In the News

Jay Leno Show. On Friday, February 8, 2008, more than 20 Medal of Honor recipients along with Foundation board member, Brian Williams, visited the Tonight Show Starring Jay Leno. The recipients were introduced to a standing ovation and Jay had the recipients sign a copy of the Medal of Honor book he had been presented. Brian Williams commented to Jay that, "I have never had a bad day since meeting some of these men and reading their stories in this amazning book. Their stories are incredible examples of the courage and selflessness that has made our country great."  

A Celebration of Freedom. The Foundation hosted a by-invitation gala for approximately 1,000 guests at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California on Saturday,  February 9, 2008. In addition to a tribute to the 43 Medal of Honor recipients in attendance, honorees included actor Jon Voight, who received the Bob Hope Excellence in Entertainment Award, and US Marine Corps Commandant, General James Conway and astronaut, Bonnie Dunbar, both of whom received Distinguished Citizen Awards. " We salute these very diverse individuals who share a love of country and the desire to improve the fabric of our nation," said Colonel Bob Howard, USA (Retired), a Medal of Honor recipient and president of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. The event was co-hosted by Mr. David McIntyre, a Foundation board member and president and CEO of TriWest Healthcare Alliance, actor Gary Sinese, and businessman and friend of the Foundation, Mr. Bruce Brereton. Brian Williams, Anchor and Managing Editor of NBC Nightly News, was the master of ceremonies. Some of the guests included former Vice President Dan Quayle, former California Governor Pete Wilson, actors Ernest Borgnine and Tom Selleck, and Commander in Chief of all U.S. forces in the Pacific, Admiral Timothy Keating.  

Circle of Honor Dinner. The New York Stock Exchange hosted the sixth annual Circle of Honor dinner at the Exchange on Tueday, March 11, 2008 at which several awards were presented. Mr. Frederick W. Smith received the Circle of Honor Award for his distinguished service to his country and profound contributions to American free enterprise. The courageous spirit award was presented to U.S. Army Reserve Master Sergeant Juanita Milligan, representing all of the wounded warriors from Iraq and Afghanistan. The Foundation had previously presented the Department of Defense with the Cutting Edge Award for applying innovation and technology to save lives. Finally, the Distinguished Citizenship Award was presented to Citi Smith Barney for its extraordinary individual and corporate support to enhancing the awareness of the Medal of Honor and what it represents to America in a spirit of generosity and selflessness.

Upcoming Foundation Events:

National Medal of Honor Day. National Medal of Honor Day is on Tuesday, March 25. On that day at 8:30 AM, the Medal of Honor recipients will thank America with a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington Cemetery followed by a ceremony during which three ordinary citizens who have demonstrated extraordinary courage and selflessness will be be bestowed with Citizen Honors for going above and beyond. The ceremony will be followed by a luncheon commemorating the second anniversary of National Medal of Honor Day and the ideals of courage, sacrifice, and selflessness embodied in the Medal of Honor and displayed by ordinary citizens on any particular day.

In the Company of Heroes - Atlanta. A dinner gala at the Georgia Aquarium and reception at the New World of Coca-Cola. Dates: May 15 and 16, 2008. respectively. Honorees include The Honorable Sam Nunn and journalist Kimberly Dozier. 

In the Company of Heroes - Chicago. A dinner gala at Arlington Park Racecourse. Date: July 12, 2008. Honoree(s) to be named. 

Patriot Award Dinner. Gala and golf tournament in Dallas, Texas. Date: October 18, 2006. Honoree will be Mr. Frank Denius. 

Medal of Honor:

Portraits of Valor Beyond the Call of Duty

Available in bookstores - order now from Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble

“Medal of Honor,” now available in a revised and expanded edition, is a stirring tribute to our bravest military heroes, men who have earned their place in history and who continue to inspire and awe their fellow citizens through their selflessness and strength of character. This magnificent hardcover book, sponsored by the Foundation and published in collaboration with Artisan, the illustrated book division of Workman Publishing in New York, is a collection of contemporary portraits and stories of 138 living or recently deceased Medal of Honor recipients as captured by best-selling author Peter Collier and award-winning photographer Nick Del Calzo.

The recipients’ stories of selfless and courageous action will inspire Americans of all ages, and honor all of our country’s veterans. An elegant foreword by former President George W. Bush and powerful essays by Tom Brokaw, Senator John McCain, and noted historian, Victor Davis Hanson, in which they write about the Medal of Honor recipients and what they represent add to the stature of the book. The book culminates with a very special short history and moving portrait and profile tribute to the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington Cemetery. Many Americans are not aware that the “soldiers” interred there, “known but to God,” have also been bestowed with the Medal of Honor. A 90-minute bonus DVD is included with the book. It provides an uplifting brief history of the Medal narrated by Tom Brokaw and reflections from many recipients on the Medal and what it represents. The DVD also included eleven individual stories on video as told by the recipients themselves. 

The Foundation is particulary grateful to the generous individual and corporate donors who have made it possible to place this book in more than 43,000 middle and junior/senior high schools in 46 states across America. This initiative will continue until full coverage of the United States has been completed. This book is "must" reading for people in all walks of life.

Medal of Honor resided on the New York Times hardcover, non-fiction best-seller list for more than one month in late 2003 and has now been released as a revised edition with more than 250,000 copies in circulation. This is the most comprehensive and complete compilation of contemporary photographs and recounted stories of America's most revered heroes. Each of the Medal recipients in this book, many in the twilight of their years, agreed to sit for a portrait and to recount his story one more time for the benefit of future generations. Sadly, some of them have passed away since the photographer and author were privileged to work with them. Yet together, these recipients, living or dead, help us put a face on the meaning of hero and understand what their heroism represents for us all. 

Smithsonian American History Museum Exhibit

In 2003 and 2004, the Foundation worked with the project staff at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and a Foundation board member who sponsored the permanent new exhibition called “The “Price of Freedom: Americans at War.” This 18,200 square foot exhibition portrays the role of the American military in shaping our nation's history from the colonial era to the present. Using hundreds of original artifacts and graphic images, the exhibition tells how Americans have fought to establish the nation's independence, determine its borders, shape its values of freedom and opportunity, and define its role in world affairs. The exhibition culminates with an area dedicated to the Medal of Honor that includes priceless artifacts, videos of Medal recipient stories, and a comprehensive interactive Medal of Honor database. The “Price of Freedom” exhibition opened to the public on November 11th, 2004. The museum is now closed until the late summer of 2008 for renovation. 

Living Histories

The Foundation, in partnership with Citigroup (Smith Barney), is sponsoring a project to capture on video the stories of living Medal of Honor recipients, as told by the recipients themselves, for future generations to learn from and enjoy. So far, more than 100 recipients have been interviewed and had their stories recorded for history. These interviews have been synthesized into five to eight minute vignettes that tell the recipient's individual story. When the project is completed, the full interviews will be available at the Congressional Medal of Honor Society headquarters for research and education purposes and the set of vignettes will be distributed to schools, libraries, and museums where teachers, students, and visitors will have an opportunity to gain a greater appreciation for what the Medal of Honor and the recipients who wear it represent. Moving composite videos with extracts from recipient interviews overlaid title graphics, file footage, and music have also been produced and shown to numerous audiences and on television as a Medal of Honor outreach initiative.

The airman stories are presently being shown at the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum in Washington, D.C.


Capitol Visitor Center

The Foundation has worked with the Office of the Capitol Visitor Center project staff to incorporate a small Medal of Honor exhibit into the new Capitol Visitor Center when it opens in the Fall of 2008. The Medal of Honor was established by an Act of Congress in 1861 and is awarded in its name. Until several years ago, the very first Medal of Honor, awarded to Private Jacob Parrot during the Civil War, was on display in the Capitol Building. There are 21 Medal of Honor recipients who have served in Congress and one, Senator Daniel Inouye, serves today.


Film Initiatives

The Foundation is collaborating with Florentine Films and Ken Burns as executive producer and Roger Sherman as producer to create a documentary on the Medal of Honor to be aired on PBS later in 2008.

In the latter half of 2007, the Foundation assisted a film company in the production of a documentary titled The Medal to be aired on television around Memorial Day 2008. This documentary is part of a series of documentaries called the American Patriot Series. 

In November 2007, NBC ran a special series on six Medal of Honor recipients on the NBC Nightly News for the six days leading up to Veterans Day 2007. Short segments on recipients John Finn, Vernon Baker, Bud Day, Ted Rubin, Sammy Davis, Jack Jacobs, and Iraq posthumous recipient Jason Dunham showed each night.

In 2007 from May to September, NBC ran a special series on the Medal of Honor book recipients on Brian Williams' Daily Nightly blog for more than 100 consecutive days. The contemporary photographs and recounted stories of the living Medal of Honor recipients in the book were featured.

Under an agreement with the Foundation, Discovery Communications agreed to develop educational, public service, and special programming related to the Medal of Honor. This initiative is related to Discovery's transition of its Discovery Wings Channel to the Discovery Military Channel, which began airing in North America in January, 2005. The new channel takes viewers "behind the lines" to tell the personal stories of servicemen and women and offer in-depth explorations of military technology, battlefield strategy, aviation and history. It enables viewers to experience and better understand the human drama, courage, innovation, and long-held traditions associated with military affairs. Discovery has produced a mini-series based on the stories of Medal of Honor recipients, which has aired many times. The episodes include World War II stories, Korean War stories, Vietnam Rescues, and Medics and Corpsmen. 

During 2004, the Foundation assisted the producers of "An American Celebration at Ford's Theater" in producing the Lincoln Moment, the culminating segment of this annual program featuring some of our nation's best-known performers. The Lincoln Moment relates specifically to some aspect of Lincoln's life and, in 2004, highlighted the history of the Medal of Honor, which President Lincoln signed into law in 1861. In addition, the segment related the heroic stories of six Medal of Honor recipients who were present that evening. The show was broadcast nationally on ABC on July 4th.

In 2003, several Foundation board members who are recipients of the Medal of Honor, along with a number of other Medal recipients, were featured in the production of a special documentary on the Medal of Honor called, "American Valor." This outstanding production was shown on Public Broadcasting System stations on Veterans Day, November 11th. The documentary relates the heroic stories of the Medal of Honor recipients through newsreel footage, photographs, military art, and interviews with recipients and the comrades who witnessed their courageous acts. American Valor conveys that the Medal is more than a decoration for bravery; it is a way of helping Americans understand who we are as a people, what we have experienced, and what values we cherish. Copies of American Valor are available on DVD and VHS at www.pbs.org/americanvalor/. The Foundation recently donated a copy of the DVD to every military library in each of the Services.


Circle of Honor Award

On March 27, 2007, more than 30 recipients of the Medal of Honor and the Foundation Board of Directors joined several hundred guests at a dinner hosted by the New York Stock Exchange, the Honorable John Whitehead, former co-chairman at Goldman Sachs, Undersecretary of State under President Reagan, and a veteran of WWII from Normandy (D-Day), Iwo Jima, and Okinawa, was presented with the fifth annual Circle of Honor Award for a lifetime distinguished service to his nation and contributions to American free enterprise. The presentation was made by Medal of Honor recipient, Walt Ehlers, also a veteran of the D-Day landings at Normandy. 

Previous recipients of the Circle of Honor Award include The Honorable Paul Wolfowitz, Deputy Secretary of Defense, in 2003, Mr. Neil Armstrong, first man to walk on the moon, in 2004, Mr. Harry Gray, WWII veteran from the Battle of the Bulge and previous chairman & CEO of United Technologies Corporation in 2004, and General (USAF-Retired) Richard Myers, former two-term Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The 2008 Circle of Honor dinner will take place on Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at the New York Stock Exchange. The Circle of Honor Award will be presented to Mr. Frederick W. Smith, Chairman, President, and CEO of FedEx and a decorated Vietnam War veteran, for his distinguished service to country and contributions to American free enterprise. 

This year, Citigroup Smith Barney will receive a Distinguished Citizenship Award for its steadfast and sustained support of the Medal of Honor and what it represents to America and the Courageous Spirit Award will be presented to a wounded American soldier from the Iraq/Afghanistan conflicts, representing all of the wounded warriors who have made so many sacrifices on our behalf while serving in harms way. 

Educational Outreach

Under a grant from the General Electric Foundation, the Foundation is working with the Erie School District to establish Medal of Honor-related lesson plans drawing upon the ideals of courage, sacrifice and selflessness embodied in the Medal of Honor, and their application in daily life. The Medal of Honor book shown above and the "living history" videos are being used in support of the program, which has potential application nationwide.

Scholarship Program

The Foundation, in partnership with the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association Foundation awarded $3,000 scholarships for the second consecutive year to outstanding students enrolled in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs for the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. This year's scholarships were awarded to ROTC students at Virginia Tech, Penn State University, the University of Idaho, and Embry Riddle University in Prescott, Arizona. The scholarship recipients competed against cadets/midshipmen from ROTC units across the country and best exemplified the spirit of courage, selflessness, service to country, and pursuit of excellence in their academic and military endeavors and extracurricular activities. The primary criteria for scholarship selection was the candidate's demonstrated leadership performance and potential, a statement of need, and a strong commitment to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Medal of Honor Kiosks

In March 2007, the Foundation provided the first prototype Medal of Honor database kiosk to the Museum of Flight in Seattle. It has received widespread use. A second prototype with living history videos will be provided as soon as it is complete. the aim is to follow the prototype kiosks with production kiosks that can be distributed on a temporary or permanent basis to museums and like institutions across the country for educational purposes.

Marking Medal of Honor Gravesites

The Foundation has supported the proper marking of Medal of Honor recipient gravesites. Medal of Honor markers were placed on the gravesites of about ten gravesites during 2007. Shown below is the gravesite of John Galloway from the Civil War. Previously, there was no Medal of Honor marker at his gravesite. May he rest in piece with the appropriate dignity, honor, and respect of the American public for their heroic deeds.

On the Horizon

The Foundation is actively pursuing other initiatives that will enhance awareness of the Medal of Honor and what it represents. These include:

• Consolidated Society and Foundation website.
• Youth and citizen educational programs that embody the ideals of courage, sacrifice, and patriotism that can be applied in daily life, in partnership with other like-minded nonprofit organizations.
• A corporate responsibility verification program in partnership with select American corporations.
• Development of multi-media materials that enhance awareness and educate the American public on the Medal of Honor.
• Establishment of a Foundation awards program that recognizes prominent individuals who have demonstrated the values embraced by the Foundation in promoting the ideals of freedom and democracy and contributing to international peace and security.
• Expanded public outreach activities by Medal of Honor recipients and board members to enhance awareness of the principles embodied by the Medal of Honor.
• Expanded Medal of Honor displays in museums and institutions across America.