Has A Woman Ever Received The Medal Of Honor?
With the exciting news that a National Medal of Honor Museum is now open in Arlington, Tex., I think many people are asking, “Has a woman ever received the Medal of Honor?”
The answer is yes. One woman, of the 3,500+ Medal of Honor recipients, was a woman and the story behind the honor is an intriguing one.
Read on to learn the story of Mary Edwards Walker, the only woman to have been awarded the Medal of Honor.
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The National Medal of Honor Museum is a celebration of the human spirit, honoring the inspiring lives and legacies of ordinary Americans who took extraordinary action in the service of others.
The Medal of Honor History
The Medal of Honor is the highest and most prestigious military decoration awarded by the United States government. More than 40 million Americans have served in the U.S. Armed Forces since the Civil War, yet fewer than 4,000 have received the Medal of Honor.
It was first established during the Civil War in 1861, initially intended for the Navy, with the Army’s version following in 1862.
Originally, it was created to recognize uncommon acts of valor, and over the decades, it has become the ultimate symbol of heroism and sacrifice in service to the nation. Since its inception, fewer than 4,000 individuals have received this rare honor, each demonstrating extraordinary courage in the face of danger.
How The Medal Of Honor Is Awarded
The process for awarding the Medal of Honor is both rigorous and thorough. A candidate’s actions must be thoroughly documented and verified, proving that they went above and beyond the call of duty, often at great personal risk.
The honor is awarded by the President of the United States, typically in a solemn ceremony that highlights not just the recipient’s bravery, but also their humility and devotion to their comrades and country.
Recipients are forever known as heroes, not because they sought recognition, but because they placed the safety and well-being of others above themselves. The Medal of Honor serves as a powerful reminder of the cost of freedom and the valor of those who protect it.
Who Was Mary Edwards Walker?
Mary Edwards Walker was born in 1832 in Oswego, N.Y., the youngest of seven children. Prior to the American Civil War, Walker earned her medical degree from Syracuse Medical College, and was, of course, the only female in her class.
She got married and started a medical practice, neither of which lasted.
As you can imagine, the reason for the failure of the medical practice was because patients did not want to see a female physician. The reason for the failure of the marriage was reportedly due to her husband’s infidelity.
When the Civil War broke out, Dr. Mary Walker petitioned the government to grant her a commission as a Union Army surgeon, which was said to have been rejected with “considerable verbosity.”
She then resorted to volunteering in various hospitals.
Dressing For Work
An extraordinary woman who was way ahead of her time, Dr. Walker did not like wearing dresses, and firmly believed that pants were more comfortable, hygienic, and enabled better mobility while performing her duties.
After experimenting, she found that a mid-length skirt over trousers was the most appropriate attire for her occupation.
Learn more about important figures that changed the course of history:
Davy Crockett’s Hompesun Wit and Wisdom.
Civil War History of Dr. Mary Walker
Dr. Walker continued to volunteer in hospitals during the Civil War. In January of 1864, she made a second petition for a formal position, this time directly to President Lincoln.
Thought reluctant, Lincoln granted her request, provided that the men of the Medical Department consented. Dr. Walker then traveled to Chattanooga, Tennessee in March 1864, and reported for duty to General George Thomas, commander of the Army of the Cumberland.
Dr. Walker met with considerable abuse over her persistent demands to be made a surgeon.
Stories of affairs and other sordid activities followed her, manufactured by those who did not wish to serve with a female doctor.
Related Story: Did you know you can visit a museum dedicated to country doctors?
Dr. Walker Captured By Confederates
Dr. Walker did not allow the constant maltreatment to deter her, and neither did she hesitate to care for the wounded of both sides.
Unfortunately, this led to her capture by Confederate forces on April 10, 1864, after she stopped to help a Confederate doctor perform an amputation.
Labeled as a spy because she was dressed in men’s attire, she spent four months in a Confederate prison before being exchanged for another surgeon.
While she was imprisoned, she was given clothes that were more “becoming of her sex,” but refused to wear them.
After the war, Walker wrote and lectured on behalf of temperance, women’s rights, health care, and dress reform. She often wore men’s clothing and was arrested several times for impersonating a man. She replied of her attire:
“I don’t wear men’s clothes. I wear my own clothes.”
At one trial for just such an arrest, she asserted her right to, “Dress as I please in free America on whose tented fields I have served for four years in the cause of human freedom.”
The judge dismissed the case and ordered the police never to arrest Dr. Walker on that charge again. She left the courtroom to hearty applause.
For more on Civil War medicine, read about the Museum of Civil War Medicine in Frederick, Md.
Dr. Mary Walker Receives The Medal Of Honor
And now, for the answer to the question: Did a woman ever receive the Medal of Honor?
Shortly after the end of the war, Walker became the first woman to be awarded the Medal of Honor, and is said to have worn it every day for the rest of her life.
In 1919, however, the Board of Medals revoked her award and the awards of 910 other individuals.
The 87-year old physician said, “You can have it over my dead body.” (The medals did not have to be returned; the 911 names were simply deleted from the official list of recipients.)
She died six days later, a year before the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution guaranteed women the right to vote. She was buried in her black suit rather than a dress.
The Medal was restored posthumously in 1977.
National Medal of Honor Museum Open
A National Medal of Honor Museum is now open in in Arlington, Tex., giving visitors the opportunity to gather, learn and pay tribute to the bravest heroes of the USA in a state-of-the-art facility.
It’s exciting to know that recipient stories of courage and valor are being, including the one of Mary Walker, the only female to receive the Medal of Honor.
The Museum focuses on inspiring current and future generations to discover and develop the shared values inherent in every Medal of Honor recipient, which includes Courage and Sacrifice, Commitment and Integrity, and Citizenship and Patriotism.
The National Medal of Honor Museum is designed to take visitors on a journey through the life stories of ordinary people who made extraordinary choices that went above and beyond the call of duty.
Honoring Heroes At the Medal of Honor Museum
The National Medal of Honor Museum highlights the values and valor of those who earned the distinguished Medal of Honor.
If you’d like to read about the recipients, the Museum has a database on their website listing of the Medal of Honor Recipients.
No longer will people have to wonder, “Has a woman ever received the Medal of Honor?”
In addition to all of the heroic recipients, the museums honors Mary Edwards Walker, who stands out as the only female Medal of Honor recipient.
Quick Facts About The National Medal of Honor Museum
- The Medal of Honor Museum footprint encompasses more than 100,000 square feet on five acres of waterfront in Arlington, Texas.
- The Museum has 31,000 square feet of Exhibition Galleries and space to serve as a venue for meetings, symposiums, memorials and ceremonies.
- The Museum serves as Headquarters of the National Medal of Honor Institute, an organization that addresses our nation’s character gap and fills it by focusing on the values and valor of the Medal of Honor and all who have earned it.
Planning a trip? Make sure you check out my travel resources page.
Wrap-Up Of Only Woman Medal of Honor Recipient
As you can see, Dr. Mary Walker wasn’t just a medical pioneer — she was a rebel, a fashion icon of practicality, and an unstoppable force for women’s rights.
She’s a reminder that courage doesn’t always come with a sword — sometimes, it shows up with a stethoscope, a stubborn streak, and a medal that no one could take away.
Beautiful story of a strong woman citizen of the United States who was way ahead of her time, yet she was not deterred from her mission to perform medical attention in her chosen field. I applaud her achievements! Thanks for sharing this timely story.
Truly amazing to be that far ahead of her time.
Fascinating! Do you know what reason was given for the revocation?
Apparently they had been going overboard giving them out, and did a pretty general sweep of cleaning some out. She was later determined worthy of the honor.
Very interesting. Specifically, what act did she do that awarded her the Medal? I’m distantly related to Audie Murphy and his insane act to qualify is well known. I’m just curious. YHS, S
Good question. She was certainly persistent and brave, but not sure it compares to the unbelievable acts of courage and heroism of the likes of Audie. I’ve been to his grave in Arlington, and climbed the mountain to see the memorial to him near the plane crash that took his life. A great American hero.
Says a lot about Women’s history that only one Woman has received the Medal of Honor out of 3500+ Veterans. More work to be done for our Woman Veterans!