Q: What is the Medal of Honor Flag?
A: Thanks to the inspiration of a central Iowa army veteran from Jefferson in Greene county, Congress adopted the idea to pay tribute to those who are awarded the U.S. military’s highest honor with an official Medal of Honor flag. In late October, President Bush signed the annual defense spending bill into law. It includes the amendment providing for the Medal of Honor flag. As the senior senator from Iowa, I was pleased to sponsor this grassroots initiative and propel it through the United States Senate. I compliment Bill Kendall, who pursued the idea for a special flag to honor Darrell Lindsey, another Jefferson native and Medal of Honor recipient. Lindsey sacrificed his life in a 1944 bombing raid during World War II to save the life of his crew. Iowa has a long, proud history of leading the effort to recognize our war heroes. U.S. Senator James Grimes of Iowa conceived the idea for the Medal of Honor in 1861.
Q: Who is eligible to receive the Medal of Honor?
A: The Medal of Honor is reserved for the bravest of the brave. It’s the U.S. armed services’ highest decoration for valor in combat action against an enemy force. Since the Civil War, 3,459 medals of honor have been awarded for 3,453 separate acts of heroism performed by 3,439 individuals. Nine of those individuals are unknown. Today there are 143 living recipients of the Medal of Honor. Again, I commend Bill Kendall, himself a decorated war veteran, for helping us to pay tribute to those who so bravely and selflessly served their country. Thanks to one man’s idea, Medal of Honor recipients and their families will be able to fly or display a unique flag that signifies their heroic sacrifice in the line of duty. In our short 226-year history, too many American sons and daughter have paid the ultimate price to defend liberty and protect freedom around the world. For those patriots who’ve earned the highest military award for extraordinary heroism, I’m glad they also are entitled to receive a flag to publicly commemorate their courage, sacrifice and bravery.