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**The Reaper** · 11-06-2005, 13:15

Lew Millett and Ola Lee Mize made it.

OTOH, the MOH standards prior to WWII were not what they are today. Even then, MacArthur was awarded one for his unsuccessful defense of the Phillipines. Lindburgh was awarded the MoH, as was Buffalo Bill Cody and Admiral Byrd.

Most of the pre-WW I MOH awards were significantly less valorous that the later criteria. That is because most of the valor medals were created during or after WW I, and the MOH was the only one they had from 1862 till the DSC was created in 1918. During the Civil War, they were handed out like candy. During WW I, a Marine was awarded both the Army MOH, and the Navy MOH for the same action. Another Marine won the two (Army and Navy) in one day. The Silver Star was created for lesser acts in 1932, and the Bronze Star in 1944. That hierarchy of the top valorous awards remains today, and despite the spate of questionable valorous awards since Korea, the MOH has remained at the top, infrequently awarded.

There was 2% or less chance of awardees earning the MOH posthumously prior to WW I. 0% of awardees died in the Spanish-American War, 26% in WW I, 57% in WW II, 71% by Korea, 62% in Vietnam, and 100% for the 3 awarded since then. Based on the following stats, it would appear that the standard has unofficially been raised several times, beginning in WW I and generally trending upwards since then..

Civil War 1,527 MOH, 25 posthumous
Indian Wars 428, 6
Spanish American War 109, 0
Philippines Samoa 91, 1
Boxer Rebellion 59, 1
Vera Cruz 1914 55, 0
Haiti 1915 6, 0
Dominican Republic 3, 0
Haiti 1919-1920 2, 0
Nicaragua 1927-1933 2, 0
Peacetime 1865-1870 12, 0
Peacetime 1871-1898 103, 0
Peacetime 1899-1911 51, 0
Peacetime 1915-1916 8, 1
Peacetime 1920-1940 18, 4
World War I 124, 32
World War II 440, 250
Korean War 131, 93
Vietnam War 244, 150
Grenada 0,0
Panama, 0,0
Somalia 1993 2, 2
DS/DS 0,0
OEF 0,0
OIF, 1,1
Unknown Soldiers 9, 9
Total 3,432, 575

HTH.

TR

11-06-2005, 13:15	#17
The Reaper Quiet Professional Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Free Pineland Posts: 24,832	Lew Millett and Ola Lee Mize made it. OTOH, the MOH standards prior to WWII were not what they are today. Even then, MacArthur was awarded one for his unsuccessful defense of the Phillipines. Lindburgh was awarded the MoH, as was Buffalo Bill Cody and Admiral Byrd. Most of the pre-WW I MOH awards were significantly less valorous that the later criteria. That is because most of the valor medals were created during or after WW I, and the MOH was the only one they had from 1862 till the DSC was created in 1918. During the Civil War, they were handed out like candy. During WW I, a Marine was awarded both the Army MOH, and the Navy MOH for the same action. Another Marine won the two (Army and Navy) in one day. The Silver Star was created for lesser acts in 1932, and the Bronze Star in 1944. That hierarchy of the top valorous awards remains today, and despite the spate of questionable valorous awards since Korea, the MOH has remained at the top, infrequently awarded. There was 2% or less chance of awardees earning the MOH posthumously prior to WW I. 0% of awardees died in the Spanish-American War, 26% in WW I, 57% in WW II, 71% by Korea, 62% in Vietnam, and 100% for the 3 awarded since then. Based on the following stats, it would appear that the standard has unofficially been raised several times, beginning in WW I and generally trending upwards since then.. Civil War 1,527 MOH, 25 posthumous Indian Wars 428, 6 Spanish American War 109, 0 Philippines Samoa 91, 1 Boxer Rebellion 59, 1 Vera Cruz 1914 55, 0 Haiti 1915 6, 0 Dominican Republic 3, 0 Haiti 1919-1920 2, 0 Nicaragua 1927-1933 2, 0 Peacetime 1865-1870 12, 0 Peacetime 1871-1898 103, 0 Peacetime 1899-1911 51, 0 Peacetime 1915-1916 8, 1 Peacetime 1920-1940 18, 4 World War I 124, 32 World War II 440, 250 Korean War 131, 93 Vietnam War 244, 150 Grenada 0,0 Panama, 0,0 Somalia 1993 2, 2 DS/DS 0,0 OEF 0,0 OIF, 1,1 Unknown Soldiers 9, 9 Total 3,432, 575 HTH. TR __________________ "It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - President Theodore Roosevelt, 1910 De Oppresso Liber 01/20/2025
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