The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States. It is awarded "for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, in actual combat against an armed enemy force." Three different medals currently exist for each of the major branches of the U.S. armed forces: one each for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Since the beginning of World War II only 851 have been awarded, 525 of them posthumously. The rare soldier who wears the Medal of Honor is accorded special privileges that include higher pay, preference for their children at the U.S. military academies, and the respect and admiration of all other service persons. It is an informal rule that Medal Of Honor recipients, regardless of rank, are saluted by all other service members, including the Commander In Chief. The Army Medal of Honor was first awarded during the American Civil War and was last offically awarded for action that occurred during the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1792: Passage of the Coinage Act established the U.S. Mint. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Mint)

1801: British forces destroyed the Danish fleet in the Battle of Copenhagen. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Copenhagen_%281801%29)

1930: Haile Selassie was proclaimed emperor of Ethiopia. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haile_Selassie_of_Ethiopia)

1992: Mafia boss John Gotti was convicted of murder and racketeering. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gotti)

2002: A siege of the Church of the Nativity by Israeli forces ensued. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_the_Nativity)

_____________________ Wikiquote of the day:

"To be an artist is a blessing and a privilege. Artists must never betray their true hearts. Artists must look beneath the surface and show that there is more to this world than what meets the eye." -- Marvin Gaye (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Marvin_Gaye)