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Some may know about this but I certainly did not;
An American feminist, suffragist, suspected spy, prisoner of war and surgeon, Dr. Mary Edwards Walker remains the only women ever to receive the Medal of Honor, which she was awarded for her service during the Civil War
Din’t know either. Thanks
And, caught up in the shifting politics of the late 19th century regarding the MoH, her MoH was revoked and she was even denied the modest pension that she was entitled to. The medal was "reinstated" in the late 1970s but that reinstatement was by an Army board that lacked the statutory authority (which resides with the US Congress) to make the reinstatement lawful. Perhaps a minor point 150 some odd years later but nonetheless part of the story.
There is an excellent article by Dwight Mears that covers dr. Walker's case in the January 2021 Journal of Military History (vol 85, no1, pp51-75).
Perhaps a link if the article is available would be good.
I find it intriguing that the MOH was bestowed on a non combatant as I should imagine that like the Victoria Cross recipients that the medal can only be earned in the face of the enemy I mean even the aerial mine disposal experts from Vernon in WWII could only get the George Cross as they were all RNVR for delousing those frightful mines.
It's all in the book called Softly Tread The Brave By Ivan Southall.
So I gather with this person does the President have a say in the medals investure or can this only be done as stated above by a board and if this does not say sit well with the president can they use their presidential authority to veto the boards decision and present the medal anyway.
So I found another article it seems Jimmy Carter reinstated the medal legally right at the bottom of the article it states this fact, she would have been a fire breather I reckon certainly got some gumption doing what she did in that time period.
Biography: Mary Edwards Walker.
Very intriguing, but not unique. Chaplain Charles Liteky in Vietnam, Medic Desmond Doss (they made a movie about him recently). Very amazing stories.Quote:
Originally Posted by CINDERS
Thanks for the link on the Doc. I had never heard of her until now.
I'd love to provide a pdf but it'd violate copyright to do so. Some things still have to be paid for. A subscription to the journal of military history (and membership in the society for military history is quite reasonable). However, I'd guess that most public libraries in Canada, the US, Oz, and NZ, and probably the EU, would provide the article on request (hence the full reference I provided.)Quote:
Originally Posted by CINDERS
On the other point--I'm not an expert on US legal authorities by any stretch of the imagination but I don't think the president has absolute authority allowing disregard of any statute at whim. I'm only going off the analysis of the author of the article I mentioned. He's apparently done book length work on the topic as well.
13 weeks to get a medical degree at $55. a week.
The Civil War of the United States: Mary Edwards Walker, born November 26, 1832
And don't forget the grave-robbing for cadavers for dissection in anatomy class! Body snatching - Wikipedia