Sgt. Dakota Meyer is the first living marine to receive the Medal of Honor in 38 years. The ceremony was held in the White House. Meyer’s fellow marines and sailors were also honored. Yesterday Meyer had a beer with his Commander in Chief.
Prior to the ceremony, Meyer said he was no hero. America begs to differ. Semper Fi.
I read an article about this “kid”, pretty amazing. He still harbors so much pain over the loss his “brother” marines.
SGT Meyer is correct he is not a hero….as a Marine Brat, I learned the only Marine Heros are the honored dead – if you are alive, you were just doing what you are expected to do.
Now, all that aside – Semper Fi, Mac!
@Raymond Beverage
Beverage, that is pure crap. Read this:
Since 1862, 295 Marines have been awarded the Medal of Honor. The first recipient was Corporal John F. Mackie, who during the attack on Fort Darling at Drewry’s Bluff, Virginia, “fearlessly maintained his musket fire against the rifle pits on shore,and when ordered to fill vacancies at guns caused by men wounded and killed in action, manned the weapon with skill and courage.” Sixteen other enlisted Marines were awarded the medal during the Civil War. Another 63 Marines would receive the Medal of Honor in the 1871 Korean Campaign, the Spanish-American War, the Philippine Insurrection and the Boxer Rebellion. Marine and Navy officers were first declared eligible for the award in 1913, and in the next year nine medals were awarded to officers for the landing at Vera Cruz, Mexico. The “Banana Wars” saw a total of another 13 medals conferred on enlisted Marines and officers. Only two Marines, Major General Smedley D. Butler and Sergeant Major Daniel Daly were awarded Medals of Honor for two separate actions: Vera Cruz (1914) and Haiti (1915) for Butler, and Peking (1900) and Haiti (1915) for Daly. Although only 7 Marines received the medal for actions during World War I, 82 medals were given to Marines during World War II, 42 were awarded for the Korean War, and another 57 for the Vietnam War. The most recent Medal of Honor awarded to a Marine was for gallantry in action during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
There are at least 15 MOH holders still living. What has changed is that the bar as to what constitutes bravery beyond anything else has been raised to high that in order to qualify, an individual must die. Well, Dan Daly, an exceptional Marine, received two Medals of Honor, and he managed to live.
I am not sure any award should have death as a prerequisite.
@Moon-howler
You’ re right Moon, but over the years, the military services have kept raising the bar on what constitutes sufficient “heroism” to be awarded the MOH. Some 60% have been awarded posthumously. Here is what the Army says: . “The Medal of Honor is awarded by the President in the name of Congress to a person who, while a member of the Army, distinguishes himself or herself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life or her life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States; while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. The deed performed must have been one of personal bravery or self-sacrifice so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the individual above his comrades and must have involved risk of life. Incontestable proof of the performance of the service will be exacted and each recommendation for the award of this decoration will be considered on the standard of extraordinary merit”.
Apparently there have been 19 occasions when a person has received more tha one MOH.
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