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The Medal of Honor It is the greatest honor that can be bestowed upon an American. An American President once said it was greater even than becoming President of the United States. Unlike any other Award, those few who have received it, never sought it at all. They never for a minute believed they deserved it. More than half gave their very life in the act for which they were later awarded this, the nation’s highest honor. And, in every case they sacrificed their lives solely to save the lives of the men by their side. Of those who survived to receive the Award, only a few became household names or went on to fame and fortune. The stories of a few became the stuff of legend – The Great Locomotive Chase…Chamberlain’s Charge at Gettysburg…Doolittle’s Raid over Tokyo… The lives of a few came to define the very meaning of hero in America – Audie Murphy, Alvin York, Eddie Rickenbacker… But some others - we know not even their names… (Tomb of the Unknowns) The vast majority never made the history books. Most went quietly home to the towns and cities they loved across America. Still others lived out their remaining years in poverty and obscurity, all but forgotten by the nation for which they sacrificed so much. All of them, though, lived humbly, the burden of such an honor almost more than they could bear. Of the over 40 million men and women who have served in our nation’s Armed Forces, there stands above all a group of under 3500 individuals – our nation’s recipients of the Medal of Honor. Only about 100 remain alive today. Promotional Trailer for "The Medal" Documentary
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