As one of PPRuNe's resident medal geeks I thought it might be of interest if I posted a few facts about the Medal of Honor with some comparisons with the Victoria Cross.
Both medals are rightly regarded as their country's highest awards for bravery, and both are restricted to military recipients.
The VC was instituted in 1854 during the Crimean War, the MOH a little later in 1861 during the Civil War.
Unlike many lesser awards, both the VC and the MOH are made of base metals, the VC famously being made by the London jewellers Hancocks using bronze from cannon captured from the Russians during the Crimean War.
There are three distinctive versions of the MOH, one each for the US Navy (including the Marine Corps), the US Army and, since 1956, the US Air Force, although all share the same ribbon. The VC has only one version which has remained unchanged since its inception, although naval recipients wore the medal with a blue ribbon up to 1918.
The VC has been awarded fewer than 1400 times, the MOH fewer than 3,500 times. Given the relative sizes of both countries' armed forces over the years this would seem to indicate that they are equally hard-won.
There have as yet been no female recipients of the VC, whilst one woman, an army surgeon, was awarded the MOH in 1865.
Interestingly a myth exists in both countries that recipients of the MOH and the VC are entitled to be saluted by their superiors. This is not the case, although it is common practice in both countries for the medal holders to be saluted as a mark of respect and courtesy.
The MOH is protected against any attempts to make reproductions, and there have been recent convictions for this offence. In addition passing oneself off as an MOH holder is a federal offence. There is no such law applicable to the Victoria Cross, and replicas are freely available at little cost. Many military museums in fact display replicas whilst keeping the originals in bank vaults.
I have often heard accounts of military actions, accompanied by remarks such as "he should have got the Victoria Cross/Medal of Honor". I think it right, however, that both of these awards should be given so sparingly, otherwise they would lose the cachet which both undoubtedly possess.