Medal of Honor

President Harry S. Truman (left) awards Sergeant William G. Harrell (right), of the United States Marine Corps Reserves, the Congressional Medal of Honor during a ceremony at the White House. From the scrapbooks of Matt Connelly, Vol. 1.

Fifteen members of the Army Ground Forces stand on the White House lawn after being presented the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman (not pictured). From left to right: Sergeant Christos H. Karaberis, Sergeant Freeman Horner, Corporal Desmond T. Doss, Corporal Clarence B. Craft, Captain James M. Burt, Corporal Melvin E. Biddle, Corporal Edward A. Bennett, Corporal Thomas E. Atkins, Private First Class William A. Soderman, Second Lieutenant Edward A. Silk, Sergeant Cleto Rodriguez, Sergeant Nicholas Oresko, Sergeant Dexter J. Kerstetter, and Sergeant Thomas J. Kelly.

President Harry S. Truman (left) presents Sergeant Ralph G. Neppel (right) of Glidden, Iowa with the Congressional Medal of Honor. Neppel was awarded the medal after losing both legs in action on December 14 in Germany while ignoring a charging tank and killing 20 Germans who were assaulting his position. From the scrapbooks of Matt Connelly, Vol. 1.

President Harry S. Truman awards the Congressional Medal of Honor to Lieutenant Carlton R. Rouh. Lt. Rouh was given the medal for risking his life to save two comrades by throwing himself in front of a Japanese grenade. Others in the background are unidentified.

President Harry S. Truman is standing outside the White House with Congressional Medal of Honor recipients (front row) and their family members. From left to right, front row: Major Everett P. Pope, Private Gino J. Merli, Laurett Graham (niece of Lieutenant Rouh), Private First Class Luther Skaggs, Jr., and Lieutenant Carlton Rouh. Left to right, second row: unknown, General George Marshall, President Truman, General Alexander A. Vandegrift, Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal. All others are unidentified. From the scrapbooks of Matt Connelly, Vol. 1.

Dignitaries are applauding during Medal of Honor presentation ceremony in the East Room of the White House: (front row, from left to right) Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal; Secretary of War Henry Stimson; unidentified man; General George C. Marshall; Fleet Admiral William Leahy; General Henry "Hap" Arnold. Behind General Arnold is General Omar Bradley. All others are unidentified. From the scrapbooks of Matt Connelly, Vol. 1.

President Harry S. Truman (left) awards Private First Class Luther Skaggs, Jr. the Congressional Medal of Honor as Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal (left) and others look on. From the scrapbooks of Matt Connelly, Vol. 1.

President Harry S. Truman presents the Congressional Medal of Honor to an unidentified soldier. The man standing behind the desk is Major General Harry Vaughan. The dignitaries seated in the front row on the right are (from right to left): Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal; Secretary of War Henry Stimson; unidentified man; General George C. Marshall; Fleet Admiral William Leahy; General Henry "Hap" Arnold. All others people are unidentified. This photograph is from the album "Mr. President, His Family and Friends."

President Harry S. Truman paid the nation's highest tribute to five heroes of the Korean War, presenting Congressional Medals of Honor to the next of kin. From left to right: Mrs. Mildred Dean, wife of Major General William F. Dean; Mrs. Lavon P. Henry, wife of Lieutenant Frederick F. Henry; President Truman; Mrs. Maidie S. Watkins, wife of Master Sergeant Travis L. Watkins; Secretary of the Army Frank Pace, Jr.; Mrs. Hazel O. Turner, mother of Sergeant Charles W. Turner; and Edward D. Brown, father of Private First Class Melvin L. Brown.

President Harry S. Truman (foreground, second from right) hangs the Congressional Medal of Honor around the neck of General Jonathan Wainwright (foreground, right, standing near microphones) during a ceremony on the White House lawn. Others in photo are (from left to right) First Lady Bess W. Truman; Technical Sergeant Hubert Carroll, Wainwright's orderly; Mrs. Wainwright (black dress); Commander Jonathan Wainwright, V, and his wife (right and second from right respectively). Others in the background are unidentified.