Medal of Honor - Please Help!


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IN THE TREASURE CORNER - MEDAL OF HONOR

Bill Shaffer's story: He found a Medal of Honor, it was taken from him under false pretenses, and now he has a chance to get it back.

But he needs your help!

The missing clue that may win the day for Bill's case is a photograph that was printed in a treasure magazine 30 years ago. Do you have a copy?

Listen to Bill's story at http://thetreasurecorner.com, and if you can help, buzz me at danhughesmail@gmail.com.

Thank you!

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Grubstake is right on. There are those that try to BS people after securing one in one way or the other. The biggest mistake they make is not realizing that there is not just ONE MOH. There are actually several and if their story is bogus the Medal might just prove their BS. There is a square field of blue covered with white stars. There is the Star itself. In between them is the symbol indicating the branch in which the winner served. I've seen people get busted over this. They deserve to be shamed for LIFE!!!!

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The actual star on the MOH is very different for the 3 different military branches.

These are the current versions of the MOH as of 1944 and to date, before that they were different historical versions.

I couldn't find any laws stating that it was illegal for anyone other than the recipient or their family members to possessing the MOH, but it should be a law if it isn't, unless IMHO the recipient gave the MOH to someone, but it is illegal to for anyone other than the recipient for any unauthorized wearing of the MOH or claiming to be a recipient of the MOH, also it is illegal to sell and or manufacture a MOH medal as well as any other military medals or decorations, with penalties of up to $100,000 fine and imprisonment of 1 year in prison.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor

Army Navy Air Force

Medalsofhonor2.jpg

Appearance[edit]
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Army version
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Navy version
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Air Force version

There are three versions of the Medal of Honor, one for each of the military departments of the Department of Defense: Army, Navy, and Air Force. Members of the Marine Corps and Coast Guard are eligible to receive the Navy version. Each is constructed differently and the components are made from gilding metals and red brassalloys with some gold plating, enamel, and bronze pieces. The United States Congress considered a bill in 2004 which would require the Medal of Honor to be made with 90% gold, the same composition as the lesser-known Congressional Gold Medal, but the measure was dropped.[42]

Army recipients[edit]

The Army version is described by the Institute of Heraldry as "a gold five pointed star, each point tipped with trefoils, 1 12 inches [3.8 cm] wide, surrounded by a green laurel wreath and suspended from a gold bar inscribed VALOR, surmounted by an eagle. In the center of the star, Minerva’s head surrounded by the words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. On each ray of the star is a green oak leaf. On the reverse is a bar engraved THE CONGRESS TO with a space for engraving the name of the recipient."[43] The pendant and suspension bar are made of gilding metal, with the eye, jump rings, and suspension ring made of red brass.[44] The finish on the pendant and suspension bar is hard enameled, gold plated, and rose gold plated, with polished highlights.[44]

Navy, Marine, and Coast Guard recipients[edit]

The Navy version is described as "a five-pointed bronze star, tipped with trefoils containing a crown of laurel and oak. In the center is Minerva, personifying the United States, standing with left hand resting on fasces and right hand holding a shield blazoned with the shield from the coat of arms of the United States. She repulses Discord, represented by snakes. The medal is suspended from the flukes of an anchor."[43] It is made of solid red brass, oxidized and buffed.[45]

Air Force recipients[edit]

The Air Force version is described as "within a wreath of green laurel, a gold five-pointed star, one point down, tipped with trefoils and each point containing a crown of laurel and oak on a green background. Centered on the star, an annulet of 34 stars is a representation of the head of the Statue of Liberty. The star is suspended from a bar inscribed with the word VALOR above an adaptation of the thunderbolt from the Air Force Coat of Arms."[43] The pendant is made of gilding metal.[46] The connecting bar, hinge, and pin are made of bronze.[46] The finish on the pendant and suspension bar is hard enameled, gold plated, and rose gold plated, with buffed relief.[46]

Authority and privileges[edit]
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Medal of Honor monument and Medal of Honor headstones of the Civil War recipients of "Andrews Raid" at theChattanooga National Cemetery in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
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Medal of Honor gravemarker of a recipient at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial
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Medal of Honor headstone of a recipient at the Memphis National Cemetery

The four specific authorizing statutes amended July 25, 1963:[81]

The President may award, and present in the name of Congress, a medal of honor of appropriate design, with ribbons and appurtenances, to a person who while a member of the Army (naval service; Navy and Marine Corps) (Air Force) (Coast Guard), distinguished himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.[88]

Privileges and courtesies[edit]

The Medal of Honor confers special privileges on its recipients. By law, recipients have several benefits:[89][90]

  • Each Medal of Honor recipient may have his or her name entered on the Medal of Honor Roll (38 U.S.C. § 1560). Each person whose name is placed on the Medal of Honor Roll is certified to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs as being entitled to receive a monthly pension above and beyond any military pensions or other benefits for which they may be eligible. The pension is subject to cost-of-living increases; as of December 1, 2012, it is $1,259 a month.[91]
  • Enlisted recipients of the Medal of Honor are entitled to a supplemental uniform allowance.[92]
  • Recipients receive special entitlements to air transportation under the provisions of DOD Regulation 4515.13-R. This benefit allows the recipient to travel as he or she deems fit across geographical locations, and allows the recipient's dependents to travel either Overseas-Overseas, Overseas-Continental US, or Continental US-Overseas when accompanied by the recipient.[93]
  • Special identification cards and commissary and exchange privileges are provided for Medal of Honor recipients and their eligible dependents.[94]
  • Recipients receive a 10 percent increase in retired pay.[97]
  • Those awarded the medal after October 23, 2002, receive a Medal of Honor Flag. The law specified that all 103 living prior recipients as of that date would receive a flag.[98]
  • As with all medals, retired personnel may wear the Medal of Honor on "appropriate" civilian clothing. Regulations specify that recipients of the Medal of Honor are allowed to wear the uniform "at their pleasure" with standard restrictions on political, commercial, or extremist purposes (other former members of the armed forces may do so only at certain ceremonial occasions).[100]
  • Most states (40) offer a special license plate for certain types of vehicles to recipients at little or no cost to the recipient.[101] The states that do not offer Medal of Honor specific license plate offer special license plates for veterans for which recipients may be eligible.[102]
Saluting[edit]
  • Although not required by law or military regulation,[103] members of the uniformed services are encouraged to render salutes to recipients of the Medal of Honor as a matter of respect and courtesy regardless of rank or status and, if the recipients are wearing the medal, whether or not they are in uniform.[104] This is one of the few instances where a living member of the military will receive salutes from members of a higher rank.
Legal protection[edit]
  • 1904: The Army redesigned its Medal of Honor.[105] To prevent the making of copies of the medal, Brigadier General George Gillespie, Jr., a Medal of Honor recipient from the Civil War, applied for and obtained a patent for the new design.[105][106] General Gillespie received the patent on November 22, 1904,[106] and he transferred it the following month to the Secretary of War at the time, William Howard Taft.[105]
  • 1923: Congress enacted a statute (the year before the 20-year term of the patent would expire)—which would later be codified at 18 U.S.C. §704—prohibiting the unauthorized wearing, manufacturing, or sale of military medals or decorations.[107] In 1994, Congress amended the statute to permit an enhanced penalty if the offense involved the Medal of Honor.[108]
  • 2005: Congress enacted the Stolen Valor Act of 2005.[109] (Section 1 of the Act provided that the law could be cited as the "Stolen Valor Act of 2005", but the bill received final passage and was signed into law in 2006.[110]) The law amended 18 U.S.C. § 704 to make it a federal criminal offense for a person to deliberately state falsely that he or she had been awarded a military decoration, service medal, or badge.[111][112][113] The law also permitted an enhanced penalty for someone who falsely claimed to have been awarded the Medal of Honor.[113]
  • June 28, 2012: In the case of United States v. Alvarez, the Supreme Court of the United States held that the Stolen Valor Act of 2005's criminalization of the making of false claims of having been awarded a military medal, decoration, or badge was an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment's guarantee of free speech.[114] The case involved an elected official in California, Xavier Alvarez, who had falsely stated at a public meeting that he had been awarded the Medal of Honor, even though he had never served in any branch of the armed forces.[115]

The Supreme Court's decision did not specifically address the constitutionality of the older portion of the statute which prohibits the unauthorized wearing, manufacturing, or sale of military medals or decorations. Under the law, the unauthorized wearing, manufacturing, or sale of the Medal of Honor is punishable by a fine of up to $100,000 and imprisonment of up to one year.[116]

  • June 3, 2013: President Barack Obama signs into law a revised version of the Stolen Valor Act, making it a federal offense for someone to pass themselves off as awardees of medals for valor in order to receive benefits or other privileges (such as grants, educational benefits, housing, etc.) that are set aside for veterans & other service members.[117]
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U.S. Army Medal of Honor on display

A number of veteran support organizations and private companies devote themselves to exposing those who falsely claim to have received the Medal of Honor.[118]

Enforcement[edit]
  • 1996: HLI Lordship Industries Inc., a former Medal of Honor contractor, was fined for selling 300 medals for US $75 each.[119]
  • 1996: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, resident Jackie Stern was convicted of wearing a Medal of Honor to which he was not entitled. A federal judge sentenced him to serve one year of probation and to write a letter of apology to each of the then-living 171 recipients of the medal. His letter was published in the local newspaper.[120]
  • 2003: Edward Fedora and Gisela Fedora were charged with violating 18 U.S.C. § 704(B), Unlawful Sale of a Medal of Honor, for selling medals awarded to U.S. Navy Sailor Robert Blume (for action in the Spanish-American War) and to U.S. Army First Sergeant George Washington Roosevelt (for action in the Civil War) to an FBIagent.[121] Edward Fedora pleaded guilty and was sentenced to prison.[122]
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18 U.S,C -704 said it all. read it. Grubstake

Grubstake, I did read 18 U.S,C -704, it says nothing about it being illegal have a MOH that wasn't awarded to you or a family member.

18 U.S. Code § 704 - Military medals or decorations

"A In General.— Whoever knowingly purchases, attempts to purchase, solicits for purchase, mails, ships, imports, exports, produces blank certificates of receipt for, manufactures, sells, attempts to sell, advertises for sale, trades, barters, or exchanges for anything of value any decoration or medal authorized by Congress for the armed forces of the United States, or any of the service medals or badges awarded to the members of such forces, or the ribbon, button, or rosette of any such badge, decoration or medal, or any colorable imitation thereof, except when authorized under regulations made pursuant to law, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.

B Fraudulent Representations About Receipt of Military Decorations or Medals.— Whoever, with intent to obtain money, property, or other tangible benefit, fraudulently holds oneself out to be a recipient of a decoration or medal described in subsection ©(2) or (d) shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

C Enhanced Penalty for Offenses Involving Congressional Medal of Honor.—

(1)In general.— If a decoration or medal involved in an offense under subsection (a) is a Congressional Medal of Honor, in lieu of the punishment provided in that subsection, the offender shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.

(2) Congressional medal of honor defined.— In this subsection, the term “Congressional Medal of Honor” means—

A a medal of honor awarded under section 3741, 6241, or 8741 of title 10 or section 491 of title 14;

B a duplicate medal of honor issued under section 3754, 6256, or 8754 of title 10 or section 504 of title 14; or
C a replacement of a medal of honor provided under section 3747, 6253, or 8747 of title 10 or section 501 of title 14.
D Enhanced Penalty for Offenses Involving Certain Other Medals.—
(1) In general.— If a decoration or medal involved in an offense described in subsection (a) is a distinguished-service cross awarded under section 3742 of title 10, a Navy cross awarded under section 6242 of title 10, an Air Force cross awarded under section 8742 of section [1] 10, a silver star awarded under section 3746, 6244, or 8746 of title 10, a Purple Heart awarded under section 1129 of title 10, a combat badge, or any replacement or duplicate medal for such medal as authorized by law, in lieu of the punishment provided in the applicable subsection, the offender shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.

(2) Combat badge defined.— In this subsection, the term “combat badge” means a Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Combat Action Badge, Combat Medical Badge, Combat Action Ribbon, or Combat Action Medal."

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