Congressional Medal of Honor Society

Congressional Medal of Honor Society
Name	Congressional Medal of Honor Society
Founded	1958
Location	Arlington County, Virginia
Headquarters	Arlington National Cemetery
Leader title	President

Congressional Medal of Honor Society is a nonprofit organization composed of recipients of the United States highest military decoration for valor, established to preserve the legacy of those honorees and to promote patriotism and civic service. The Society brings together living recipients and associates with institutions and public figures to influence scholarship, commemoration, and education relating to individual acts of valor. It interacts with other veteran, historical, and commemorative organizations to organize public ceremonies, advocate for recipients, and support scholarship on conflicts and personalities connected to medal awards.

History

The Society was chartered by an Act of Congress in 1958 after postwar associations among recipients who served in World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War sought formal organization. Early meetings included veterans from campaigns such as the Battle of Iwo Jima, the Battle of Okinawa, the Inchon Landing, and the Tet Offensive. Founding figures included combat veterans who had served alongside leaders like Dwight D. Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur, and Omar Bradley and who participated in ceremonies attended by presidents including John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Richard Nixon. Over decades the Society engaged with institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution, the National Archives, and the United States Congress to preserve medal citation records, coordinate exhibits with the National Museum of the United States Army, and support memorial projects like the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and commemorations at Arlington National Cemetery.

Mission and Activities

The Society's stated mission centers on mutual support among recipients and public education through partnerships with organizations including the Department of Defense, the United States Navy Memorial, the United States Army Center of Military History, and the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. Activities include organizing national observances on occasions tied to events such as Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and anniversaries of actions at Guadalcanal, Anzio, and Chosin Reservoir. The Society conducts outreach with academic institutions like Georgetown University, West Point, and Naval War College and collaborates with media outlets covering presidential ceremonies, legislative commemorations held in the United States Capitol, and museum exhibitions produced with the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. It also liaises with international sites of remembrance tied to operations in theaters such as North Africa Campaign, Normandy landings, and the Persian Gulf War.

Membership and Eligibility

Membership is limited to individuals who have received the Medal of Honor for actions associated with battles like Belleau Wood, Gettysburg (for historical recipients), Antietam, Sangin District engagements, and modern operations such as Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Eligibility adheres to statutory criteria established in laws debated within committees including the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services and the United States House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Members often include holders of multiple decorations who served under commanders such as George S. Patton, Chester W. Nimitz, William Westmoreland, and Norman Schwarzkopf Jr.. Honorary interactions have occurred with laureates and public figures including Rudyard Kipling scholars, historians of Stephen Ambrose, and authors like Tom Clancy who have chronicled combat narratives.

Governance and Organization

The Society is governed by an elected board of directors drawn from its membership and operates administrative offices in proximity to commemorative institutions like Arlington National Cemetery and agencies including the National Park Service. Governance practices have been influenced by nonprofit standards promulgated in contexts alongside organizations such as the American Red Cross, the United Service Organizations, and the Smithsonian Institution. Leadership transitions have been marked by national ceremonies attended by officials from the White House, delegations from the United States Congress, and military leaders from commands like United States European Command and United States Central Command. The Society maintains relationships with legal advisors versed in statutes such as those administered by the Department of Justice and with accounting and development partners active in fundraising for memorial projects like the National World War II Memorial.

Programs and Awards

Programming includes educational initiatives in partnership with schools and universities, oral history projects coordinated with the Library of Congress Veterans History Project, and youth leadership programs conducted with groups like the Boy Scouts of America and Girls Scouts of the USA. The Society grants recognitions and conducts presentations at venues such as the United States Capitol Visitor Center, the Kennedy Center, and the Library of Congress. It participates in award ceremonies alongside decorations such as the Presidential Medal of Freedom presentations and coordinates commemorative events tied to anniversaries of campaigns like Bastogne, Leyte Gulf, and Iwo Jima. The Society’s outreach includes scholarship sponsorships linked with institutions like Stanford University, Harvard University, and The Citadel as well as collaborative exhibits with museums such as the National WWII Museum and the Newseum.

Notable Members and Events

Notable members have included recipients famous for actions in engagements like Pearl Harbor defense, Battle of Midway, and Hamburger Hill, as well as figures who later became public personalities in civic life and media. The Society’s events have featured keynote addresses by presidents and secretaries including Harry S. Truman, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and Donald Trump, and have hosted commemorations timed with international observances at sites like Normandy American Cemetery, Iwo Jima Memorial, and Pearl Harbor National Memorial. Special ceremonies have honored recipients associated with historic operations such as Operation Market Garden, Operation Overlord, and Desert Storm, and have drawn historians and authors like Max Hastings, Antony Beevor, and Richard Holmes to lecture on battles and leadership exemplified by generals such as Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, and Stonewall Jackson.

Category:Veterans organizations