In 1876 the original ribbon worn with the army medal of honor, consisting of the 13 alternate vertical red and white stripes with the upper transverse band of blue, was replaced by a ribbon having a narrow stripe of white through the center with a narrow stripe of blue on either side and a wider stripe of red at each edge. The ribbon was arranged to be worn around the neck with the clasps and the medal suspended from it at the front and center. The act of Congress of April 23, 1904, appropriating the necessary moneys for the maintenance of the military establishment, provided for "three thousand medals of honor to be prepared, with suitable emblematic devices, upon the design of the medal of honor heretofore issued, or upon an improved design, together with appropriate rosettes and other insignia to be worn in lieu of the medal, and to be presented by direction of the President, and in the name of Congress, to such officers, non-commissioned officers and privates as have most distinguished, or may hereafter most distinguish, themselves by their gallantry in action."

Accordingly, the design of the army medal of honor was changed and a different ribbon prescribed. This ribbon is of light blue silk with 13 white stars at the center and is worn around the neck with the medal suspended from it at the front and center of the coat collar opening.

The new design retains the general five-pointed star shape of the old one with the central circular medallion, but it is made of silver heavily gold-plated and the star is superimposed upon a wreath of laurel in green enamel, while each ray of the star bears an oak leaf in green enamel. The star is suspended by means of two gold links from a bar which is surmounted by an eagle and ring for attaching the medal to the neck ribbon. The word "VALOR" appears in raised letters upon the bar. The central medallion bears the head of Minerva, the goddess of war, surrounded by the inscription, "United States of America." The reverse of the medal is plain, with the name, rank and regiment of the recipient and the place and date of the act for which it is awarded engraved thereon, preceded by the words, "The Congress to."

As considerable confusion arose from the fact that the army had one design of ribbon and the navy another, the joint board. of the army and navy made a recommendation that the two ser

vices use the same ribbon. This recommendation was approved by the President on March 1, 1913, and since that date the navy medal of honor has been worn suspended from a light blue ribbon with 13 white stars at the center, the ribbon being worn around the neck, thus making the ribbons identical for all services.

The rosette now authorized to be worn with civilian dress by holders of the medal of honor, whether in the army, navy or marine corps, is hexagonal in shape and is made of light blue ribbon studded with silver stars.

In the case of officers of the army who have been awarded the medal of honor the letters "M. H." are printed after their names in the official annual "Army Register." The same rule is followed in the annual "Navy Register" in the case of officers of the marine corps who have been awarded the medal of honor, but for some unexplained reason officers of the navy holding the medal are not so honored.

A summing up of the various laws relating to the award of the medal of honor leads to the conclusion that the medal is granted to officers and enlisted men of the army for distinguished service in action only, while the medal may be awarded to an officer or enlisted man of the navy or marine corps for distinguished service in battle or for extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession, the latter case being applicable either in war or peace time.

Since the first authorization of medals of honor some 2100 have been awarded to officers and enlisted men of the army and 750 to officers and enlisted men of the navy and marine corps. As it is the highest reward of the kind awarded by our government, especial efforts have been made to preserve its value as a decoration and as an incentive to personal devotion to the country and the flag by awarding it only for those acts of gallantry and extraordinary courage which stand out over and above the bravery and conscientious attention to the performance of duty which is expected and exacted of everyone who wears the uniform of the United States.

The stories of these deeds which have been rewarded by the medal of honor would fill a large volume and make fine reading for those who appreciate unfaltering courage, good judgment, quick action and unhesitating response to the call of honor and duty.

Announcements of the award of the medal and a brief statement of the reasons therefore are made to the services in the form of General Orders from the War Department or the Navy Department, depending upon whether the officer or enlisted man. so cited is in the army or in the naval service.

A few examples taken from the records of the departments will serve to show the varied nature of the acts of personal bravery and conspicuous gallantry which stand out so clearly above others as to be deemed worthy of the highest reward. Without exception these acts have been of a nature not required or demanded by any specific regulation or order, but which were dictated solely by the personal call of duty-to aid a wounded comrade, to rescue the drowning, or with quick perception to perform some signal act of bravery which might lead to victory or save a well-nigh lost cause-without regard to personal life or safety.

In many cases where a gallant act of personal bravery has resulted in the death of the officer or enlisted man performing the act no medal of honor has been awarded, but the effort is not lost, the incentive is left to the living comrades, who can sadly but proudly say, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

The records of the War Department give in concise official language the accounts of the deeds for which the medal of honor has been awarded to officers and enlisted men of the U. S. Army. From these brief accounts it is not difficult to form a mental picture of the bullet-swept and shell-torn fields of battle of the Civil War, in the Indian campaigns on the lonely western plains, in the tropical islands of the Philippines, or along the muddy banks of the Pei-Ho in far-off China.

In each of the following instances, taken from these records, the medal of honor was awarded:

Private James Kephart, 13th U. S. Infantry, for most distinguished gallantry in action at Vicksburg, Mississippi, May 19, 1863, in voluntarily and at the risk of his life, under the severe fire of the enemy, aiding and assisting to the rear an officer who had been severely wounded and left upon the field of battle.

Second Lieutenant R. G. Carter, 4th U. S. Cavalry, for most distinguished gallantry in action with the Indians on the Brazos River, Texas, October 10, 1871, in holding the left of the line with a few men during the charge of a large body of Indians