Mar. 25, 2024
HARRISBURG – A resolution recognizing March 25, 2024, as “National Medal of Honor Day” in Pennsylvania, sponsored by Rep. Dane Watro (R-Luzerne/Schuylkill), was passed unanimously in the House of Representatives today.
“The Medal of Honor is the United States Armed Forces’ highest military decoration. Of the 40 million Americans who have served in the military since the Civil War, only 3,517 have earned the award and 379 of them are from Pennsylvania,” said Watro. “On this special day, we recognize their bravery, valor and achievements. As an Army veteran, I am proud to be the prime sponsor of
House Resolution 347.”
Awarded by the president of the United States, only military members who have gone above and beyond the call of duty receive this distinction. There are three different versions of the Medal of Honor, for the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force, though Coast Guard members and Marines are also eligible to earn the Navy version.
The first Medals of Honor were awarded on March 25, 1863, during the Civil War. A Union raiding party had recently destroyed Confederate railways and important transportation in Tennessee and Georgia. Those six soldiers became the initial recipients of the medal.
To view or download a broadcast-quality video of Watro’s floor remarks in support of the resolution, visit here.
Representative Dane Watro
116th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Andy Briggs
717-260-6474
abriggs@pahousegop.com
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