Need help with direction (regarding Congressional Medal of Honor)

[malmapus]

Basically, my great uncle just passed away this past week.

He was a vet of WWII, served in the Marine Corp and was the highest decorated person from my area (was literally the local war hero).

He saw some rough combat in the Pacific and got himself the Navy Cross (which is second only to the CMoH).

It came up at his service that the only thing that stopped him from getting the CMoH was that an officer was needed to make the recommendation and that after the action in question there were non in his unit alive still, hence awarding him with the Navy Cross.

I guess I have heard about investigations being reopened for individuals who may have deserved the CMoH but under circunstances weren't awarded it or put in for it.

I'm wanting to try and do my best to get the ball rolling and see if I can get him awarded an honor that those still alive that fought with him said he deserved.

Where should I start? How do I start?

Any direction is most welcome, kinda really feel this is up to me since I was told that he held me in high regards and still spoke of me often (I'm the only member of my family from my generation who served our country in service..even though I went Army heh). But yeah, I feel like I owe it to him to at least try.

[sce56]

1. Best bet is to talk to your Congressmen he/she would be the most

influential in making it happen.

[malmapus]

2. Thanks, will make some calls tomorrow!

..

[Dr.Phool]

3. Your Congressman could get the ball rolling

In trying, he looks like he's really doing something for a war hero. It's a win-win situation.

[Aviation Pro]

4. 3rd Grouper....

...start with the Department of the Navy. There is an awards office there that deals with these issues. However, for that particular gong be prepared for a long wait.

[malmapus]

5. Will put them on the list of calls

Thanks!

[ThomWV]

6. I Do Not Think You Will Be Successful

But if you feel its important to try then you should go ahead.

I say I don't think you'll be successful because its really a big thing and they really do stick to the rules when making the award. It is not a matter of deserving as it is in meeting the requirements. Many men and women and served who might have won the medal if things had been known. It is a shame they are not all recognized, but they are not.

I will say this though, and you can take it any way you like. I was at a place at a time when a man won that medal. You can not immagine the hell that small thing represents. I am choking up right now just thinking about it ....

[malmapus]

7. Yeah, I don't think I will be either..

I just feel I owe it to him to try though. Least I can say I did, espicially when there are still some who were there who could still speak about it.

[hootinholler]

8. IIRC, it requires 2 witnesses.

I could be full of it too, that's the scuttlebutt from when I was in the Navy.

-Hoot

[TheBaldyMan]

9. I found these links at a military history site ...

It looks like it is possible to get medals upgraded, especially if the recipient was black or american-asian during WWII.

Black WWII veterans

Asian WWII veterans

both of these webpages are for those servicemen who did recieve the respective service cross but because of the time weren't considered for the CMoH because they weren't white!

Having said that I think it takes an act of congress for an extraordinary award rather than the review bodies mention above.

on edit : I'm sorry to hear about your Grand Uncle, I think he'd have a few stories to tell. I've known a few 'old war horses' and I could sit and listen to them all night.