Medal Of Honor:From Antietam To Afghanistan

The Medal of Honor starts with an Iowa Congressman who was serving as a committe member on a Navy board. He decided that the country needed an honor system to rewards bravery and valor. He couldn't sell the idea to the Army General Winfield Scott so he passed a bill through Congress and the Navy had the first Medal of Honor. The Army immediately was jealous so in less than 6 months the Army also had a Medal. Today there are three versions of the Medal Of Honor. The Air Force version was created in the middle 50's after the Air Force was seperated from the Army. This book is a history of the development of the criteria for award, the excesses which were ultimately corrected and the stories from each of America's conflicts which epitomize the valor and bravery of our fighting men. Do you know the story of the missing 500 Medals which were never found nor accounted for? Do you know how many Medals were recalled in the early twentieth century? Do you know how many women possess the Medal? There are a thousand vignettes of the lives of extra-ordinary human beings, both citizen and foreign who fill the roles of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. There are facts that will amaze and thrill you. It is said that truth can be stranger than fiction and this book proves that theory. It should be requjired reading for every student in our public and private schools. The American citizen should be required to learn the stories of bravery and honor which let us enjoy our freedom today. These people put their lives on the line and died for our freedom. Can we do less than know and honor their stories?