On Feb. 15, 1862, Sen. Henry Wilson, R-Mass., then chair of the Senate Committee on Military Affairs and the Militia, introduced a resolution for a Medal of Honor for the Army, according to the U.S. Army Airborne and Special Operations Museum in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Congress approved this resolution — and President Abraham Lincoln signed it into law on this day in history, July 12, 1862.
The Medal of Honor is authorized for any military service member who distinguishes himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty,' noted the same source. To date, there have been 3,526 Medals of Honor awarded to 3,516 individuals since the decoration’s creation, with over 40% awarded for actions during the American Civil War.