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
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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)
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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)