Veteran tracks stolen and forgotten Medals of Honor

Vietnam Veteran Doug Sterner (homeofheroes.com)

The Vietnam veteran and former Army combat engineer, Doug Sterner has spent years researching valor medals — including the Medal of Honor and Distinguished Service Cross — that have been presented to the nation’s service members.

Sterner estimates he’s documented about 105,000 of the nearly 350,000 medals above the Bronze Star and up to the Medal of Honor that have been award­ed. He is so dedicated to his quest that he and his wife moved from their hometown of Pueblo, Colo., to Alexandria, where they could be closer to records stored at the National Archives, Quantico Ma­rine Corps base, the Washington Navy Yard and other locations holding details.

“We were doing patriotic activi­ties in our home town of Pueblo,” Sterner said. “We were bringing in Medal of Honor recipients to meet with the kids.”

That work led Sterner to es­tablish his own website, homeofheroes.com, which focused on Medal of Honor recipients.

In the process of establishing the website, Sterner kept run­ning across people who were falsely claiming to have received the medal. That led him to get involved with the FBI, where he worked with agents on stolen valor cases.

Soon, the Army Center for Military History and the Medal of Honor Society joined Sterner and launched their own websites that listed Medal of Honor recipients.

“It was very quick and very easy to vet anyone who falsely claimed a Medal of Honor,” he said.

Then Sterner noticed a shift in stolen valor cases, as more and more people began falsely claiming to have received service crosses.

“It’s not about stolen valor, it’s about forgotten valor,” he said.

Just last month, the Depart­ment of Defense announced that it would begin building its own database, a move that Sterner applauds. (See article: Pentagon launches Medal of Honor database)

“When you start reading cita­tions, you know stories come alive,” he said. 

Read the full article by Julia Ledoux, Veteran tracks valor medals, stolen and forgotten

Marines of Honor: A look at the Corps and the Medal of Honor

On July 10, 1863, Cpl. John F. Mackie became the first Marine to receive the Medal of Honor. The Medal of Honor, which is the highest U.S. military award for bravery, has been awarded 298 times to 296 Marines from the Civil War to present day.

The medal has been awarded to Marines like Pfc. Albert E. Schwab, who used his flame thrower to demolish a hostile gun position in World War II and continued his one-man assault to destroy two Japanese gun positions before his death. Another Marine, 1st Lt. Ernest C. Williams, rushed a fortress gate in the Dominican Republic in 1916 with only eight men. With eight of his party wounded, he pressed on, threw himself against the door just as the Dominicans were closing it and forced an entry. He and his men disposed of the guards and within a few minutes had gained control of the fort and the one hundred prisoners confined there.

The most recent Medal of Honor went to Sgt. Dakota Meyer for his actions in Afghanistan in 2009. Join us as we look back on the other Marines who, over the past 149 years, have bravely fought in the pursuit of freedom and justice.

Click here to view full image on the Official Marine Corps blog

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Pentagon launches Medal of Honor database

The Defense Department unveiled a new website on July 25th, 2012 that honors service members’ highest acts of valor.

The site -- at http://valor.defense.gov -- is designed to raise awareness of service members’ heroism and to help deter those who falsely claim military honors, officials said.

Recognizing those who have served so honorably remains the crux of the DOD effort, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said. “One of the most important things we can do for all veterans is to honor the service of those who have gone above and beyond the call of duty,” he added.

Ultimately, officials said, the intent of the website is to honor soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who received the highest valor awards in operations since Sept. 11, 2001. These are the Medal of Honor, service crosses and the Silver Star. The listing covers only awards since Sept. 11, 2001. The site currently lists only those awarded the Medal of Honor, and will expand to include the other awards, officials said.

“It is essential that we honor and recognize our service members’ achievements, while maintaining the integrity of our award data,” said Erin C. Conaton, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness. “We are working quickly to compile accurate information on the heroes of the post-9/11 conflicts. At the same time, we will work with the military services to identify and seek to address the challenges associated with compiling data from earlier conflicts.”

$100 million National Medal of Honor Museum envisioned for Patriots Point

Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum announced plans this week that it has entered into an agreement with the Congressional Medal of Honor Society to develop a permanent landside location for the National Medal of Honor Museum on Charleston Harbor.

The endeavor - arguably the most significant decision to come from Patriots Point in decades - will have a lasting positive economic impact on the Charleston area and South Carolina, and will serve to inspire generations of Americans.

“We are honored that the Congressional Medal of Honor Society has recognized our unique mission and location.” Chandler continued. “Every South Carolinian should be proud that the recipients of our nation’s highest honor selected our state and Patriots Point as the home of their legacy.”

The PPDA Board and the Congressional Medal of Honor Society will jointly seek Congressional designation of the site as the National Medal of Honor Museum.

Chandler also announced that an organizing committee has been selected to begin the process of creating the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation. Organizing Committee members include Wayne Adams, PPDA Board Vice Chair and Chairman of the Development Committee; Darwin Simpson, PPDA Board Member and Chairman of the Finance and Personnel Committee; Carlyle Blakeney, Chairman of the Patriots Point Foundation; Major General James E. Livingston, Medal of Honor recipient and member of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society; and George Patton Waters, member of the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation.

The National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation will hold a lease from PPDA for the property and will be responsible for raising funds to design, build and operate the museum. No operating funds from Patriots Point Development Authority will be used for construction or operation of the museum.

The project is expected to cost more than $100 million. In addition, the museum will be supported by a multi-million dollar hospitality and consumer component that will feature a world-class destination hotel with amenities, including a conference center.

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