National Medal of Honor Museum Marks Medal of Honor Day with Moment of Honor

All Americans invited to participate in virtual celebration of our nation’s heroes

[ Editor’s Note: The Medal of Honor Day of March 25th was set up in 1990, and the recognition effort has been expanded to add the Moment as part of introducing the Medal of Honor Museum effort that has been in progress with Arlington, Texas.

My first contact with the Medal of Honor Society was through a chance meeting with Woody Williams, who is one of the last two living WWII recipients.



Woody Willams – Medal of Honor -Iwo Jima

Woody was blessed with having survived taking out six pill boxes on day three of Iwo Jima, where Marines were blocked by the Japanese main airport’s interlocking defenses. Woody’s work broke the back and allowed the Marines to cut the island in half.

I was attending a MoH event at Dobbins Airforce base in Atlanta with my guest, a Vietnam era pilot who had survived a refueling accident over the Pacific where his plane turned into a Roman candle and he had to jump out WWII style when his ejection system failed.

He was fortunate to have missed the tail section, but the slip stream had him spinning which tangled when his chute opened, and he road a “streamer” all the way down, hitting the water at an estimated 90 mph and survived the second part of his bad day by a series of bad luck and miracles.

My guest and I arrived a bit late and could not find two seats together so we had to split up, and pure luck found me sitting down next to Woody, who was the replacement speaker. The following day I shot a 90 minute interview with him, one of the gems of my Heritage TV archives.

Woody has his own family foundation doing a monument for Gold Star Families who had never been honored as such. When I talked to him last month, I was shocked to learn that in two years his family crew already had 60 of the $90,000 monuments up, but also another 65 in progress.

He is 96 now. When I interviewed him, he had 96 engagements scheduled for that year. For this year had 236, but the virus problem will surely tamp that down. Woody is one of the most amazing people I have ever met.

I had planned to try to catch the MoH convention this fall, but alas that may not be possible. Do check out the links for the Medal of Honor Society and the Museum effort, and Woody Williams Medal of Honor Foundation … Jim W. Dean ]

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– First published … March 25, 2020

ARLINGTON, TX – (March 25, 2020) – In recognition of National Medal of Honor Day and in celebration of the more than 3,500 service members who have earned our nation’s highest military decoration, the National Medal of Honor Museum will hold the inaugural “Moment of Honor” today at 3:25 pm ET.

“Though circumstances seem to be changing daily, one thing remains the same: our commitment to inspire America,” said National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation (NMOHMF) President and CEO Joe Daniels.

“The inaugural Moment of Honor will allow Americans to commemorate this important day in a responsible way. I hope all Americans will reflect upon the actions and bravery of our nation’s Medal of Honor recipients and the values they represent – courage, commitment, integrity, sacrifice, citizenship and patriotism.”

In 1990, Congress designated March 25th of each year as National Medal of Honor Day, a measure signed into law by President George H.W. Bush as a day to honor the heroism and sacrifice of America’s Medal of Honor recipients. Due to risks associated with the coronavirus, this year’s celebrations have been adapted to allow Americans to participate while maintaining social distance.

For National Medal of Honor Day this year, the Museum is asking all Americans to join together in paying tribute to Medal of Honor recipients by:

  • Watching our ‘Moment of Honor’ video beginning at 3:25 pm ET TODAY (3/25) at www.MomentofHonor.org and taking a moment of quiet reflection upon the actions and bravery of our nation’s Medal of Honor recipients.
  • Making a poster or writing a letter about what National Medal of Honor Day means to you. Post it to social media, and be sure to use our hashtags #MedalOfHonor, #MedalOfHonorDay, #MOH325, #MomentOfHonor.
  • Fly your American flag on 3/25 for National Medal of Honor Day. Post a photo on social media using our hashtags #MedalOfHonor, #MedalOfHonorDay, #MOH325, #MomentOfHonor.
  • Support the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation in its mission, and sign up for our newsletter.

The NMOHMF is on a mission to inspire America by honoring the lives, actions and values of our nation’s Medal of Honor recipients through the creation of a museum in Arlington, Texas, and national monument in our nation’s capital.

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About the Museum and Monument: The National Medal of Honor Museum will provide an unrivaled visitor experience with state-of-the-art permanent, interactive experiences and rotating exhibitions. Serving as a national landmark – and located in America’s heartland – the Museum will illustrate the historical thread of sacrifice, patriotism and courage that runs through all U.S. military service members, past and present.

The National Medal of Honor Museum will also include an education center aimed at character development in our nation’s youth. A critical part of the museum’s mission will be to use the stories of Medal of Honor recipients to inspire young people and motivate them to be their best selves.

A National Monument in Washington, D.C., will commemorate the service and sacrifice of the bravest and most decorated members of the U.S. Armed Forces. To be located in the nation’s capital, it will give all Americans the opportunity to reflect on the courage and patriotism that safeguard freedom and democracy.

For more information please visit the National Medal of Honor Museum website or follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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