challenged it to take them. One common trait that everyone in this collection had was an almost casual indifference to personal suffering. They each had responsibilities that trumped their almost certain demise, but they moved ahead nonetheless. Observe the actions of these Medal of Honor winners and you will see that first in their minds was the well-being of their fellows. They were willing to die to save lives. They each wanted to help more than they cared about living."

"In all the wars since the first medal was presented in 1861, there have been just a few more than 3,500 acts deemed worthy of this, the most prestigious medal the United States presents to its soldiers- and half that number of medals were bestowed during the Civil War. The winners of the Congressional Medal of Honor are in a rare and stratospheric atmosphere, as well they should be. Most Medal of Honor winners received theirs posthumously- a darkly simple way to gauge what it took to get one. The actions of these extraordinary heroes were, as Abraham Lincoln noted, "the last full measure of devotion.""

"The men- and one woman to win a Congressional Medal of Honor- who performed such unimaginable acts of bravery had the ability to master fear so they could face the most horrible of deaths, and still move forward. What made them remarkable was that they controlled the fear. They acted as if it didn't matter that they would be suddenly and violently dispatched to Kingdom Come in an instant if things did not work out properly- and things rarely work out properly on the battlefield. Make a mistake in combat and it will be your last. These Medal winners- all medal winners- confronted their fears and moved into the fray. These remarkable soldiers had in common an unshakeable nonchalance about their responsibilities and the heavy consequences they might face. They did not dwell on such vagaries, though. Uncommon valor is an indelible trait that staves off sway from the bloody battlefields of the Civil War through the lonely mountains of Afghanistan. That was their duty. The lives of others meant more to them than their own."

"But courage was not the purview of only the poor. Teddy Roosevelt, a man born of wealth, loved his country too. And he was willing to put his own privileged life on the line, just like the other heroes in this collection. He wrote of his men, two Rough Riders about to take San Juan Hill during the Spanish-American War: "Capron was going over his plans for the fight when we should meet the Spaniards on the morrow, Fish occasionally asking a question. They were both filled with eager longing to show their mettle, and both were rightly confident that if they lived they would win honorable renown and would rise high in their chosen profession. Within twelve hours they were both dead." Roosevelt knew what he was up against, and kept going. That's what every Medal of Honor winner has done: They faced death, and they rode on."

"The progression of the Medal of Honor, from an award intended to stimulate "efficiency" in the Navy to something only for those who have utterly disregarded their own lives for the sake of others, was something that could never have come to pass only by passage of laws and issuance of regulations. The Medal of Honor has been infused with a sanctity by the recipients themselves. During the Second World War, for the first time, more awards of the Medal of Honor were made to the dead than to the living. The same was true in Korea and Vietnam. If the Medal of Honor today has an intangible and solemn halo around it, it is partly due to those men who did not survive to wear it. The survivors who wear the medal frequently acknowledge this. They very rarely speak of glory, preferring instead to speak simply of their immense gratitude. As of this writing, there are 3,456 Medal of Honor recipients. Of those, only 147 are alive today."

"The Medal of Honor has been awarded to many who rose to prominence after they got home. Douglas MacArthur (and his father, Arthur), Audie Murphy, Eddie Rickenbacker, Alvin York, Bob Kerrey, James Stockdale, and Daniel Inouye are a few. But the overwhelming majority simply went on with their lives, or tried to. This book concentrates on them. Some stayed in the military; some rose to prominence as public servants; some lived in a state of constant financial trouble. But all of them lived lives that would be forgotten except for the efforts of relatives and, in some cases, a few dedicated historians."