Is the Medal of Honor real gold?

An inquiry by The Washington Times showed that the Congressional Medal of Honor, awarded for exceptional wartime combat gallantry, costs $29.98 to produce and is made mostly of brass alloy.

How much is a Medal of Honor worth?

A Monthly Pension and Special Retirement Pay

As of Dec. 1, 2020, Medal of Honor recipients receive a $1,406.73 monthly pension with annual cost-of-living increases in line with the Social Security Administration's increases. This comes on top of any disability or retirement pay.

How much gold is in the Medal of Honor?

The Congressional Gold Medal is 90 percent gold and worth about $3,600. (With design and production costs, that medal can cost tens of thousands of dollars to produce.) It all sounds kind of pointless, though, to calculate the value of the medal. The honor is priceless, whether it is made of brass or gold.

Is the Medal of Honor real?

The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States government's highest and most prestigious military decoration that may be awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians, and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor.

What metal is used for the Medal of Honor?

The metal content of the Medal of Honor varies. The Army version is made of red brass, other metal, and gold plating, while the Navy, Marine, and Coast Guard versions are made of solid red brass. The Air Force version is made of bronze, other metal, and gold plating.

The First Medal of Honor Ever Recorded

Is it illegal to own a Medal of Honor?

"The only award that we cannot and will not sell is the Medal of Honor," Hansen said. It is illegal to buy, sell or fraudulently possess a Medal of Honor within the United States and the FBI keeps a sharp eye out. "The only person who can possess a Medal of Honor is the recipient or a designee," Sanborn said.

Has anyone refused the Medal of Honor?

Harry S.

Truman blocked an effort by the House of Representatives to award him the Presidential Medal of Honor in 1971. President Truman famously said he would rather get the Medal of Honor, a military honor, than be president. But in 1971, he blocked an attempt by the House of Representatives to give him the medal.

Does anyone have 3 Medals of Honor?

President Joe Biden awarded the nation's highest military honor to the three during a White House ceremony yesterday. Cashe and Celiz were honored posthumously, while Plumlee received the award in person.

Has a woman ever got the Medal of Honor?

Out of the nearly 3,500 Medal of Honor recipients, only one was a woman -- just one -- and her medal was actually rescinded just before she died. In honor of Women's History Month, we're looking back on the life of that exceptional woman: Dr. Mary Walker, who helped change the face of medicine during the Civil War.

Has anyone won the Medal of Honor more than once?

Perhaps the most notable two-time Medal of Honor recipients are Smedley Butler and Dan Daly, both Marines who began their careers in the late-19th century before serving in World War I. Butler received his first medal for guiding his men through a firefight during U.S. involvement in the Mexican Revolution in 1914.

What is the rarest Medal in the world?

The Victoria Cross is the 'holy grail' for medal collectors because there are only 1,357 in existence. Bearing the inscription 'For valour' and known as a VC, this medal was first awarded for 'conspicuous bravery' in 1856 and later backdated to the Crimean war of 1854.

Do Medal of Honor winners pay taxes?

Medal of Honor recipients are invited to every presidential inaugural ball and they never pay federal income tax again.

Do generals salute Medal of Honor winners?

Military tradition dictates all uniformed service members salute to Medal-of-Honor awardees regardless of rank. Even the most-senior military officer will participate in this tradition out of respect for the sacrifices the awardees made.

Is it illegal to sell a military medal?

The Selling of Military Awards and Medals: Legality

It is illegal to buy, sell, barter, or manufacture any decorations or medals authorized by Congress for the United States armed forces.

Has anyone ever sold a Medal of Honor?

Courtesy of Hermann Historica. Last week, a 122-year-old US Medal of Honor sold at auction in Germany for over $15,000—despite the best efforts of Texas Senator Ted Cruz and other American politicians.

Do Purple Hearts get money?

A private organization called the Military Order of the Purple Heart offers scholarships to 80 Purple Heart recipients and family members each year. It is offered to qualifying members of the order, and can be used to pay for expenses directly related to higher education.

Has a Medal of Honor ever been revoked?

Has anyone ever had their Medal of Honor rescinded or revoked? Yes. In 1916, Congress asked that all Medals awarded up to that point be reviewed to ensure that they met the high standards required for the award. As a result, 911 Medals of Honor were rescinded.

How many Medal of Honor winners are alive?

There are currently 64 living recipients of the Medal of Honor, the U.S. military's highest decoration.

Who is the youngest Medal of Honor recipient?

Jack Lucas was 17 when he became the youngest Medal of Honor recipient since the Civil War after jumping onto two grenades to save his fellow Marines.

Is Audie Murphy still the most decorated soldier?

Audie Murphy (1924–1971) was the most decorated soldier in US history, winning 24 medals from the Congressional Medal of Honor down. His exploits were the subject of To Hell and Back (USA, 1956), in which he starred as himself.

Can you win the Medal of Honor twice?

Nineteen servicemen have been awarded the Medal of Honor twice. Fourteen have been awarded the medal for two separate events. The U.S. Navy is the most awarded branch with eight sailors, some receiving the award not for combat heroism but life-saving actions.

Can a civilian receive the Medal of Honor?

There are eight civilians who have received the Medal of Honor. The civilian recipients were all from the Civil War era, including the only woman to receive the medal, Mary Edwards Walker, a surgeon for the Union Army during the Civil War.

Why was Mary Walker's Medal of Honor rescinded?

But nearly half a century later, Walker's Congressional Medal was rescinded after Congress tweaked the Medal of Honor criteria to include only "actual combat with the enemy." (A military board reinstated Walker's honor posthumously in 1977.)