Marilyn reviews Medal of Honor: Profiles of America’s Military Heroes from the Civil War to the Present by Allen Mikaelian. When most people hear the word courageous, they will more than likely think of firefighters, police, and soldiers. Unfortunately, not everyone thinks of the United States soldiers who awarded the esteemed Congressional Medal of Honor unless our country is at war. The soldiers who were awarded this medal by the President of the United States are ones who risked their lives above and beyond the normal call of duty. The soldiers, either still living or posthumously, are recipients of the highest honor, which is, of course, the Congressional Medal of Honor. In this historical account by Mikaelian, he has profiled soldiers who were given this honor- they either died on the battlefield or lived past the war they served in. The author writes about soldiers who served in the Civil War, both World Wars, Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
Alvin York, James A. Gardner, Allen J. Greer, Vernon McGarity, and Walter K. Singleton are all Tennesseans who were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Feel free to visit the History Department’s Memphis and Shelby County Room at the Benjamin J. Hooks library to learn more about these particular soldiers.