Medal of Honor - Similar Decorations Within The United States

Similar Decorations Within The United States

The following United States decorations, in one degree or another, bear similar names to the Medal of Honor, but are entirely separate awards with different criteria for issuance:

  • Cardenas Medal of Honor: decoration of the Revenue Cutter Service, merged into the United States Coast Guard
  • Chaplain's Medal for Heroism: awarded posthumously for a single action to four recipients
  • Congressional Gold Medal: the highest civilian honor bestowed by the United States (along with the Presidential Medal of Freedom)
  • Congressional Space Medal of Honor: intended for issuance to astronauts, but despite its name, it is not equal to the Medal of Honor
  • Presidential Medal of Freedom: the highest civilian honor bestowed by the United States (along with the Congressional Gold Medal)
  • The Southern Cross of Honor: a military decoration meant to honor the officers, noncommissioned officers, and privates of the Confederate States of America for their valor in the armed forces during the American Civil War. It was formally approved by the Congress of the Confederate States on October 13, 1862, and was originally intended to be on par with the Union Army's Medal of Honor.

Several United States law enforcement decorations bear the name "Medal of Honor". The Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor, established by Congress in 2001, stated to be "the highest National award for valor by a public safety officer", is also awarded by the President of the US.

Read more about this topic:  Medal Of Honor

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