Medals of Honor given to allies?

[Victor]

Can the Congressional Medal of Honor be also awarded to allies or is it restricted only to Americans?

[James Patrick]

I'm not absolutely sure on this, but I think the US has a different set of awards that it presents to civilians and foriegners. I heard that the highest of these was going to be given to some sailors from the UKs SBS for action in Afghanistan.

[JohnW]

Hi Victor,

From what I've read you have to be a member of the armed forces of the United States to receive the MoH, but not necessarily a United States citizen. The only exception to this that I have ever heard of was one awarded the Unknown Soldier of Great Britain after WWI.

John

[Gott]

The US Legion of Merit was the highest award conferred by US to a foreigner.

An example is on July 1943 when Chiang Kai-shek recieved this award.

[Cantankerous]

The US Legion of Merit was the highest award conferred by US to a foreigner.

An example is on July 1943 when Chiang Kai-shek recieved this award.

This link lists foreign people who were awarded the US Legion of Merit in World War II:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recipient ... n_of_Merit

[OpanaPointer]

The word "Congressional" should be the tip-off.

[wirklich]

Can the Congressional Medal of Honor be also awarded to allies or is it restricted only to Americans?

Only members of the United States Armed Forces can receive the Medal of Honor.

You do not have to be a U.S. citizen to be in the U.S. military.
You have to have a green card or proof of special immigration status, for example certain Pacific islanders and certain Canadian citizens with American Indian Heritage are treated as green card holders.

Non-citizen service members cannot obtain a security clearance and are excluded from some jobs.

There are 3 different Medals of Honor. 1. Army 2. Navy 3. Air Force. Each look different but are the same medal.
Marines would be under the Navy.

The correct name is Medal of Honor, not the "Congressional" Medal of Honor per the Secretary of the Army and Department of Defense. The award is made in the name of Congress.

[OpanaPointer]

Colloquially we won't get rid of the "Congressional".

[Empiricist]

The US Legion of Merit was the highest award conferred by US to a foreigner.

That's right.

"The Officer's Guide", 10th Edition, June 1944, The Military Service Publishing Co., Harrisburg, page 153.

[LineDoggie]

The US Legion of Merit was the highest award conferred by US to a foreigner.

That's right.

"The Officer's Guide", 10th Edition, June 1944, The Military Service Publishing Co., Harrisburg, page 153.

The WW1 Unknown Soldiers of Britain, Belgium, France, Italy and Rumania were awarded the Medal of Honor by special acts of congress or by General Pershing

October 17, 1921- the British Unknown Warrior was presented with the Medal of Honor, by General John J. Pershing, The Medal of Honor was awarded by an Act of Congress approved March 4, 1921 along with the French unknown soldier

War Department General Orders No. 52 of 1922, the United States announced the award of the Medal of Honor to the Belgian unknown soldier

War Department General Orders No. 22 of June 6, 1923, announced the award of the Medal of Honor to the Romanian unknown soldier

Congressional joint resolution on October 12, 1921, awarded the Medal of Honor "upon the unknown, unidentified Italian soldier to be buried in the National Monument to Victor Emanuel II, in Rome."