Medal of Honor

:For the computer game, see Medal of Honor (computer game).

Medal of Honor Flag

The Medal of Honor Flag is given to recipients of the Medal of Honor. The awarding of the flag to future Medal of Honor recipients was approved by both houses of Congress and President George W. Bush in October 2002.

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The idea of a flag was initiated and designed by Bill Kendall of Jefferson, Iowa, in honor of Medal of Honor recepient Darrell Lindsey, also of Jefferson, who died in action during World War II. His actual flag design was altered by Sarah LeClerc, of the Institute of Heraldry. She removed the words Medal of Honor along with adding the gold border to Bill Kendall's design.

Related Topics:
Jefferson, Iowa - Institute of Heraldry

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The flag has a sky blue background with gold fringe. Thirteen white five-pointed stars are arranged as on the current ribbon of the Medal of Honor, in six rows of 1, 2, 3, 2, 3 and 2. The flag has no set proportions.

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The first Medal of Honor recepient to receive the official flag was Paul R. Smith. The flag was cased and presented to his family, along with his Medal of Honor.

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• DESCRIPTION: A light blue flag with gold fringe bearing thirteen white stars in a configuration as on the Medal of Honor ribbon.
• SYMBOLISM: The light blue color and white stars are adapted from the Medal of Honor ribbon. The flag commemorates the sacrifice and blood shed for our freedoms and gives emphasis to the Medal of Honor being the highest award for valor by an individual serving in the Armed Forces of the United States.
• BACKGROUND: Public Law 107-248, Section 8143, legislated the creation of a Medal of Honor Flag for presentation to each person to whom a Medal of Honor is awarded after the date of the enactment, October 23, 2002. A panel of eight members made of representatives from each Service (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard), one Office of Secretary Defense staff, one historian and one representative from the Medal of Honor Society was formed to review and evaluate all designs submitted and make a final recommendation to the Principal Deputy to the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. On 15 December 2004, the design submitted by Ms. Sarah LeClerc, Illustrator at The Institute of Heraldry was approved.