Presidential Medal of Freedom

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The Presidential Medal of Freedom

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award in the United States and is bestowed by the President of the United States. It is designed to recognize individuals who have made an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors. Though a civilian award created by executive order (rather than by a decision of the Joint Chiefs of Staff), the Medal can be bestowed upon (and worn by) military personnel.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom ranks second only to the Medal of Honor issued by the Congress of the United States, which is the nation's highest military award. Unlike the Medal of Honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom is generally not awarded for solitary actions. The award is conferred only after careful deliberation of a lifetime of service from a distinguished career.[1]

History of the award

It was established by President Harry Truman in 1945 to honor service during World War II.[2] President John F. Kennedy revived the medal in 1963 through Executive Order 11085, and expanded its purpose.[3]

President Ronald Reagan presents Mother Teresa with the Medal of Freedom

The revival occurred in 1962 following a Gallup poll indicating that Americans favored the establishment of some sort of National Honors List to recognize individuals who made outstanding contributions to United States life in such endeavors as the arts, science, literature, education, religion, or community service. Within three months of the release of the poll results, President Kennedy created the Presidential Medal of Freedom.[4]

The medal is awarded annually, on or near the Fourth of July, and at other times as chosen by the President. Recipients are selected by the President, either on his initiative or based on recommendations. The order reviving the medal also expanded the size and the responsibilities of the Distinguished Civilian Service Awards Board so it could serve as a major source of such recommendations.

Unlike many other U.S. awards, the Presidential Medal of Freedom can be awarded to non-U.S. citizens.

The medal may be awarded to an individual more than once (for example, John Kenneth Galbraith and Colin Powell), and may also be awarded posthumously (for example, John F. Kennedy and Roberto Clemente).

Another award that is considered its equivalent is the Congressional Gold Medal, which is bestowed by an act of Congress.

Insignia

Medal and other accoutrements including undress ribbon, miniature, and tie clasp.

The badge of the Presidential Medal of Freedom is in the form of a golden star with white enamel, with a red enamel pentagon behind it; the central disc bears thirteen gold stars on a blue enamel background (taken from the Great Seal of the United States) within a golden ring. Golden American Eagles with spread wings stand between the points of the star. It is worn around the neck on a blue ribbon with white edge stripes.

A special grade of the medal, known as the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction, has the above mentioned medal worn as a star on the left chest; in addition, the above-mentioned ribbon is worn as a sash on the right shoulder, with its rosette (blue with white edge, bearing the central disc of the medal at its center) resting on the left hip.

The medal may also be worn on the above-mentioned ribbon on the left chest, with a silver American eagle with spread wings on the ribbon (or a golden eagle if a medal "With Distinction").


First recipients

Established by President Harry Truman in 1945 to honor service during WWII the three people who were the first recipients were all women and only one was an American citizen.

  • Anna M. Rosenberg— began her specific association with defense-related labor issues in the early 1940s with appointments to the Manpower Consulting Committee of the Army and Navy Munitions Board and the War Manpower Commission. This experience was deepened in July 1944 when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt sent her to Europe to make manpower observations about the American military. For her service to Presidents Roosevelt and Truman, Rosenberg would be awarded the Medal of Freedom.
  • Andrée de Jongh—with the help of her father, Frederic de Jongh, she established the Belgian escape network for returning fighting men, particularly shot down airman, to Britain. The route (known as the Comet Line) went from Brussels, through France to the Pyrenees, then Bilbao before arriving at the British consulate in Madrid.
  • Marie Louise Dissard—She was 60 when she joined the French resistance. She became the leader of an escape route with stations in Paris, Marseilles and Perpignan, helping 250 airmen out, 110 of them while she herself was in hiding. Before that, she traveled through France, looking like any other elderly woman, arranging lodgings, accompanying escapees and setting up contacts.

Diversity of recipients

President George W. Bush will award the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor on Wednesday June 23, 2004, to Mormon Church President Gordon B. Hinckley, actress Doris Day, golfer Arnold Palmer, politician Edward Brooke, historian Vartan Gregorian, National Geographic Society Chairman Gilbert Grosvenor, cosmetics mogul Estee Lauder, actress Rita Moreno, ophthalmology researcher Arnall Patz, journalist Norman Podhoretz and economist and banker Walter Wriston the White House announced Friday.

See also

  • List of notable Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients
  • Presidential Citizens Medal
  • Légion d'honneur
  • Order of Canada
  • Order of Merit
  • Awards and decorations of the United States military

Notes

  1. The Presidential Medal of Freedom History, Medaloffreedom.com. Retrieved May 28, 2008.
  2. Executive Order 9590, signed 21 July 1945;Federal Register 10 FR 9203, July 25, 1945
  3. Executive Order 11085, signed 22 February 1963; Federal Register 28 FR 1759, February 26, 1963
  4. The Presidential Medal of Freedom History, Medaloffreedom.com. Retrieved May 28, 2008.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Wetterau, Bruce. 1996. The Presidential Medal of Freedom: winners and their achievements. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly. ISBN 1568021283
  • Billings, Melissa Stone, and Henry Billings. 1994. Presidential medal of freedom. Winners. Austin, TX: Steck-Vaughn. ISBN 081144791X
  • Hogan, Glenn P. 1996. The Presidential Medal of Freedom. Ann Arbor, MI: G.P. Hogan. ISBN 0965360202

External links


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