When it comes to the United States’ highest military decoration, there are ten eccentric ways to secure a Medal of Honor that go far beyond the usual battlefield heroics. From polite letters to secret awards, the stories are as surprising as they are fascinating.
10 eccentric ways Explained
10 Writing In To Ask For One
Normally, an American soldier has to be recommended for the medal by either a member of Congress or a superior officer in his or her unit. You can’t self‑nominate. This safeguard ensures the Medal of Honor is awarded for brave conduct that others can verify, protecting its integrity from self‑serving claims. Yet back in the 1800s, the rules were far more flexible—so flexible that the government might as well have placed an ad saying medals were available upon request, “while supplies last.”
Asa Bird Gardiner, a Civil War veteran from New York who served as a company officer in a state militia, saw some action and earned minor wounds. Though his service was respectable, it wasn’t spectacular. Nonetheless, having heard rumors about the Medal of Honor, he penned a courteously worded letter to the War Department asking, “I understand there are a number of bronze medals for distribution to soldiers of the late War, and request I be allowed one as a souvenir of memorable times past.” His politeness proved persuasive, and the department mailed him a medal!
Since then, the criteria have tightened, and Gardiner’s medal was rescinded during a 1916 audit. Today the process is far more formal, and the medal is generally not seen as a mere memorabilia item. Still, there’s no harm in asking.
9 Fighting A Secret Battle Against An American Ally
Because the Medal of Honor is intended for valor in combat, most assume it will be earned against America’s enemies. Commander William McGonagle, however, received it for an accidental clash with the forces of an American ally, Israel.
During the Six‑Day War of 1967, McGonagle commanded the USS Liberty on an intelligence‑gathering mission. A tragic misidentification led Israeli jets and torpedo boats to mistake the ship for an Egyptian warship. What followed was a massive friendly‑fire episode: for nearly an hour, the Liberty endured relentless attacks. McGonagle was badly wounded, his bridge shredded, yet he refused to abandon his post. He struggled to open communications with the Israelis while directing damage control. After 17 harrowing hours, he finally relinquished command, leaving the vessel heavily scarred but still afloat, with 34 crew members dead.
The Israelis later apologized, and the United States acknowledged the grave mistake. To honor McGonagle’s bravery without highlighting the embarrassing incident, the Medal of Honor was presented in secret at the Washington Navy Yard, and his citation conspicuously omits any mention of the attacking forces. It remains the only Medal of Honor awarded deliberately in secrecy.
8 Participating In A Native American Massacre
US Army troops fought many battles against Native Americans, some of which could be termed fair fights. The infamous Battle of Wounded Knee, however, was a massacre. The US 7th Cavalry—Custer’s old regiment—unleashed fire on a group of Lakota Sioux they were escorting.
The Lakota were being moved back to Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Troops were ordered to disarm them by force if needed, backed by four cannons. A minor scuffle over a rifle ignited a deadly exchange. Both sides opened fire; the Sioux, though attempting to rearm, were vastly outgunned. Casualties were stark: 64 US soldiers killed or wounded (some by friendly fire) versus 150‑300 Lakota dead, many of whom were women and children.
Twenty Medals of Honor were awarded to the 490 US Army participants—a rate of four percent, matching the total awarded for the entire 17‑year US involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. While some argue the soldiers displayed genuine bravery, others contend that the high award rate grants an undeserved honor to a tragic event. Congress has left the medals in place but approved a national memorial at Wounded Knee, which remains unbuilt.
7 Getting Killed Anonymously In An Ally’s Uniform
A Medal of Honor typically celebrates a specific individual’s heroism, yet it can also symbolize the collective bravery of unknown soldiers. In earlier wars, many fallen soldiers were buried without identification. World War I’s massive, chaotic battles produced countless anonymous corpses.
To honor anonymous sacrifice, several allied nations erected tombs for their Unknown Soldiers, as did the United States. In a special exception, the United States symbolically awarded the Medal of Honor to five allied Unknowns—from the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Romania, and Italy. Each nation agreed to overlook the usual requirement that recipients be US military personnel, allowing the medals to stand for the bravery of all unidentified allied war dead.
These five medals, if counted individually, would dramatically increase the total number of Medal of Honor recipients. Nonetheless, they serve as a reminder that heroism can occur even when no one records it, and that the authorities sometimes must recognize valor beyond documented individuals.
6 Guarding Abraham Lincoln’s Casket
The Medal of Honor was created during the Civil War, and its early standards were vague. With few official recognitions available, any meritorious service could be considered for the award, resulting in many decorations that would not meet today’s criteria.
In 1865, after President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, the nation mourned. His body lay in state in Washington, then traveled via a funeral train through twelve cities before burial in Springfield, Illinois. Throughout the three‑week ceremony, soldiers acted as an honor guard for the casket. These veterans, many seasoned from hard‑fought battles, served without seeking accolades.
Nevertheless, after the burial, twenty‑nine members of the guard received the Medal of Honor—more than the number awarded for the Wounded Knee affair. While guarding the president’s remains was certainly honorable, it fell short of the combat valor traditionally required. Consequently, a 1916 review board rescinded all twenty‑nine medals, highlighting the need for a hierarchy of honors to preserve the prestige of the nation’s highest award.
5 Being An Extremely Plucky 11‑Year‑Old
The Lincoln funeral guard story isn’t the only Medal of Honor link to the president. In the era before radios, battlefield communication relied on drums and bugles, roles often filled by boys under eighteen. Thousands of youths served in the Union Army during the 19th century.
During the Seven Days Battles, Union forces faced a fierce Confederate counter‑offensive, prompting a week‑long retreat. Morale faltered, and many soldiers abandoned equipment to flee. Yet 11‑year‑old drummer Willie Johnston of Vermont stayed resolute. He understood his drum’s critical role in relaying orders. While his regiment endured chaotic marches, night‑time redeployments, and the brutal Battle of Savage’s Station, Johnston never abandoned his post, remaining the sole drummer in his division.After the Union forces regrouped, a July 4th morale review selected Willie to perform for the entire division, recognizing his steadfastness. General reports highlighted his name, and President Lincoln, perhaps moved by his own late son Willie, suggested the young drummer receive a Medal of Honor. The following year, Willie was awarded the medal, becoming one of the first recipients and, to date, the youngest ever honored.
4 Getting Twice The Credit For A Single Act Of Bravery
Most shoppers know “buy one, get one free” deals, but five World War I Marines earned two Medals of Honor for a single day’s heroism. At the Battle of Château‑Thierry, Ernest Janson repelled a German counter‑attack using only his bayonet. Later, at the Battle of Soissons, immigrant Marines—Louis Cukela (Croatian), Matej Kocak (Slovakian), John J. Kelly, and John P. Pruitt—each performed extraordinary feats, from destroying machine‑gun nests to capturing enemy soldiers.
The reason they received duplicate honors lies in the Marine Corps’ unique position. While administratively part of the Navy, Marines often fought on land under Army command. During World I, Marine battalions were assigned to the Army, and both services maintained their own versions of the Medal of Honor. Each branch wanted to claim credit for the bravery, so both issued separate medals with distinct citations for the same actions.
Since 1919, regulations prohibit awarding multiple Medals of Honor for a single act, but the double awards for these five men remain on record, resulting in ten medals for five individuals—a rare historical quirk.
3 Making It A Lifetime Achievement Award
The Lincoln guard example shows that commendable service doesn’t always meet the Medal of Honor’s combat‑valor standard. Consequently, the armed forces now offer a range of awards—achievement, commendation, meritorious service—to recognize various forms of dedication. Some view these as participation awards; others see them as essential distinctions preserving the prestige of the highest honor.
Two individuals received the Medal of Honor for lifetime achievements. Frederick Gerber, an Army combat engineer, served in both the Mexican‑American War and the Civil War, training countless engineers. The Army even created the Sergeant Major of Engineers position especially for him. Upon retirement after 32 years of distinguished service, Gerber received the Medal of Honor for “distinguished gallantry in many actions and in recognition of long, faithful, and meritorious services.”
General Adolphus Greely, after solid Civil War service, spent two decades as a lieutenant before leading the ill‑fated Lady Franklin Bay Expedition, where 19 of 25 men perished. Later promoted to Chief Signal Officer, he oversaw major telegraph projects and coordinated relief after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 64, Congress awarded him a Medal of Honor for “his life of splendid public service.” This remains the last Medal of Honor bestowed for non‑combat duty.
2 Waiting 151 Years For Recognition
Some Medals of Honor are presented swiftly, often thanks to commanding officers who can quickly push recommendations up the chain. Others take decades, requiring special congressional approval when the two‑year recommendation window closes. This process has occasionally led to elderly veterans receiving honors for youthful deeds.
Alonzo Cushing, a West Point graduate of June 1861, fought bravely during the Civil War. At Gettysburg’s climactic Pickett’s Charge, he commanded several Union cannons in the center of the line. After intense bombardment killed his superiors and wounded him, Cushing refused evacuation, continuing to direct fire until he fell with his final shot.
Although his heroism was well‑remembered—he even appears in an 1883 panoramic painting of the battle—it wasn’t until a determined Wisconsin woman championed his cause that the Medal of Honor was finally awarded. In 2014, 151 years after his death, President Barack Obama presented the medal to Cushing’s closest living relative, a distant cousin who had spent weeks locating her.
1 Sitting Around For Five Days
The Battle of Gettysburg in 1863 was a crucible of terror and heroism. While the famed 20th Maine held a pivotal position, two of its men earned Medals of Honor for fierce fighting. In stark contrast, 864 other Maine soldiers received the same medal for doing essentially nothing.
During the crisis, the short‑term 27th Maine regiment’s enlistments were ending. A cabinet member urged the men to stay in Washington, D.C., until the Confederate invasion was repelled, promising a Medal of Honor to each volunteer. While many refused, 311 soldiers remained, only to find their presence unnecessary. They performed light garrison duty while the main battle raged in Pennsylvania, and were discharged alongside their peers once the threat subsided.
Because records of who stayed were lost, the War Department, unable to identify the promised recipients, awarded Medals of Honor to every man in the regiment—864 in total. The medals were sent to former commander Mark Wentworth, who tried to locate the actual volunteers. He ended up with over 500 surplus medals, which he stored in his barn. After his death, the trove vanished, its whereabouts unknown. A 1916 review board later struck 911 medals from the rolls, including all 864 from the 27th Maine, deeming them undeserved. This episode underscores the military’s commitment to preserving the Medal of Honor’s prestige, even if corrective action arrives decades later.