Order of Honor for which they are awarded. State awards of Russia

It started its formation in 1994. Naturally, most of the elements remained from the USSR. Nevertheless, a lot was also taken from the award system of the Russian Empire. This was supposed to be an indication that modern Russia is the successor to the pre-revolutionary era. A separate presidential decree, issued on March 2, 1994, decided that the following medals and orders are considered the most significant Russian Federation:

• Holy Apostle Andrew the Primordial;
• "For Merit to the Fatherland" (presented in four degrees);
• Friendship;
• Honor;
• Zhukov;
• Courage;
• "For Military Merit"

The Order of St. George became the highest military award, and a distinction was also established - the famous St. George Cross (in the official hierarchy it is above all medals, but below orders). Additionally, the orders named after Nakhimov, Alexander Nevsky and other great commanders were introduced, but they are considered “sleeping”, since they can be earned only in the event of an open confrontation between the country and an external enemy.

Both public and departmental awards were also introduced. Subsequently, insignia of special distinction were established, which occupied the highest level in the hierarchy, taking first place.

Highest awards giving the owner a special status

There are only two such awards, and they refer to medals:

All these awards form a separate type and are awarded together with the corresponding highest title, which makes them the most honorable among all existing ones. Naturally, common man you have to work very hard to get them.

Most Honorary Orders

Orders can be awarded not only to the military, but also to civilians, whose actions contribute to increasing the prosperity and glory of the state.

This order can be awarded to public, statesmen, as well as active citizens, whose actions have made it possible to seriously strengthen the glory, prosperity and fame of Russia. The military, who were awarded this order for participating in hostilities, receive a slightly different option - with swords.

Also, this order can be earned by the heads of foreign states for outstanding actions that were extremely useful for the Russian Federation. It is supposed to be worn on the shoulder ribbon, moreover, it is customary to place it on the right shoulder, or on the order chain. The star of the order should be located on the left side of the chest, slightly below the order blocks and slightly to the left of the other orders.

The Order of St. George is considered the highest military award. It has been awarded again since it was abolished in 1917. Only officers who managed to successfully carry out a series of operations that ended in the complete destruction of enemy troops and became a real model of military tactics are entitled to receive it. In total, the order has 4 degrees, the first is the highest, moreover, they are assigned sequentially. Those who were awarded only the III and IV degrees have the right to wear only the badge itself, while the orders of the II and I degrees wear it along with the star.

The Order is a general civil award that citizens of the Russian Federation can earn for special merits that have made it possible to strengthen statehood, improve the socio-economic situation in the country, make a breakthrough in the scientific field, seriously develop culture, art, and also for particularly outstanding achievements in sports activities. In addition, the order is issued for significant assistance in improving relations with other countries, as well as for actions that made it possible to increase the defense capability of the Russian Federation.

The order has four degrees at once, the awarding also takes place in sequential order. First comes the IV degree, then the III, and so on. The order is awarded to the military in a slightly different version, in particular, it has an image of swords.

Medals of the Russian Federation

In fact, medals are no less an honorary award than orders, although they are often located lower in the hierarchy. Most modern medals were established as early as 1994, but some of them were gradually introduced throughout 1999, 2007, 2010 and 2015.

Refers to military awards. Military personnel and employees can receive it law enforcement or the Ministry of Emergency Situations for displaying extraordinary courage and bravery during situations that could be life-threatening.

In the original interpretation, it was a military award, according to which the medal was intended for the soldiers of the Red Army and its civilian staff, as well as partisans and members of the underground, who managed to achieve great success in the fight against the fascist invaders and Japanese militarists.

Subsequently, in 2010 a new provision was made. Now the military, who have shown courage and remarkable courage in battles in the name of defending the Fatherland, can be honored to receive this medal. In addition, this medal is awarded to persons who have shown excellent combat training in exercises.

Pushkin medal

The award was established on May 9, 1999 and was intended for citizens of the Russian Federation and foreigners whose merits in promoting mass culture and education have reached really great heights. Also, the award is given for a serious contribution to the study, as well as the subsequent preservation of cultural heritage, the rapprochement of two different cultures.

Usually, the medal is awarded to figures who have been engaged in social and humanitarian activities for more than 20 years and were able to make their own, significant contribution there. The Pushkin medal is supposed to be worn on the left side of the chest, and if the recipient has other awards of the Russian Federation, then it should always be below the Nesterov medal.

Conclusion

This is exactly what the most famous medals and orders of the Russian Federation look like. Each of these insignia is a kind of reminder of the actions of the bearer. In addition, medals give their owner a special status and honor, since in order to deserve them, it is necessary to perform a truly great feat, which will subsequently lead to such an award.

The statute and description of the order were approved on June 1, 1995. The author of the drawing of the award is the artist GV Solominov. Candidate of Historical Sciences P.K. Kornakov took part in the development of projects for the new Russian order.

The Order of Honor comes from the Soviet Order of the Badge of Honor, established by the Decree of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR of November 25, 1935. The new Statute was approved by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of March 28, 1980, and from December 28, 1988 it was renamed the Order of Honor. This award had a very wide range of merits - from rewarding for achieving high labor productivity to merits in the development of economic, scientific, technical, cultural and other ties between the USSR and other states.

In the system of awards of the Russian Federation, the Order of Honor received a similar purpose, but its appearance was completely changed. The Order of Honor in the system of state awards is complemented by honorary titles of the Russian Federation, which mark the merits of citizens in their professional activities. These awards are signs of respect and honor towards the recipient. They mean that their owners enjoy well-deserved respect from society.

The Order of Honor is awarded to citizens for high achievements in the state, industrial, research, socio-cultural, social and charitable activities, which made it possible to significantly improve the living conditions of people, for merits in the training of highly qualified personnel, the upbringing of the younger generation, and the maintenance of law and order.

The first holders of the award were 11 participants of the XVII Winter Olympic Games - athletes, coaches, workers of physical culture and sports (Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of April 22, 1994). Among them is the President of the Russian Olympic Committee V.G. Smirnov, President of the National Sports Fund of Russia Sh.A. Tarpishchev, Honored Master of Sports O.V. Grischuk.

Among the holders of the order: the President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin (03/12/1996, in the position of First Vice-Premier of the Government of St. Petersburg); Governor of St. Petersburg V.I. Matvienko (at the time of the award - Director of the Department for Relations with the Subjects of the Federation, Parliament and Social and Political Organizations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation); the first president of the USSR M.S. Gorbachev (28.02.2001); President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry E.M.Primakov (29.10.2004); Major General A.M. Davydov and Captain 1st Rank S.A. Ryazanov (Pacific Fleet); governors - D.F. Ayatskov (Saratov region), A.S. Belyakov (Leningrad region), V.A. Yakovlev (St. Petersburg); Deputy of the State Duma A.N. Shokhin; chief military prosecutor Colonel-General of Justice Yu.G. Demin; Chairman of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation VV Gerashchenko; State King of Arms GV Vilinbakhov; Rector of the Far Eastern State University V.I.Kurilov; cosmonauts V.V. Tereshkova and P.R. Popovich; small arms designer I.Ya. Stechkin; writers and poets V.A. Korotich, S.V. Mikhalkov, I.R. Reznik, M.I. Tanich; People's Artists - A.G. Abdulov, O.A. Aroseva, N.G. Babkina, L.A. Dolina, E.I. Zharikov, A.V. Zbruev, N.P. , M.A. Ladynina, I. P. Miroshnichenko, S. V. Mishulin, I. V. Muravieva, S. V. Nemolyaeva, E. V. Petrosyan, E. Yu. Steblov, G. G. Taratorkin, S S. Yursky; musicians of the Time Machine group; sculptor E. Unknown; Honored Masters of Sports P. V. Bure, A. V. Kasatonov, L. S. Latynina, A. N. Maltsev, A. P. Ragulin, V. A. Fetisov, F. F. Cherenkov; mothers of large families F. M. Zlobina and L. A. Makeeva.

Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of July 5, 1999 No. No. 869 "for a great personal contribution to the socio-economic development of the region" the Governor of the Kemerovo region A.M. Tuleev was awarded the Order of Honor. He refused to accept the award, saying: “I simply cannot, in principle, accept awards from the government, which plunged the country into poverty. Hang me from head to toe with orders and medals, I won’t change my convictions for orders at such a price. ” A year later, on September 20, 2000, Aman Tuleev received this order from the hands of the President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin.

Some political figures have also been awarded the Order of Honor former USSR. Among them - the former Minister of Justice of the USSR and Chairman of the Supreme Court of the USSR V.I.Terebilov; former Minister of Defense of the USSR Marshal of the Soviet Union D.I.Yazov; former member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR, and now a member of the Presidium of the Council of the All-Russian Public Organization of War, Labor, Armed Forces and Law Enforcement Veterans V.I. Vorotnikov, who received an award for his 75th birthday. By the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of February 28, 2001, the first President of the USSR MS Gorbachev was awarded the Order of Honor. The award was timed to coincide with his 70th birthday.

In connection with the 100th anniversary of his birth, the Order of Honor was awarded to Colonel General of the Signal Corps I.T. Bulychev, Lieutenant General of the Engineering Troops A.Ya. Kalyagin and Lieutenant General of Artillery S.E. Popov. Another 55 participants in the Great Patriotic War were awarded this award by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of April 28, 1995.

The Order of Honor was awarded to 7 participants in the liquidation of the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (Decree of 10.04.1996). 23 people were awarded on July 6, 1995 for their participation in reconstruction work in Chechnya. By decree of the President of the Russian Federation of September 18, 1995, 18 employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation were awarded the Order of Honor for eliminating the consequences of an earthquake in the city of Neftegorsk, Sakhalin Region.

The Order of Honor was awarded to 34 ministers of the church. Among them - the rector of the Church of the Ascension of the Lord at the Nikitsky Gates in Moscow, Archpriest V.I. Divakov, rector of the Russian St. Panteleimon Monastery on Mount Athos (Greece) Archimandrite Jeremiah (Ya.F. Alekhin), rector of the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg Archpriest P.G. Krasnotsvetov, Rector of the Epiphany Cathedral, Archpriest M.S. Stadnyuk, Metropolitan Yuvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna (V.K. Poyarkov), Chief Rabbi of Russia A.S. part of Russia Ravil Gainutdin (R.I. Gainutdinov).

The Chief Physician of the Republican Infectious Diseases Hospital of the Republic of Dagestan S.M. Magomedov was posthumously awarded the Order of Honor (Decree of 22.12.1995).

The Order of Honor was awarded to 12 foreign citizens, incl. President of the International Olympic Committee J.A. Samaranch (Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of June 25, 2001), citizen of Liechtenstein Baron E.A. K. Kinoshitu (Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of September 4, 2005) and 5 citizens of Ukraine. Among the latter are People's Artist of the USSR S.M. Rotaru (Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of August 7, 2002), President of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine B.N. Paton (Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of January 19, 2004).

An unprecedented case in the award system of modern Russia is connected with the Order of Honor. The fact is that according to the Regulations on State Awards of the Russian Federation, the awarding of orders to labor collectives and various state entities is not provided for. However, by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. The Order of Honor was awarded to the Moscow Sovremennik Theater. The team was awarded this award "for its great contribution to modern theatrical art, merits in the aesthetic education of youth and wide public recognition."

Manufacturing options:

type 1. The MMD stamp is narrow, round, located at the bottom, under the line of the number.

type 2. The MMD stamp is narrow, round, located in the center, in the middle between two rivets.

type 3. The MMD stamp is narrow, round, located on the reverse below the line, at the level of cuts in the center of the lower beam.

One of the highest state awards today is the Order of Honor. Its establishment took place in accordance with the Decree of the Russian President No. 442 of 03/02/1994. The same Decree adopted the Statute and the description of this award. Five years later, on January 6, 1999, the President of the country signed Decree No. 19, according to which the statute and description were changed.

Award Statute

Persons with notable achievements in one of the areas of activity, in particular, state, public, charity, etc., can become holders of the Order of Honor, if, thanks to these achievements, the living conditions of people have become much better. The order is also awarded to people related to the training of highly qualified specialists, maintaining the rule of law, etc.

On April 12, 2012, the Statute was again amended. Since then, a person can count on receiving the Order of Honor only if he has previously been awarded another Russian state award.

Wearing rules

On the uniform, the order is attached to the left. His place is for the Order of Naval Merit, of course, if there is one. There is a miniature version of the award. It can be used for everyday wear or any special situations. It is placed next to a similar copy of the Order of Naval Merit.

If a person wears a uniform, the ribbon of the order is placed on the bar. On civilian clothes, the award looks like a rosette. The latter is attached to the left.

What does the reward look like?

The material from which the badge of the Order of Honor is minted is silver. Its surface is covered with bright blue enamel. The sign is made in the form of an 8-pointed cross. At the intersection of the rays - a medallion in the form of a circle. Its field is covered with enamel white color, on it is placed the Russian state emblem. Along the perimeter of the medallion is a wreath of laurel branches. The cross section of the badge of the order is 4.2 centimeters.

The back of the badge is not enameled. Since the award is numbered, there is a “No. _” icon at the bottom. After it, the number of the order should be engraved.

The badge has a 5-angle block. Its surface is covered with cornflower blue moire ribbon. On the right side there is one narrow 2.5 mm longitudinal white stripe. It is located at a distance of 0.5 cm from the right edge of the ribbon.

The miniature copy of the award also has a block. The rays of the cross are 1.54 cm apart from each other. The height of the block is 1.92 cm. The bar that is worn on the form has a height of 8 mm. Ribbon width - 2.4 cm.

When the order is worn in the form of a rosette, a miniature badge is attached to it. It is metal and enamel. The rays of the cross are 1.3 cm apart from each other. The cross section of the rosette is 1.5 cm.

Persons awarded

The Order of Honor was awarded to many famous personalities, including V.V. Putin. His knights were representatives of various fields of activity: actors, military personnel, singers, doctors, etc. Three people were awarded the Order of Honor twice. Among the winners of the award:

• L. Akhedzhakova. Born in 1938. Actress. People's Artist of the Russian Federation. The Nika Prize was awarded twice. She played roles in several popular films.
• N. Babkina. Born in 1960. Singer. People's Artist of the RSFSR. Founder and artistic director of the Russian Song ensemble.
• D. Banionis. Born in 1924, died in 2014. Actor. People's Artist of the USSR. Performer of roles in many famous paintings.
• V. Belov. Born in 1932, died in 2012. Writer. One of the best representatives of "village prose".
• I. Bogacheva. Born in 1939. Opera singer. People's Artist of the USSR. Soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre.
• V. Vinokur. Born in 1948, Russian comedian. People's Artist of the RSFSR. Manages the state theater of parodies.
• O. Gazmanov. Born in 1952. Singer. People's Artist of the Russian Federation. 7 times became the owner of the Ovation award.
• G. Marquez. Born in 1927, died in 2014. World famous Colombian writer.
• M.S. Gorbachev. Year of birth - 1931. The first and only president of the Soviet Union.
• R. Kadyrov. Born in 1976. Son of A. Kadyrov, the first president of Chechnya. He has been the head of Chechnya since 2007.
• S. Lavrov. Born in 1950. Since 2004 he has been head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• V. Medinsky. Born in 1970. Since 2012 he has been the head of the Ministry of Culture.
• L. Roshal. Born in 1933. Pediatrician, professor. Head of the Research Institute of Pediatric Surgery.

Among the people who became owners of two orders:

• E. Plushenko. Born in 1982. Famous single skater. Champion of the Olympic Games, World, Europe, Russia.
• A. Antonov. Born in 1955. Since 2011 he has been Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation. Doctor of Political Sciences.
• S. Kolesnikov. Born in 1950. Full member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Professor in the field of medicine.

Order of the Badge of Honor

A similar award existed during the Soviet Union. It was established even before the start of the Second World War, in 1935. Awards continued until the end of the existence of the USSR. After that, this award was replaced by a new Order of Honor. At the same time, the numbering of the award remained continuous. In total, almost 1.6 million people received the order. Until 1988, the order was called the "Badge of Honor", then it was renamed simply the Order of Honor.

This award can be received for notable achievements in various fields of activity. It was awarded not only to Soviet citizens, but also to enterprises. Applicants for the order could be foreigners, as well as foreign enterprises.

The badge of the order was oval in shape. On both sides are oak branches. In the middle part there are two figures - male and female. In the hands of each of them are scarlet banners, on which one can read the slogan of the workers: "Proletarians of all countries, unite!". In the upper part of the sign there is a 5-ray, also a scarlet star. Under the asterisk are three-dimensional letters "USSR". At the very bottom of the obverse is the name of the badge: "Badge of Honor".

Ruby enamel is applied to the surface of the stars and banners. Edged with gold. All words are also gilded. Oak branches and the entire lower part of the sign are oxidized.

The badge of the order is silver. Its dimensions are 3.25 × 4.6 centimeters. He has a 5-coal block. It is covered with a light pink moire ribbon. Its edges are bordered with 3.5 mm orange stripes.

The order was often awarded to labor collectives. The first of these was the 2nd open-hearth shop of the metallurgical plant in Makeevka. Many people became holders of several orders. Among the winners of three awards are famous athletes: gymnast L. Latynina, skier G. Kulakova, Olympic champion in equestrian sport I. Kalita.

Medal of Honor (USA)

The similarly named medal is the highest American military award. It is presented for outstanding courage, which was demonstrated at the risk of life. Condition - it must be manifested in military operations against the enemies of the country. Each branch of the US Armed Forces is entitled to use its own design of the medal.

The establishment took place in the summer of 182. At first it was assumed that the Medal of Honor would be awarded only to soldiers and sergeants. After some time, officers were also subject to awards. The candidate must have served in the US Armed Forces, but does not have to be a US citizen. In the 19th century, 8 civilians also received the medal. Many medals were awarded during the civil war.

In 1918, other awards were also accepted in the USA, but the Medal of Honor has since been considered the highest military of them. The order of awarding was determined. This medal is awarded by the American president, the rest - only on his behalf. The award criteria have also been tightened. As a result, the number of holders of the mark has decreased.

When the 2nd World War began, the award began to be awarded only for exceptional bravery in battle. Over half of the awards were posthumous. The last military man to receive the medal was M. Thornton. This happened in 1972.

Related awards

Among the Russian state awards there are orders of a similar purpose, in particular:

• "For services to the Fatherland." Year of establishment - 1994. For several years it was considered the highest Russian order.
• "St. Apostle A. the First-Called. It was the first order in the Republic of Ingushetia, it was abolished in 1917. Since its restoration in 1998, it has become the highest state award.
• "A. Nevsky. The award existed both in the times of the Republic of Ingushetia and in the USSR. But until 2010, she had no status. The first award took place at the same time.

Tags: ,

Plan
Introduction
1 History of the medal
1.1 Creation
1.2 Award criteria
1.3 Discrimination in awards

2 Title
3 Presentation for the medal and awarding
4 Privileges conferred by the medal
5 Medal design
5.1 Navy
5.2 US Army
5.3 Air Force

6 Rules for wearing
7 Medal flag
8 Special legal status
9 Award statistics
Bibliography
Medal of Honor (USA)

Introduction

The Medal of Honor (USA) is the highest military award in the United States.

The medal is awarded for "outstanding gallantry and bravery, at the risk of life, and in excess of duty, in action against the enemies of the United States; in military operations involving confrontation with opposing foreign forces; or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in a military conflict with opposing military forces in which the United States is not a belligerent."

Every kind armed forces The US has the right to its own medal design, but in practice the Marine Corps and the Coast Guard use the design of the Navy.

1. History of the medal

1.1. Creation

The first military award of the United States is considered to be the military merit badge, approved by George Washington in 1782. She was no longer awarded after the end of the American War of Independence. During the Mexican-American War, American soldiers were awarded the Certificate of Merit, later given the status. Despite this, until the start of the American Civil War of 1861-1865, there was no award for individual heroism in combat.

Shortly after the outbreak of the Civil War, on December 9, 1861, a proposal to create such a medal was put forward by Iowa Senator James Grimes (Eng. James W. Grimes). On December 21, Grimes' proposal was passed by the Senate as Bill 82, and President Abraham Lincoln approved the creation of the Naval Medal of Valor. Navy Medal of Valor), which became the earliest version of the Medal of Honor. The design and production of the first two hundred medals were entrusted to the Mint in Philadelphia. First new award received Private Francis Brownell (Eng. Francis Edwin Brownell) for heroic actions on May 21, 1861.

February 17, 1862 Massachusetts Senator Henry Wilson Henry Wilson) introduced a bill of award for the enlisted and non-commissioned officers of the US Army. On July 12, 1862, a law was signed establishing the Medal of Honor for this type of troops and establishing the same name for the naval award. Originally intended to be awarded only for actions during the Civil War, Congress established the medal's permanent status in 1863.

1.2. Award Criteria

Initially, the award was intended only for soldiers and sergeants, changes to the statute of the medal allowing the medal to be awarded to army officers were made on March 3, 1863, and officers of the fleet and marines, only 52 years later - on March 3, 1915.

Since the establishment of the medal, it has been established that the recipient must be a member of the US armed forces (but does not have to have American citizenship). On December 21, 1861, the first military personnel were awarded - 6 participants in the Great Locomotive Race, while James Andrews himself, who led the operation, did not receive the award, as he was listed as a civilian. However, there are known exceptions to the rule:

Dr. Mary Walker

· In the 19th century, the medal was awarded to 8 civilians, including the only woman ever awarded the medal, Dr. Mary Walker, a contract surgeon in the army. The decree signed by President Johnson states that the award is for "valuable services rendered to the government and serious and unremitting efforts", but does not mention any act of heroism;

· symbolic awarding of the Unknown Soldiers of France, Belgium, Great Britain, Romania and Italy after the First World War;

· Pilot Charles Lindbergh was awarded the Medal of Honor for his transatlantic flight as a civilian.

In the 19th century, the Medal of Honor was not uncommon, as it was the only American military award at the time. During the Civil War, Secretary of War Stanton Edwin M Stanton) officially promised to award the Medal of Honor to every soldier of the 27th Maine Infantry Regiment who agreed to continue service beyond the agreed time. The regiment defended Washington during the Battle of Gettysburg. About three hundred people agreed to postpone the dismissal for 4 days, but due to a clerical error, all 864 soldiers of the regiment were awarded, including those who left the service and went home. During this period, more than two thousand medals were awarded - more than half of the awards in the history of the medal.

In the first half of the 20th century, the US Navy awarded the medal to servicemen who displayed bravery and heroism in peacetime, for example, seven sailors received awards for actions during the explosion of a steam boiler on the battleship Iowa in 1904. Especially for such cases, a special version of the medal was established in 1919, known as the "Maltese Cross" or "Tiffany Cross" (after the name of the company that developed the design), while original design It was supposed to be used exclusively for rewarding for actions in a combat situation. The cross was not very popular and was abolished in 1942. One of the reasons for the abolition, perhaps, was its external similarity with the German Iron Cross.

By decision of the Congress in 1916, a special commission was established, the task of which was to study the circumstances of all medal awards up to that time. The commission was composed of five retired US Army generals and was led by Lieutenant General Nelson Miles, who was awarded a medal during the Civil War. The commission published its conclusion on February 5, 1917, following the results of the work, 911 awards were annulled, including medals received by soldiers of the 27th regiment and all awards to civilians. Two of these have since been reinstated - in 1977 the Dr. Walker award was reinstated, and in 1989 the famed Wild West explorer scout "Buffalo Bill" Cody.

In 1918, the commander of the American expeditionary force in Europe, General Pershing, recommended that awards be established for less significant deeds, and the Medal of Honor should be awarded only for exceptional heroism. On July 9, 1918, Congress passed an act that established new awards, approved the Medal of Honor as the highest military award in the United States, regulated the procedure for its presentation and established the hierarchy of military awards. In particular, the act determines that only the Medal of Honor is awarded by the President of the United States on behalf of Congress, all other awards are awarded on behalf of the President, but not Congress.

After the First World War, the criteria for awarding the Medal of Honor were significantly tightened, as a result of which the number of those awarded also decreased. However, even after that, in 1926, Navy pilots Floyd Bennet (Eng. Floyd Bennett) and Richard Bird (eng. Richard E Byrd) for flying over the North Pole. Subsequently, Bird's flight diary was discovered, containing erased, but quite readable measurements of coordinates using a sextant, which showed that the pilots could not fly over the pole and knew about it.

With the outbreak of World War II, awards began to be made only for exceptional valor shown in a combat situation. Since then, more than 60% of the awards have been made posthumously. On July 23, 1963, changes were made to the statute of the medal, legislatively fixing the established practice in terms of award criteria.

The last soldier to be awarded during the Vietnam War was Navy SEAL Michael Thornton, who saved the life of his commander on October 31, 1972. After that, until 2010, all awards were made posthumously. The last awards were made during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. September 10, 2010 The White house announced that he would award the Medal of Honor to Salvatore Giunta, a living US Army sergeant, for his feat in 2007 in Afghanistan.

The last foreign citizen to be awarded the medal was Canadian Peter Lemon. Peter C. Lemon), who received a medal during the Vietnam War.

Among the awardees are Sergeant First Class Randall Shughart and Master Sergeant Gary Gordon, members of the Delta Special Forces who, during the battle in Mogadishu (UN peacekeeping operation in Somalia), sacrificed their lives protecting the crew of a downed MH-60 helicopter. This episode is depicted in the feature film Black Hawk Down.

1.3. Award Discrimination

Until the early 1990s, no black soldier was awarded the Medal of Honor for heroic deeds during the First and Second World Wars. The situation began to change only in 1991, when the medal was awarded to the relatives of Corporal Freddie Stowers, who died in the First World War. In 1993, a study by the US Army found racial discrimination in the criteria for awarding the Medal of Honor during World War II. It was decided to revise the number of awards of the Distinguished Service Cross (the second most important American military award), as a result of which in 1997 the Medals of Honor were awarded to 7 African Americans, and in 2000 the Medals of Honor were awarded to 21 veterans of Asian origin, including 20 participants of the Second World War with Japanese roots. In 2005, the Tibor Rubin Award was made (Eng. Tibor Rubin), a Korean War veteran of Jewish origin.

2. Title

A commemorative plaque erected in honor of the residents of the city who were awarded the medal. New York, Times Square

The official name of the award is the Medal of Honor. It is often referred to as the Medal of Honor of the US Congress, which is a mistake, although formally the President of the United States does indeed make the award on behalf of Congress. The error is so common that the Medal of Honor Society, established by act of Congress and signed by President Eisenhower, is called the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. (Congressional Medal of Honor Society)(English).

3. Presentation for the medal and awarding

The Medal of Honor is the only award that, in addition to normal procedure presentation of military personnel for an award by the command (in this case, the presentation must be approved at all levels of the command hierarchy, up to the President of the United States) provides for the presentation of a medal by one of the members of Congress (as a rule, at the initiative of his constituency). Such representation shall be approved by a special act of Congress.

The Medal of Honor is usually awarded by the President of the United States. In the case of a posthumous award, the medal is awarded to the closest relatives of the recipient.

4. Privileges conferred by the medal

Possession of the Medal of Honor gives a number of privileges to its owner:

Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon

The name of a member of the military who has received the Medal of Honor may be entered on a special Medal of Honor List, after which the member is entitled to request additional information from the Department of Veterans Affairs monthly pension($1,027, as of December 1, 2004).

Enlisted personnel continuing their service are additionally provided with uniforms;

10% increase in military pension;

free use of air transport subject to availability;

· children of persons awarded the Medal of Honor are enrolled in military academies, regardless of the availability of vacancies, provided that they meet all the requirements for candidates;

Retired military personnel who have been awarded the medal have the right to wear military uniforms "at their discretion." All other retired military personnel may only wear military uniforms to ceremonial occasions;

· A portrait of the recipient and a bronze plaque with the name are placed in the Hall of Heroes in the Pentagon.

In addition to the benefits and privileges enshrined in law, there is a tradition according to which other military personnel, including the President of the United States, are the first to salute the recipients of the medal when they meet, regardless of the seniority of military ranks.

5. Design of the medal

Early versions of the U.S. Navy Medal of Honor

Navy Medal of Honor is the oldest version of the award. Established December 21, 1861 under the name of the Medal of Valor (Medal of Valor). During its existence, it has undergone minimal design changes. Since the US Marine Corps does not have own version medals, its members are awarded the Navy Medal of Honor, as are members of the Coast Guard.

Maltese cross, better known as Cross Tiffany(named after the company that developed its design) was established in 1919 to honor peacetime heroism, while the Navy Medal of Honor itself remained an award for heroism in combat. The new medal was not very popular and was abolished in 1942.

United States Coast Guard Medal of Honor formally appeared in 1963, but was not assigned to anyone and at the moment does not even have its own design. The only member of the Coast Guard, signalman 1st class Douglas Munro (eng. Douglas Munro), awarded for participation in the battle for Guadalcanal, received a naval medal.

5.2. US Army

Early versions of the U.S. Army Medal of Honor

Army Medal of Honor was established on July 12, 1862. At first, it had minor differences from the Navy version. In 1896, the design of the ribbon was changed, and in 1904 the design of the medal itself was seriously changed. The first army version of the award was received by Private Jacob Parrot (Eng. Jacob Parrott) in 1862.

The modern US Army Medal of Honor is made of gilded bronze. It is an inverted five-pointed star, mounted on a green-enamelled ring in the form of laurel wreath. On each ray of a star is located green leaf clover. In the center of the star there is a round bas-relief with a profile image of the head of the goddess Minerva in a military helmet. Around the bas-relief is a flat ring with an engraved inscription "United States of America". The reverse side of the medal is engraved with the inscription "From the Congress" (The Congress To), below which there is a place for the name and surname of the recipient. The star is attached with two rays to a rectangular plate on which the word "Valor" (Valor) is engraved. Above the plate is a relief bald eagle (symbol of the United States), which is attached to a blue moire hexagon, on which there are 13 white stars (symbolizing the first 13 states that formed the United States). The Medal of Honor is worn on a blue moiré ribbon over the neck knot of a tie.

Air Force Medal of Honor developed in 1963 and established in 1965. Although the US Air Force separated from the army into a separate branch of service in 1947, all four Medals of Honor awarded to military pilots during the Korean War were of the army type. The new medal was first awarded to Major Bernard Fischer for rescuing a downed comrade on March 10, 1966 during the Vietnam War. It differs from the army version in a larger size, and instead of the head of Minerva, it depicts the head of the Statue of Liberty.

6. Rules for wearing

Socket for carrying with civilian clothing

On everyday military uniform instead of a medal, a block of the Medal is worn, it, in accordance with the status of the medal, should be the first from the right in the top row of blocks.

When a medal is awarded more than once, the second and subsequent medals are not worn, but a gold star for the naval medal and oak leaves for the army and air force variants are attached to the moire ribbon or block of the medal. This way of designating multiple awards of the same award is typical for the US armed forces.

For wearing with civilian clothing, a hexagonal rosette of the colors of the ribbon of the medal with 13 stars is provided.

7. Flag medal

Flag of the Medal of Honor

All military personnel awarded the Medal of Honor after October 23, 2003 must receive a special flag along with the medal. The flag was created by the US Army Institute of Heraldry based on a design developed on his own initiative by Vietnam War veteran 1st Sgt. Bill Kendall of Jefferson, Iowa. Kendall created his own version of the flag in honor of Captain Darell Lindsey (Eng. Darrell Lindsey), a B-26 bomber pilot who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor during World War II and was a native of the same city. The final version of the flag differs from the original design by the absence of the "Medal of Honor" inscription and gilded tassels. The colors and design of the flag repeat the ribbon of the medal. For the first time, the flag was officially presented to the family of Sergeant 1st Class Paul Smith, who was posthumously awarded during the Iraq War.

It is also supposed to give this flag to all living on this moment Veterans with the Medal of Honor. The first solemn ceremony of presenting the flags took place on September 30, 2006 on board the Constitution sailing ship.

8. Special legal status

The Medal of Honor is the only US award whose private resale or production of copies is prohibited by federal law. The same section of the law establishes a significantly more severe punishment for illegal wearing of the Medal of Honor than is provided for other US awards.

In 1996, Lordship Industries Lordship Industries), which produced medals for the government, was fined $80,000 for illegally manufacturing and selling 300 medals.

In 2003, the spouses Edward and Gisela Fedora (Eng. Edward and Gisela Fedora), citizens of Canada, were arrested by the FBI for attempting to sell several medals. Subsequently, Edward Fedora was sentenced to prison.

Unlike the illegal wearing of a medal, false claims of awards (unless they are made to receive related material benefits) are not a crime, and veterans' organizations are fighting such phenomena. According to some reports, the number of impostors exceeds the number of those actually awarded the medal.

9. Statistics of awards

In parentheses are the years of US involvement in these armed conflicts:

In total, during the existence of the Medal of Honor, it was awarded 3469 times, and 19 people were awarded twice (all in the 19th century).

Bibliography:

1. Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter 5, Army Regulation, Part 578--Decorations, Mmedals, Ribbons, and Similar Ddevices. U.S. government printing office.

2. A Brief History - The Medal of Honor. U.S. Department of Defence.

3. History (English). Congressional Medal of Honor Society.

4. Symbolism. Congressional Medal of Honor Society.

5. Medal of Honor Recipients Civil War (M-Z) (English). U.S. Army Center of Military History.

6. Medal of Honor Recipients authorized by Special Acts of Congress. U.S. Army Center of Military History.

7. Medal of Honor Statistics. U.S. Army Center of Military History.

8. Medal of Honor Recipients Interim Awards 1901-1911. U.S. Army Center of Military History.

9. Tiffany Cross U.S. Navy.

10. Medal of Honor History (English). National Medal of Honor Museum of Military History.

11. DIO's Bird Report (English) // DOI. The International Journal of Scientific History. - 2000. - T. 10. - P. 40-42. - ISSN 1041-5440.

12. Living Soldier to receive Medal of Honor for action in Afghanistan. The US Army.

13. Official information on the website of the US Department of Defense (English)

14. Recommendation Process of the Medal of Honor. The U.S. army.

15. Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter 32, Part 53 - Wearing of the Uniform, §53.1. U.S. government printing office.

16. Federal Code, section 32, vol. 2, § 578 (eng.)

17. 5301-5319 Awards, 10. Section 3: Identification Bages/Awards/Insignia Awards. 10. Ribbons. Navy Personnel Command.

18. Army Regulation 670–1. Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia. Chapter 29. Official Department of the Army Publications and Forms.

19. "Old Ironsides" hosts Medal of Honor recipients. Air force news.

21. Company fined for illegal medal production - CNN

22. Message on the official website of the FBI (eng.)

24. According to the U.S. Army Medal of Honor History Center

Each state has a number of awards that encourage the citizens of this country. The United States is no exception, in this state a certain award system has been developed, which we will consider today. We were particularly interested in the highest award in the United States, which traces its history back to the time of the Civil War.

US reward system

Historically, the US state award system is built around military awards. Civilians can receive awards from various foundations, organizations and companies. It is quite rare for a state to include its citizens in the list of individuals who receive awards for their contribution to the peaceful life of America.

This fact distinguishes the United States from many other countries where the award system is more focused on ordinary citizens. All awards are not divided into orders and medals. They make up a structure that is divided only by the internal hierarchical system.

Military awards

In addition to American soldiers, the American State Award can also be awarded to foreign citizens who have especially distinguished themselves in military operations aimed at the good of the country. In the entire history of the existence of the state, there were no more than three such cases.

All US military awards can be divided according to the characteristics of the body that decides on the nomination for the award, into the following categories:

• federal;
• by type

Naturally, in the hierarchy of awards, federal insignia are more significant. In addition, all awards can be conditionally divided into:

• personal;
• collective.

Personal awards are presented to a soldier for personal services to the country, he is the only representative of his unit who has such an encouragement. Collective awards are worn by all military personnel of the unit, as they are the property of the entire unit as a whole.

Interestingly, in cases where an American soldier is awarded the same insignia several times, he wears only one award, and there are stripes indicating the number next to him. It indicates the amount of rewards.

If a soldier has several different military awards, then they should be arranged in order of seniority:

• personal;
• collective;
• campaign related awards;
• foreign.

The highest US award is the most important and significant in the hierarchy. I want to talk about it in more detail.

Medal of Honor: the highest honor in the United States

It is not only the highest possible, but also the very first award of this level in the history of the state. Now it is awarded to military personnel who, during the performance of combat missions, managed to significantly exceed their duty. Their actions are classified as heroic.

For the first time, the issue of creating awards was raised during the war for independence. During this period, there was a need to encourage soldiers who distinguished themselves in battle. In addition, the creation of the first award would indicate that the English colony is acquiring the status of a separate state with its own heraldry and award system.

But until the Civil War of the sixties of the nineteenth century, awards were limited to a small badge. The original version of the Medal of Honor provided for awarding only military personnel. navy. Two years later, a draft award for the ground forces was developed. The US government planned to award this distinction only for participation in the battles of the Civil War, but later the medal passed into the status of the highest state ones. The highest award in the United States currently has several design options, depending on the type of troops to which it will be intended.

Due to her characteristics, which provide for incredible heroism, more than half of the soldiers presented for the award had the status of "posthumous". The medal is a gold star with Minerva's head attached to a blue ribbon adorned with silver stars.

Purple Heart Medal (US award)

There are awards in the system of this state, about which all Americans have a common opinion. "Purple Heart" - an award that appeared during the years of the war for independence. He invented and developed it by honoring three officers with this distinction.

In wartime, the medal was a piece of purple fabric that was sewn onto a soldier's uniform. But after the end of the war, this award was forgotten for more than a hundred years. Only in the thirties of the last century they returned to it and developed new design. Now the medal looks like a bronze heart with a profile of Washington, attached to a purple ribbon.

The Purple Heart is awarded posthumously or after being severely wounded in battle.

Civic awards

The US Congressional Gold Medal is one of America's highest and virtually the only state civilian awards. It was designed by George Washington in 1776 as a military decoration. But already in the second half of the nineteenth century, it passed into the category of civilians. Now it is awarded for special services to the people of the United States.

In parallel with this award, there is the Presidential Medal of Freedom. It is presented personally by the President and is a recognition of merit in the field of security and maintenance of world peace. It is also considered the highest award.