> From: Dreama055@aol.com > Do they award the Medal of Honor then, in varying degrees? No, acts of > bravery are subjective, and cannot, therefore, be compared. The award and medal was created during the Civil War. You might recall that the first recipients were members of the raiding party involved with Andrews Raid, or the Great Locomotive Chase. An entire Maine regiment was give MOH just for re-enlisting (these were later taken back). Most of the recipients appear to have risked their lives for the fellow soldiers or protected their own units battle flag...not dashed into enemy lines and captured a flag like an Indian county coop. In the closing days of the war the later reason was used for a number of awards. The standards for awarding the MOH during the CW were not very specific. I recommend that you read _Above and Beyond_ by the editors of the Boston Publishing Company, Boston, Ma 1895. It was sponsored by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. That brings up another point. The correct name of the award is simply the Medal of Honor. The use of the word "Congressional" is not part of the official name. A holder of the MOH is selected by peers and superior officers, The US Congress does issue a writ recognizing the recipient. The word is too commonly used with the MOH today because of the connection of the society to the medal. The MOH is simply a badge for valor in its most sublime manifestation. Bill Christen -- gwjchris@earthlink.net