The most honored and relished military award by far is the Congressional Medal of Honor. For this reason, it is not the award you decide to hand out for perverse politically correct reasons, yet, this was the case during WWII, when it was given to Theodore Roosevelt Jr.
General Roosevelt didn't die on Utah Beach, nor did he die in any battle...he died in France of a Heart Attack one month after D-Day. Give me a damn break! You don't award someone the CMH for suffering a heart attack, that is a damn disgrace!
He was recommended for the Distinguished Service Cross by General Barton, however, the award was upgraded at higher headquarters to the Medal of Honor...something that just doesn't happen.
He wasn't thought very highly of by his superiors either. General Patton said in his diary that he didn't approve of General Roosevelt, and he asked permission of Eisenhower to relieve him of command. Concerning Roosevelt, Patton said, “there will be a kick over Teddy, but he has to go, brave but otherwise, no soldier.”
Now...match this travesty against a true hero's record in Audie Murphy.
Audie Murphy was by far the most highly decorated US soldier in history. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery above and beyond the call of duty in one battle, where he was credited with destroying six German Tanks, and killing over 240 German Soldiers.
Some of his more prominent metals were...Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, (2) Silver Stars, The Legion of Merit, (2) Bronze Stars, with valor device, (3) Purple Hearts (all with genuine combat wounds)
All this from a young guy that was barely 17 when he entered the service and at around 5'5 and 110lbs...the Marines didn't consider him big enough and to frail to serve.
Now....Audie Murphy was a true war hero that deserved everyone of the medals he received. General Roosevelt on the other hand...should never have received the highest military honor...he just wasn't worthy of it. Just because ones father was one of the greatest Presidents this country has seen, Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President...doesn't warrant you the right to the Medal of Honor, because of it!
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| The Medal of Honor, that never should have been! |
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thenewguy295
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Jul 4 @ 12:14PM
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If I recall correctly the MOH (often erroneously called the CMOH) was first awarded during the civil war and a lot of them didn't meet the standard that is set for it in modern times.
One of the problems I have is 'taking back' medals, honors or awards generations after they were awarded. It's revisionist history and we are judging a person from the past with the sensibilities of today. We should let those honors stand since they were awarded by the person's contemporaries, with the knowledge and standards of the day.
Who are we, who were never there, to take away from those that were?
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thenewguy295
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Jul 4 @ 12:34PM
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The Marines and Sailor that raised the 2nd flag on mt suribachi during the Iwo Jima campaign were awarded the MOH for getting their picture taken. Other members of the same patrol didn't and neither did the ones that raised the first flag.
The survivors (several died later in the battle) more of less knew this and felt some guilt but also felt they carried the medal for all those that died. They and the photo became icons of the war. Who are we today to decide they shouldn't have gotten it and take it from them?
Semper Fi.
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ceecee1952
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Jul 4 @ 2:13PM
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we give... similarly... honorary degrees to the keynote speakers at graduation and I have had similar thoughts that they get a degree for one speech and those students have spend 4 + years to get theirs...
but if we ask what is the honor for (degree or metal) the story emerges.
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oldhippie796
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Jul 4 @ 9:10PM
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My friend, I ask you and anyone genuinely interested, to just go and read the citation. The facts are what they are. I went to www.history.army.mil/moh.html
many of us enlisted men have our issues with officers getting medals (not metals) for stuff we wondered about. The folks who have been awarded the Medal of Honor are to be Respected. It is not something that was "won", they were awarded it.
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