Joint Base McGuire–Dix–Lakehurst ( JB MDL ) is a United States military facility located 18 miles (29 km) southeast of Trenton, New Jersey . The base is the only tri-service base in the United States Department of Defense and includes units from all six armed forces branches.
122-708: McGuire AFB/McGuire , the common name of the McGuire unit of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst , is a United States Air Force base in Burlington County , in the U.S. state of New Jersey , approximately 16.1 miles (25.9 km) south-southeast of Trenton . McGuire is under the jurisdiction of the Air Mobility Command . It was consolidated with two adjoining US Army and Navy facilities to become part of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JB MDL) on 1 October 2009. The McGuire Air Force Base census-designated place (CDP)
244-482: A Department of Defense (DoD) initiative, McGuire will be the lead service in the first tri-service Joint super-base, combining its infrastructure support with the support of Fort Dix (Army) and Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst (Navy). Additionally, the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) identified several units to be added to Team McGuire over the next few years, including contingents from every service branch. Construction of many new facilities,
366-728: A Civilian Conservation Corps project. This was on newly acquired land for the great Army Air Forces expansion approved by the Roosevelt Administration. This nascent airfield and wooden structures was named "Rudd Field." To meet the requirements for a possible world war, Rudd Field was renamed Fort Dix Army Air Base in 1939, and underwent massive expansion from 1940 to 1941. Runways constructed consisted of three concrete surfaced, 7100x150(N/S), 7100x150(NE/SW), 5400x150(E/W), and one macadam surfaced, 8100x150(NW/SE). The base had its first permanent Army Air Force occupant in November 1941 when
488-473: A Medal of Honor Flag to be presented to each person to whom a Medal of Honor is awarded. In the case of a posthumous award, the flag will be presented to whomever the Medal of Honor is presented to, which in most cases will be the primary next of kin of the deceased awardee. The flag was based on a concept by retired U.S. Army Special Forces First Sergeant Bill Kendall of Jefferson, Iowa , who in 2001, designed
610-558: A Medal of Honor), it would be processed by the Air Force despite the fact that the Air Force did not yet exist as a separate service. Nineteen service members have been awarded the Medal of Honor twice. The first double Medal of Honor recipient was Thomas Custer (brother of George Armstrong Custer ) for two separate actions that took place several days apart during the American Civil War. Five "double recipients" were awarded both
732-591: A PCB ( polychlorinated biphenyl ) spill site, and a wastewater treatment plant sludge disposal area. According to the United States Census Bureau , the McGuire Air Force Base CDP had a total area of 5.364 square miles (13.89 km), including 5.359 square miles (13.88 km) of land and 0.005 square miles (0.013 km) of water (0.10%). The population was 4,522 at the 2020 census. Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst The facility
854-653: A beautification effort, and new privately owned contract family housing, make McGuire one of the premier Air Force installations. References for history introduction, major commands and major units In July 2007, the United States Environmental Protection Agency issued an order to the US military to clean up the contaminants at McGuire AFB. Areas requiring cleanup include landfills , fire training areas, pesticide mixing shops, fuel storage and leak areas, underground tanks and fuel lines,
976-836: A centralized center for Air Defense, intended to provide early warning and response for a Soviet nuclear attack. Developed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) engineers and scientists, SAGE monitored North American skies for possible attack by crewed aircraft and missiles for 25 years. The heart of the system, the AN/FSQ-7 computer, was the first computer to have an internal memory composed of "magnetic cores," thousands of tiny ferrite rings that served as reversible electromagnets. SAGE also introduced computer-driven displays, online terminals, time sharing, high-reliability computation, digital signal processing, digital transmission over telephone lines, digital track-while-scan, digital simulation, computer networking, and duplex computing. The NYADS
1098-518: A crown of laurel and oak on a green background. Centered on the star, an annulet of 34 stars is a representation of the head of the Statue of Liberty . The star is suspended from a bar inscribed with the word VALOR above an adaptation of Jupiter's thunderbolt from the Department of the Air Force's seal. The pendant is made of gilding metal. The connecting bar, hinge, and pin are made of bronze. The finish on
1220-422: A fashion. Nineteen individuals, all now deceased, were double Medal of Honor recipients. In July 2014, DoD instructions were changed to read, "A separate MOH is presented to an individual for each succeeding act that justified award," removing the authorization for the "V" device. On October 23, 2002, Pub. L. 107–248 (text) (PDF) was enacted, modifying 36 U.S.C. § 903 , authorizing
1342-518: A flag to honor Medal of Honor recipient Army Air Forces Captain Darrell Lindsey , a B-26 pilot from Jefferson who was killed in action during World War II. Kendall's design of a light blue field emblazoned with 13 white five-pointed stars was nearly identical to that of Sarah LeClerc's of the Institute of Heraldry . LeClerc's gold-fringed flag, ultimately accepted as the official flag, does not include
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#17328546308781464-405: A green laurel wreath and suspended from a gold bar inscribed VALOR , surmounted by an eagle. In the center of the star, Minerva 's head surrounded by the words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA . On each ray of the star is a green oak leaf. On the reverse is a bar engraved THE CONGRESS TO with a space for engraving the name of the recipient." The pendant and suspension bar are made of gilding metal, with
1586-566: A lawsuit, the Department of the Navy requested an amendment to expressly allow noncombat awards of the Medal of Honor. When the amendment passed, the Department of the Navy returned to using only the original 1862 inverted 5-point star design and retired the Tiffany Cross. In 1944, the suspension ribbons for both versions were replaced with the now-familiar neck ribbon. When the Air and Space Force's version
1708-414: A light blue colored moiré silk neck ribbon that is 1 + 3 ⁄ 16 in (30 mm) in width and 21 + 3 ⁄ 4 in (550 mm) in length. The center of the ribbon displays thirteen white stars in the form of three chevron . Both the top and middle chevrons are made up of 5 stars, with the bottom chevron made of 3 stars. The medal itself differs by branch: The Medal of Honor
1830-421: A long-range photographic reconnaissance unit equipped with a mixture of R B-17 Flying Fortresses and R B-29 Superfortresses equipped with wide variety of photographic reconnaissance and mapping cameras in the bomb bays. It moved to Barksdale Air Force Base , Louisiana, on 1 October 1949. With the departure of the 91st SRW, control of McGuire AFB was reassigned to Continental Air Command (ConAC). ConAC assigned
1952-566: A mission to search for German U-boats in the coastal waters of the Atlantic Coast and to fly aerial coverage of friendly convoys off the east coast with Douglas O-46 and North American O-47 light observation planes. In August 1943, this mission was turned over to the United States Navy. Air Technical Service Command began using the base in 1943 overhauling, servicing and preparing aircraft for overseas shipment to North Africa and to
2074-620: A new mission of mobilizing, deploying and demobilizing Soldiers and providing training areas for Army Reserve and Army National Guard Soldiers. In 1994, the United States Air Force Expeditionary Center was established as the Air Mobility Warfare Center on Dix. Source: Lakehurst history begins as a munitions-testing site for the Imperial Russian Army in 1916. It was then gained by
2196-601: A reddish tint." On March 3, 1863, Congress made the Army Medal of Honor a permanent decoration by passing legislation permitting the award to such soldiers "as have most distinguished or who may hereafter most distinguish themselves in action." The same legislation also authorized the medal for officers of the Army. On March 25, the Secretary of War presented the first Medals of Honor to six U.S. Army volunteers in his office. In 1896,
2318-518: A shield emblazoned with the shield from the coat of arms of the United States. She repulses Discord, represented by snakes (originally, she was repulsing the snakes of secession ). The medal is suspended from the flukes of an anchor. It is made of solid red brass, oxidized and buffed. The Air and Space Forces version is described as "within a wreath of green laurel, a gold five-pointed star, one point down, tipped with trefoils and each point containing
2440-535: A statute, and the restoration violated not only the period law during the Civil War, but also the law requiring revocation in 1916, and modern law in 1977. As a reaction to Walker's restoration, a relative of Cody's requested the same action from the Army's board for correction, and it reinstated the medals for Cody and four other civilian scouts on June 12, 1989. Subsequent litigation over the Garlin Conner award, which
2562-776: A veteran of the War of 1812 and the Civil War , and a former United States Senator , Secretary of the Treasury and Governor of New York . It was renamed Fort Dix in 1939. Dix has a history of mobilizing, training and demobilizing Soldiers from as early as World War I through the present day. In 1978, the first female recruits entered basic training at Fort Dix. In 1991, Dix trained Kuwaiti civilians in basic military skills so they could take part in their country's liberation. Dix ended its active Army training mission in 1988 due to Base Realignment and Closure Commission recommendations. It began
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#17328546308782684-467: A waiver be passed by Congress. A separate Coast Guard Medal of Honor was authorized in 1963 but was not designed or awarded. A separate design for a version of the medal for the Department of the Air Force was authorized in 1956, designed on April 14, 1965, and first awarded in January 1967. Previously, airmen of the U.S. Air Force received the Army's version of the medal. There are three versions of
2806-597: Is an amalgamation of the United States Air Force 's McGuire Air Force Base , the United States Army 's Fort Dix and the United States Navy 's Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst , which were merged on 1 October 2009. It was established in accordance with congressional legislation implementing the recommendations of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission . The legislation ordered
2928-586: Is located in portions of both New Hanover Township and North Hanover Township . As of the 2020 United States census , the McGuire Air Force Base CDP had a total population of 4,522. The host unit at McGuire AFB is the 87th Air Base Wing (87 ABW), United States Air Force Expeditionary Center , AMC. The 87 ABW provides installation management to all of JB MDL. The wing also provides mission-ready, expeditionary Airmen to support Unified Combatant Commanders in ongoing military operations. The wing consists of more than 3,100 officers, enlisted, and civilian personnel from
3050-549: Is often colloquially (but technically incorrectly) referred to as the Congressional Medal of Honor . There are three distinct variants of the medal: one for the Department of the Army , awarded to soldiers; one for branches of the Department of the Navy , awarded to sailors, marines, and coast guardsmen; and one for military branches of the Department of the Air Force , awarded to airmen and guardians. The Medal of Honor
3172-517: Is one of only two United States military awards suspended from a neck ribbon. The other is the Commander's Degree of the Legion of Merit , and is usually awarded to individuals serving foreign governments. In 2011, Department of Defense instructions in regard to the Medal of Honor were amended to read "for each succeeding act that would otherwise justify award of the Medal of Honor, the individual receiving
3294-842: Is situated in the two largest counties in New Jersey , Burlington and Ocean , and includes portions of eight municipalities: the borough of Wrightstown and the townships of New Hanover , North Hanover , Pemberton , and Springfield , in Burlington County, and the townships of Jackson , Manchester , and Plumsted in Ocean County. The 87th Air Base Wing provides installation management support for 3,933 facilities with an approximate value of $ 9.3 billion in physical infrastructure. More than 44,000 airmen, soldiers, sailors, marines, Coast Guardsmen, civilians, and their family members live and work on and around JB MDL, which has an economic impact on
3416-550: Is the United States Armed Forces ' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers , sailors , marines , airmen , guardians , and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. The medal is normally awarded by the president of the United States (the commander in chief of the armed forces) and is presented "in the name of the United States Congress ." It
3538-615: The 2d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron and 5th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron . These were replaced in 1955 by the 332d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron and 539th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron . These squadrons flew a variety of ADC interceptors in the 1950s, starting with the F-94 Starfire in 1952, upgrading to the F-84 Thunderjet in 1953, and finally the interceptor F-86D Sabre later in 1953. Military Air Transport Service took over jurisdiction of McGuire AFB on 1 July 1954 and took over
3660-511: The 442nd Regimental Combat Team (442nd RCT) who served in the European Theater of Operations during World War II. One of these Medal of Honor recipients was Senator Daniel Inouye , a former U.S. Army officer in the 442nd RCT. In 2005, President George W. Bush presented the Medal of Honor to Tibor Rubin , a Hungarian -born American Jew who was a Holocaust survivor of World War II and enlisted U.S. infantryman and prisoner of war in
3782-665: The 59th Observation Group took up station on 14 November. Initially during 1941–42 the Group operated a wide range of aircraft, including the BC-1A, L-59, O-46, O-47, O-49 Vigilant, and O-52 Owl, engaging in antisubmarine patrols along the East coast. After the United States' entry into World War II , Fort Dix Army Air Base was used as a training and facility for numerous service units under First Air Force . Once organized and prepared for overseas duty, these units provided support and technical sections for
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3904-770: The American Civil War , a proposal for a battlefield decoration for valor was submitted to Lieutenant General Winfield Scott , the Commanding General of the United States Army , by Lieutenant Colonel Edward D. Townsend , an assistant adjutant at the Department of War and Scott's chief of staff. Scott, however, was strongly against the American republic's awarding medals for valor, a European monarchical tradition. After Scott retired in October 1861, however, Secretary of
4026-665: The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) does not operate any schools on the joint base. Students in Lakehurst are zoned to Lakehurst School District and Manchester Township High School (of Manchester Township School District ). Students on McGuire and Dix may attend one of the following, with all siblings in a family taking the same choice: North Hanover Township School District (Pre-Kindergarten through grade 6), Northern Burlington County Regional School District (grades 7-12), and Pemberton Township School District (K-12). Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor ( MOH )
4148-589: The Korean War , whom many believed to have been overlooked because of his religion . On April 11, 2013, President Obama presented the Medal of Honor posthumously to Army chaplain Captain Emil Kapaun for his actions as a prisoner of war during the Korean War. This follows other awards to Army Sergeant Leslie H. Sabo, Jr. for conspicuous gallantry in action on May 10, 1970, near Se San , Cambodia , during
4270-544: The 1950s, Aviation Boatswain's Mates have been trained at Lakehurst to operate catapults and arresting systems on aircraft carriers. Lakehurst conducts the unique mission of supporting and developing the Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment and Support Equipment for naval aviation. The Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System and the Advanced Arresting Gear system that will replace the existing steam catapults and
4392-531: The 514th Air Mobility Wing (AFRC), has supported every major type of air mobility mission over the past 15 years. The following units are assigned to McGuire AFB: McGuire is the only base in both the Air Mobility Command and the entire U.S. Air Force hosting three AMC-gained flying wings of the Regular Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard . McGuire is also host to: McGuire hosts
4514-543: The 864 medals awarded to members of the 27th Maine regiment; 29 servicemen who served as Abraham Lincoln's funeral guard; six civilians, including Mary Edwards Walker and Buffalo Bill Cody; and 12 others. Walker's medal was restored by the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in 1977, an action that is often attributed to President Jimmy Carter in error. Cody and four other civilian scouts who rendered distinguished service in action, and who were therefore considered by
4636-402: The Air Force, Army and Navy. The 87th Air Base Wing is commanded by Colonel Bridget V. Gigliotti. Its Command Chief Master Sergeant is Chief Master Sergeant Tony B. Jenkins. McGuire originated in 1941 as Fort Dix Army Airfield. Closed briefly after World War II , it reopened in 1948 as McGuire Air Force Base. The base was named after Major Thomas B. McGuire Jr. , Medal of Honor recipient, and
4758-562: The American people, with posthumous presentations made to the primary next of kin. As of September 2023, there have been 3,536 Medals of Honor awarded, with over 40% awarded for actions during the American Civil War . A total of 911 Army medals were revoked after Congress authorized a review in 1917, and a number of Navy medals were also revoked before the turn of the century—none of these are included in this total except for those that were subsequently restored. In 1990, Congress designated March 25 as Medal of Honor Day . In 1861, early in
4880-626: The Arctic, the Antarctic, South America, the Far East, and to Southeast Asia combat areas during the Vietnam War . From 1967, McGuire was the best-known C-141 Starlifter base in the world, possessing up to a quarter of MAC's fleet of that aircraft until its retirement in 1994. On 1 December 1991, the wing was redesignated as the 438th Airlift Wing and implemented the objective wing organization. On 1 June 1992, it
5002-491: The Army " Gillespie " version introduced a smaller redesigned star and the ribbon was changed to the light blue pattern with white stars seen today. The 1904 Army version also introduced a bar with the word "Valor" above the star. In 1913, the Naval version adopted the same ribbon pattern. After World War I, the Department of the Navy decided to separate the Medal of Honor into two versions, one for combat and one for non-combat. This
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5124-450: The Army's and Navy's Medal of Honor for the same action, with all five of these occurrences taking place during World War I. This was a consequence of the marine recipients serving under Army command, which had been reviewed by the Army's judge advocate general. According to the judge advocate general, the marines were "a party 'of the Army'" since they were detached for service under the Army by presidential directive, and thus were subject to
5246-439: The Army's decoration statutes for that time period. No modern recipients have more than one medal because of laws passed for the Army in 1918, and for the Navy in 1919, which stipulated that "no more than one medal of honor . . . shall be issued to any one person," although subsequent awards were authorized by issuance of bars or other devices in lieu of the medal itself. The prohibition on double awards did not technically apply to
5368-547: The Azores, Bermuda and throughout the southeastern United States also reported to 21st AF. The 438th MAW completed the replacement of the prop-driven transports of MATS with the new Lockheed C-141 Starlifter . For the next 30 years, the 438th MAW and transported military cargo, mail and passengers worldwide, particularly in the Eastern United States, Atlantic, European and Mediterranean areas, with frequent special missions to
5490-511: The Civil War to the Vietnam War. In addition, five recipients whose names were included on the Army's medal revocations in 1917 had their awards restored. A 1993 study commissioned by the U.S. Army investigated "racial disparity" in the awarding of medals. At the time, no Medals of Honor had been awarded to U.S. soldiers of African descent who served in World War II. After an exhaustive review,
5612-487: The George S. Rob Centre at Park University, the review is still ongoing but has already identified some 200 medals for potential upgrade. During the Civil War, Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton promised a Medal of Honor to every man in the 27th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment who extended his enlistment beyond his separation date. The Battle of Gettysburg was imminent, and 311 men of the regiment volunteered to serve until
5734-403: The Korean War and the Vietnam War. Three were still living at the time of the ceremony. In 2010 and again in 2014, Congress directed the Department of Defense to "survey military leaders . . . to the lowest level of command to determine if there is a trend of downgrading awards . . . for medals related to acts of valor and gallantry," and also to "review the Medal of Honor process to ensure that
5856-426: The Medal of Honor that was awarded. The 1917 Medal of Honor Board revoked 911 awards, but only 910 names from the Army's Medal of Honor list, including awards to Mary Edwards Walker, William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody and the first of two awards issued February 10, 1887, to George W. Mindil, who retained his award issued October 25, 1893. None of the 910 impacted recipients were ordered to return their medals, although on
5978-475: The Medal of Honor, one for each of the military departments of the Department of Defense (DoD): the Department of the Army, Department of the Navy (including the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard), and Department of the Air Force (Air and Space Forces). Members of the Coast Guard, part of the Department of Homeland Security , are eligible to receive the Naval version. Each medal is constructed differently, and
6100-445: The Medal of Honor. The first and most common is recommendation within three years and approval within five years through the chain of command of the service member. The second method, which normally applies outside of the statute of limitations, is when a recommendation is referred to a military service by a member of the U.S. Congress, generally at the request of a constituent under 10 U.S.C. § 1130 . In both cases, if
6222-437: The Medal of Honor. The only other such pairing is Theodore Roosevelt (awarded in 2001) and Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. Notably, one member in each pair was strongly influenced by political considerations; Douglas MacArthur's medal was approved for service (rather than gallantry) in violation of both law and policy that prohibited such action, and Theodore Roosevelt's medal was approved after members of Congress successfully lobbied
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#17328546308786344-508: The Medals of Honor have been awarded posthumously. The four specific statutory sections authorizing the medal, as last amended on January 1, 2021, are as follows: The President may award, and present in the name of Congress, a medal of honor of appropriate design, with ribbons and appurtenances, to a person who while a member of the [Army] [naval service] [Air Force] [Coast Guard], distinguished himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at
6466-524: The Medals of Honor of Buffalo Bill and four other civilian scouts in 1989. While the governing statute for the Army's Medal of Honor ( 10 U.S.C. § 6241 ), beginning in 1918, explicitly stated that a recipient must be "an officer or enlisted man of the Army," "distinguish himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty," and perform an act of valor "in action involving actual conflict with an enemy," exceptions have been made: Note that
6588-761: The Mississippi River and the east coast of Africa and in Central and South America. On 1 January 1966 MATS was discontinued and its assets were assigned to the new Military Airlift Command (MAC). The 1611th ATW was discontinued and its mission taken over by the 438th Military Airlift Wing . EASTAF was re-designated as the 21st Air Force . 21st AF continued the mission of EASTAF, controlling MAC airlift wings at Dover AFB , Delaware and Charleston AFB , South Carolina and well as McGuire. Depending upon command organization at different times, airlift and airlift support units in Europe,
6710-720: The Mk-7 arresting gear are being developed and tested at Lakehurst at full-scale shipboard representative test facilities here. Source: The Hindenburg disaster took place on Thursday, May 6, 1937, as the German passenger airship LZ 129 Hindenburg caught fire and was destroyed during its attempt to dock with its mooring mast at the Lakehurst Naval Air Station. The U.S. Census Bureau lists "Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst" in Burlington County as having its own school district. Students attend area school district public schools, as
6832-538: The NYADS. Within a year of becoming operational, a Bomarc-A with a nuclear warhead caught fire on 7 June 1960 following the explosive rupture of its onboard helium tank. While the missile's explosives didn't detonate the heat melted the warhead, releasing plutonium which the fire crews then spread around. The Air Force and the Atomic Energy Commission cleaned up the site and covered it with concrete; fortunately, this
6954-604: The Navy Gideon Welles adopted the idea of a decoration to recognize and honor distinguished naval service. On December 9, 1861, Iowa Senator James W. Grimes , Chairman on the Committee on Naval Affairs, introduced bill S. 82. The bill included a provision authorizing 200 "medals of honor," "to be bestowed upon such petty officers , seamen , landsmen , and marines as shall most distinguish themselves by their gallantry in action and other seaman-like qualities during
7076-663: The Northeast United States, primarily for European flights. Tenant units of MATS (and later MAC) at McGuire were the Air Weather Service and Air Rescue Service squadrons. On 1 June 1955, MATS moved the Eastern Transport Air Force (EASTAF) to McGuire from Westover AFB , Massachusetts when SAC and Eighth Air Force took over. EASTAF was one of three components of MATS worldwide airlift force, controlling all Air Force strategic airlift operations between
7198-447: The Secretary of the Army to reverse a prior determination that "Theodore Roosevelt's bravery in battle did not rise to the level that would justify the Medal of Honor and, indeed, it did not rise to the level of men who fought in that engagement." Seven pairs of brothers have received the Medal of Honor: Two other notable pairs of related recipients include two uncle and nephew recipients. Admiral Frank Friday Fletcher (rear admiral at
7320-537: The United Kingdom. This mission continued until the end of the war in 1945, then received returning aircraft from Europe and arranged their shipment to operational bases or to storage locations. Part of this mission was the temporary basing of returning combat (primarily bombardment) groups from the overseas combat theaters and, with the Army Service Forces coordinating their inactivation. Fort Dix Army Air Base
7442-437: The United States Army as Camp Kendrick during World War I . The United States Navy purchased the property in 1921 for use as an airship station and renamed it Naval Air Station Lakehurst . The Navy's lighter-than-air program was conducted at Lakehurst through the 1930s. It was the site of the 1937 LZ 129 Hindenburg airship disaster . During World War II , anti-submarine patrol blimps were operated from Lakehurst. Since
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#17328546308787564-486: The Vietnam War and to Army Private First Class Henry Svehla and Army Private First Class Anthony T. Kahoʻohanohano for their heroic actions during the Korean War. As a result of a congressionally mandated review to ensure brave acts were not overlooked due to prejudice or discrimination, on March 18, 2014, President Obama upgraded Distinguished Service Crosses to Medals of Honor for 24 Hispanic, Jewish and black individuals—the "Valor 24"—for their actions in World War II,
7686-459: The attorney general of the United States for an advisory opinion on the matter. Byrd himself apparently disliked the Tiffany Cross, and eventually requested the alternate version of the medal from President Herbert Hoover in 1930. The Tiffany Cross itself was not popular among recipients—one author reflected that it was "the most short-lived, legally contentious, and unpopular version of the Medal of Honor in American history." In 1942, in response to
7808-686: The base to Air Defense Command (ADC), at the time an operating agency of ConAC. ADC took jurisdiction of the base on 1 January 1951 with its re-establishment as a separate major command. The 52d Fighter Wing, All Weather was assigned to the base, being moved from Mitchel Field , Long Island on 4 October 1949. Equipped with very long-range F-82 Twin Mustangs , the 52d Fighter Group, All Weather engaged in interceptor training missions against SAC B-29 and B-50 Superfortress bombers simulating air defense missions against incoming Soviet Tupolev Tu-4 bombers. The 52d remained at McGuire until 6 February 1952, when it
7930-593: The battle was resolved. The remaining men returned to Maine, and with the Union victory at Gettysburg the 311 volunteers soon followed. They arrived back in Maine in time to be discharged with the men who had returned earlier. Since there seemed to be no official list of the 311 volunteers, the War Department exacerbated the situation by forwarding 864 medals to the commanding officer of the regiment. The commanding officer only issued
8052-492: The board to have fully earned their medals, also had their medals restored by the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in 1989. The report issued by the Medal of Honor review board in 1917 was reviewed by the Judge Advocate General , who also advised that the War Department should not seek the return of the revoked medals from the recipients identified by the board. In the case of recipients who continued to wear
8174-591: The chairman of the Senate Committee on Military Affairs and the Militia, introduced a resolution (equivalent to a bill) for a Medal of Honor for the Army. The resolution (equivalent to a modern Act of Congress) was approved by Congress and signed into law on July 12, 1862. This measure provided for awarding a medal of honor "to such non-commissioned officers and privates as shall most distinguish themselves by their gallantry in action and other soldier-like qualities during
8296-522: The components are made from gilding metals and red brass alloys with some gold plating, enamel, and bronze pieces. The United States Congress considered a bill in 2004 which would require the Medal of Honor to be made with 90% gold, the same composition as the lesser-known Congressional Gold Medal , but the measure was dropped. The Army's version is described by the Institute of Heraldry as "a gold five-pointed star, each point tipped with trefoils, 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches [3.8 cm] wide, surrounded by
8418-469: The consolidation of the three facilities which were adjoining, but separate military installations, into a single joint base , one of 12 formed in the United States as a result of the law. The installation commander is Air Force Colonel Anthony L. Smith. The 42,000-contiguous acres of JB MDL are home to more than 80 mission partners and 40 mission commanders providing a wide range of combat capability. The base spans more than 20 miles, from east to west. It
8540-412: The double recipients of WWI because they received Medals of Honor from different services, which meant the same medals were not duplicated and had independent statutory authority. Later, in 1927, President Coolidge issued an executive order that forbade issuing more than one federal decoration for the same action, a policy that continues through the present time. The statutory bar on issuing multiple medals
8662-410: The end of the National Anthem . These same planes were also responsible for the Super Bowl XLVIII flyover and missing-man formation which came at the end of opera star Renee Fleming 's rendition of the National Anthem. McGuire Air Force Base was established as Fort Dix Airport in 1937 and first opened to military aircraft on 9 January 1941. On 13 January 1948 the United States Air Force renamed
8784-514: The enemy, distinguish[es] himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty." Despite the "actual conflict" guidelines, the Tiffany Cross was awarded to Navy CDR (later RADM) Richard E. Byrd and Floyd Bennett for their flight to the North Pole in 1926. The decision was controversial within the Navy's Bureau of Navigation (which handled personnel administration), and officials considered asking
8906-442: The eye, jump rings, and suspension ring made of red brass . The finish on the pendant and suspension bar is hard enameled, gold plated, and rose gold plated, with polished highlights. The Naval version is described as "a five-pointed bronze star, tipped with trefoils containing a crown of laurel and oak. In the center is Minerva, personifying the United States, standing with her left hand resting on fasces and her right hand holding
9028-590: The facility McGuire Air Force Base in honor of Major Thomas Buchanan McGuire Jr. , (1920–1945). Medal of Honor recipient and second place American flying ace of World War II , Major McGuire died on 7 January 1945 when his P-38 Lightning spun out of control and crashed on Negros Island in the Philippines as he attempted to aid his wingman during an aerial dogfight. Flight operations to support Camp Dix at an adjacent airfield took place as early as 1926. Facilities and runways to support an air mission began in 1937 as
9150-399: The facility underwent a modernization program to convert the World War II base into a base for postwar jet aircraft. In addition, support facilities were upgraded from World War II temporary wooden structures to permanent structures for long-term use. SAC activated the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at the newly re-designated McGuire Air Force Base on 10 November 1948. The 91st SRW was
9272-520: The flight line of McGuire in 1956, with the ADC interceptors being reassigned. Air Defense Command became a tenant organization on the base, with the 4709th ADW being re-designated as first the 4621st Air Defense Wing on 1 April 1956, and shortly afterwards as the New York Air Defense Sector (NYADS) on 1 October 1956 under the 26th Air Division . The NYADS was in large part responsible for one of
9394-537: The flying needs of its mission partners on JB MDL. Air Force and civilian AMC-contracted aircraft use McGuire's two runways to facilitate this mission. Many hundreds of thousands of Air Force, Army, Navy , and Marine Corps personnel have left the United States for overseas locations from McGuire AFB. Airplanes from McGuire have provided the flyovers for Philadelphia Eagles games and Major League Baseball All-Star and World Series games played in Philadelphia at
9516-402: The form of an "M." It is placed first in the top position in the order of precedence and is worn for situations other than full-dress military uniform. The lapel button is a 1 ⁄ 2 -inch (13 mm), six-sided light blue bowknot rosette with thirteen white stars and may be worn on appropriate civilian clothing on the left lapel. Since 1944, the Medal of Honor has been attached to
9638-469: The foundational projects of the computer era: the development of the SAGE ( Semi-Automatic Ground Environment ) air defense system, from its first test at Bedford, Massachusetts , in 1951, to the installation of the first operational Data Center (DC-01) at McGuire AFB in 1957, becoming operational on 1 July 1958. The SAGE system was a network linking Air Force (and later FAA) General Surveillance Radar stations into
9760-606: The group requirements as a whole: Flying control , Ordnance , airfield security , firefighting , Post Exchange (PX), Special Services , Mail , Transportation (" motor pool "), Communications , Radar , Gunnery instruction , Personal Equipment , and Weather ( Meteorology ). The service group also had its own mess section. The service group had approximately 30 officers and 300 to 400 enlisted men. This training continued until 1944. In late 1942, Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command (AAFASC) took up tenant status at Fort Dix AAB. The 378th Bombardment Group patrolled with
9882-642: The medals to the volunteers who stayed behind and retained the others on the grounds that, if he returned the remainder to the War Department, the War Department would try to reissue the medals. In 1916, a board of five Army generals on the retired list convened under act of law to review every Army Medal of Honor awarded. The board was to report on any Medals of Honor awarded or issued "for any cause other than distinguished conduct by an officer or enlisted man in action involving actual conflict with an enemy." The board, led by Nelson A. Miles , identified 911 awards for causes other than distinguished conduct. This included
10004-566: The men and women of McGuire AFB continue to be at the forefront of operations, with regular deployments of airlift and aerial refueling aircraft as well as support elements for combat operations. McGuire hosted a rapidly assembled STRATCOM Joint Task Force satellite recovery team with no prior notice in February 2008, winning praise for its flexibility and support. Team McGuire remains engaged in providing direct combat support to two regional conflicts and provided personnel, resources and aircraft. Due to
10126-761: The most intact site of the eight in the United States. It has been nominated to the National Register of Historic Places . With the closure of the Bomarc site, the by then renamed Aerospace Defense Command ended its activities at McGuire AFB. The large SAGE DC-01 blockhouse is now the headquarters of the 621st Contingency Response Wing and previously housed the 21st Air Force/Expeditionary Mobility Task Force. On 1 July 1954, Military Air Transport Service (MATS) took over jurisdiction of McGuire Air Force Base. Through its successor organizations, Military Airlift Command (MAC) in 1966 and since 1992 as Air Mobility Command (AMC),
10248-526: The newly reorganized Air Mobility Command. The 305th Air Mobility Wing served as the host wing from October 1994 to March 2009, when the newly activated 87th Air Base Wing assumed installation command. The 305th, along with the 108th Air Wing (ANG), 621st Contingency Response Wing , and the 514th Air Mobility Wing (AFRES), has supported every major type of air mobility mission over the past 15 years. Source: The facility originated in 1917 as Camp Dix , named in honor of Major General John Adams Dix ,
10370-493: The nomination process, valor requirements, and timeliness of the process do not unfairly penalize service members." This ultimately resulted in a review of all post 9/11 valor awards, several of which resulted in Medals of Honor. Another historical review for World War I medals that may have been tainted by discrimination was authorized in the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act. Conducted under
10492-463: The number of Air Force recipients does not count recipients from its pre-September 19, 1947, Army-related predecessor organizations . Nevertheless, the Air Force's transfer agreement gave it retroactive jurisdiction over military awards to the date the Air Corps was authorized by statute: Jul. 2, 1926. Thus, were a decoration submitted retroactively for an aviator's actions on or after that date (including
10614-430: The pendant and suspension bar is hard enameled, gold plated, and rose gold plated, with buffed relief. The Medal of Honor has evolved in appearance over time. The upside-down star design of the Naval version's pendant adopted in early 1862 has not changed since its inception. The Army's 1862 version followed and was identical to the Naval version except an eagle perched atop cannons was used instead of an anchor to connect
10736-459: The pendant to the suspension ribbon. The medals featured a female allegory of the Union, with a shield in her right hand that she used to fend off a crouching attacker and serpents. In her left hand, she held a fasces . There are 34 stars surrounding the scene, representing the number of states in the union at the time. In 1896, the Army version changed the ribbon's design and colors due to misuse and imitation by nonmilitary organizations. In 1904,
10858-407: The present insurrection." By mid-November the Department of War contracted with Philadelphia silversmith William Wilson and Son, who had been responsible for the Navy's design, to prepare 2,000 medals for the Army ($ 2.00 each) to be struck at the mint. The Army's version had "The Congress to" written on the back of the medal. Both versions were made of copper and coated with bronze, which "gave them
10980-614: The present war...." On December 21, the bill was passed and signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln . Secretary Welles directed the Philadelphia Mint to design the new military decoration. On May 15, 1862, the United States Department of the Navy ordered 175 medals ($ 1.85 each) from the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia with "Personal Valor" inscribed on the back of each one. On February 15, 1862, Senator Henry Wilson ,
11102-546: The primary mission of McGuire has remained the strategic airlift of personnel and equipment worldwide. MATS activities at the base began on 1 July 1954 with the 1611th Air Transport Wing being activated. The 1611th ATW flew primarily C-118 Liftmaster (Navy R6D ) transports worldwide throughout its existence. It received C-135 Stratolifters in 1962 and was upgraded from a medium to a heavy transport wing. It supported Air Force Reserve associate units beginning in 1961. The wing also operated Aerial Port and Port of Embarkation for
11224-519: The proposal is outside the time limits for the recommendation, approval to waive the time limit requires a special Act of Congress . The Medal of Honor is presented by the President on behalf of, and in the name of, the Congress. Since 1980, nearly all Medal of Honor recipients—or in the case of posthumous awards, the next of kin—have been personally decorated by the president. Since 1941, more than half of
11346-580: The question of whether the recipients could continue to wear their medals, the Judge Advocate General advised the Medal of Honor Board that the Army was not obligated to police the matter. Walker continued to wear her medal until her death. Although some sources claim that President Jimmy Carter formally restored her medal posthumously in 1977, this action was actually taken unilaterally by the Army's Board for Correction of Military Records. The Army Board for Correction of Military Records also restored
11468-448: The report of the Medal of Honor Review Board, established by Congress in 1916, 911 recipients were stricken from the Army's Medal of Honor list because the medal had been awarded inappropriately. Among them were William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody and Mary Edwards Walker . In 1977, the Army's board for correction of military records unilaterally restored Walker's medal at the request of a relative. The board had no authority to overturn
11590-524: The ribbon of the Army's version of the Medal of Honor was redesigned with all stripes being vertical. Again, in 1904 the planchet of the Army's version of the Medal of Honor was redesigned by General George Lewis Gillespie . The purpose of the redesign was to help distinguish the Medal of Honor from other medals, particularly the membership insignia issued by the Grand Army of the Republic . In 1917, based on
11712-430: The risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. The Medal of Honor confers special privileges on its recipients: Medal of Honor recipients may apply in writing to the headquarters of the service branch of the medal awarded for a replacement or display Medal of Honor, ribbon, and appurtenance (Medal of Honor flag) without charge. Primary next of kin may also do the same and have any questions answered in regard to
11834-496: The second leading ace in American history. March 3, 1960, while returning home from his army stint, Elvis Presley landed on McGuire Airforce Base, en route from Frankfurt , Germany and Glasgow Prestwick Airport , Prestwick, Scotland and Ernest Harmon Air Force Base , Stephenville, Newfoundland and Labrador , Canada. Here he disembarked the airplane, two days before his army discharge. The 305th Air Mobility Wing, 108th Air Refueling Wing (ANG), 621st Contingency Response Wing, and
11956-449: The stand up of the 621st Air Mobility Operations Group (621 AMOG) and its later reorganization to the 621st Contingency Response Wing (621 CRW), partnered with the 305 AMW and spearheaded virtually every contingency over the past 14 years, from Operation JOINT ENDEAVOR in the Balkans to Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. McGuire itself, through its support organizations, has also been a key component in
12078-455: The state of New Jersey. The base originated in 1941 as Fort Dix Army Air Force Base . Closed briefly after World War II , it reopened in 1948 as McGuire Air Force Base . The base was named after Major Thomas B. McGuire, Jr. , Medal of Honor recipient, and the second leading ace in American history. McGuire grew famous as the Air Force's "Gateway to the East", when its core mission became global mobility in 1945. In 1992, it became part of
12200-459: The study recommended that ten Distinguished Service Cross recipients be awarded the Medal of Honor. On January 13, 1997, President Bill Clinton presented the Medal of Honor to seven of these World War II veterans, six of them posthumously and one to former Second Lieutenant Vernon Baker . In 1998, a similar study of Asian Americans resulted in Clinton presenting 22 Medals of Honor in 2000. This
12322-403: The subsequent award is authorized to wear an additional Medal of Honor ribbon and/or a 'V' device on the Medal of Honor suspension ribbon" (the "V" device is a 1 ⁄ 4 -inch-high (6.4 mm) bronze miniature letter "V" with serifs that denotes valor). The Medal of Honor was the only decoration authorized to use the "V" device (none were ever issued) to designate subsequent awards in such
12444-469: The time of award) and his nephew, Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher (lieutenant at the time of award), both awarded for actions during the United States occupation of Veracruz . Guy W. S. Castle for actions during the United States occupation of Veracruz , and his nephew Frederick Walker Castle for actions during World War II . Since 1979, 86 late Medal of Honor awards have been presented for actions from
12566-453: The traditional depiction of Minerva in part due to a desire to distinguish itself from the Army, including the Institute of Heraldry that traditionally designs awards, but which falls under the Army. On May 2, 1896, Congress authorized a "ribbon to be worn with the medal and [a] rosette or knot to be worn in lieu of the medal." The service ribbon is light blue with five white stars in
12688-594: The transport of materials and personnel to global crisis points. In 1999, McGuire served as the lead staging base for the evacuation of Kosovo refugees in Operation OPEN ARMS; McGuire was the rally and staging point for FEMA operations in New York City after the 11 September 2001 attacks; in 2005, the base lent key support for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita . On 1 October 2003 the Twenty-First Air Force
12810-420: The words "Medal of Honor" as written on Kendall's flag. The color of the field and the 13 white stars, arranged in the form of a three-bar chevron , consisting of two chevrons of five stars and one chevron of three stars, emulate the suspension ribbon of the Medal of Honor. The flag has no defined proportions. The first Medal of Honor Flag recipient was U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith , whose flag
12932-462: Was John J. Kelly , on October 3, 1918; the last individual to receive two Medals of Honor for two different actions was Smedley Butler , in 1914 and 1915. None of the double awardees earned two distinct medals under modern Medal of Honor criteria, although the WWI awardees qualified under substantially modern statutes. Arthur MacArthur, Jr. and Douglas MacArthur are the first father and son to be awarded
13054-414: Was an attempt to circumvent the requirement enacted in 1919 that recipients participate "in action involving actual conflict with the enemy," which would have foreclosed non-combat awards. By treating the 1919 Medal of Honor as a separate award from its Civil War counterpart, this allowed the Department of the Navy to claim that it was not literally in violation of the 1919 law. The original upside-down star
13176-536: Was assigned to the new Air Mobility Command . On 1 October 1994, the 438th Airlift Wing was inactivated, being replaced at McGuire by the 305th Air Mobility Wing which was transferred from Grissom AFB , Indiana when Grissom was realigned via BRAC action to the Air Force Reserve Command. The C-141 was retired in 2004, being replaced by the C-17 Globemaster III . The 21st Air Force, coupled with
13298-604: Was designated as the non-combat version and a new pattern of the medal pendant, in cross form, was designed by the Tiffany Company in 1919. Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels selected Tiffany after snubbing the Commission of Fine Arts, which had submitted drawings that Daniels criticized as "un-American". The so-called Tiffany Cross was to be presented to a sailor or marine who "in action involving actual conflict with
13420-459: Was designed in 1965, it incorporated similar elements and design from the Army version. At the Department of the Air Force leadership's insistence, the new medal depicted the Statue of Liberty's image in place of Minerva on the medal and changed the connecting device from an eagle to Jupiter's thunderbolt flanked with wings as found on the Department of the Air Force's seal. The Air Force diverged from
13542-572: Was finally repealed in the FY2014 defense bill, at the request of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, meaning that recipients can now be issued more than one medal rather than simply receiving a device for subsequent awards. However, it is still true that no more than one medal may be issued for the same action. To date, the maximum number of Medals of Honor earned by any service member has been two. The last living individual to be awarded two Medals of Honor
13664-559: Was following a historical review conducted by a team of historians headed by Jim McNaughton at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, located in the Presidio of Monterey, California. The review ultimately forwarded at least 47 cases of Distinguished Services Crosses for potential upgrade, as well as one Silver Star. Twenty of the resulting medals went to U.S. soldiers of Japanese descent of
13786-516: Was inactivated along with the F-82s. The Twin Mustangs of the 52d FW were replaced by the ADC 4709th Defense Wing on 1 February 1952. Under the Eastern Air Defense Force , the 4709th DW (later Air Defense Wing), controlled interceptor squadrons at McGuire, as well as at Suffolk County AFB and Stewart AFB , New York, and Dover AFB , Delaware. Interceptor squadrons stationed at McGuire were
13908-534: Was introduced for the Naval Service in 1861, soon followed by the Army's version in 1862. The Air Force used the Army's version until they received their own distinctive version in 1965. The Medal of Honor is the oldest continuously issued combat decoration of the United States Armed Forces. The president typically presents the Medal of Honor at a formal ceremony intended to represent the gratitude of
14030-472: Was phased down in the fall of 1945 and was placed on Temporary Inactive Status on 15 February 1945; which changed to Inactive Status on 1 March 1946. Jurisdiction of the base was transferred to Strategic Air Command at Andrews Field, Maryland on 1 August 1947, the base remaining in inactive status. Fort Dix Army Air Base was taken out of inactive status and activated as a primary installation on 29 August 1948. Initially reactivated under Strategic Air Command ,
14152-580: Was presented posthumously. President George W. Bush presented the Medal of Honor and Flag to the family of Smith during the award ceremony for him in the White House on April 4, 2005. A special Medal of Honor Flag presentation ceremony was held for over 60 living Medal of Honor recipients on board the USS ; Constitution in September 2006. There are two distinct protocols for recommending and adjudicating
14274-538: Was re-designated as the 21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Force , reflecting its expanded mission due to the outbreak of the Global War on Terrorism . In 2006, McGuire AFB hosted over 1,800 Lebanese Americans evacuated from the battles there between Israel and Hezbollah insurgents. In 2008, McGuire assumed responsibility for the no-fail "Red Ball Express" aerial port mission, supplying efforts in ENDURING FREEDOM. Today
14396-486: Was reassigned from 26th AD on 1 April 1966 to First Air Force , until 30 September 1968 when both the sector was inactivated along with DC-01, when budget restrictions along with when technology advances allowed the Air Force to shut down many SAGE Data Centers. The SAGE network, however, remained active until 1983. In 1959, Air Defense Command deployed the CIM-10 Bomarc surface-to-air missile to McGuire AFB. The Bomarc
14518-472: Was recommended by the Army's board for correction of military records in 2015, established that the correction boards lack the authority to unilaterally award Medals of Honor. In Conner's case, the board merely recommended the medal, which was then referred to the Senior Army Decorations Board, and ultimately to the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of Defense, and the President, who requested
14640-456: Was staffed by the 46th Air Defense Missile Squadron, activated on 1 January 1959. Two models of the Bomarc were deployed to McGuire, the liquid-fueled CIM-10A (28 missiles), and later the CIM-10B (56 missiles). The supersonic Bomarc missiles were the first long-range anti-aircraft missiles in the world, and were equipped with a W40 nuclear warhead. The site at McGuire went operational in 1959 under
14762-456: Was the only major incident involving the weapons system. The Bomarc site remained in operation under successor organizations after the inactivation of the NYADS. After its closure in 1972, the accident resulted in the site remaining off limits to the present day, primarily due to low levels of plutonium contamination. Due to the accident, the McGuire complex has never been sold or converted to other uses and remains in Air Force ownership, making it
14884-477: Was the only surface-to-air missile ever deployed by the United States Air Force. All other U.S. land-based SAMs were and are under the control of the United States Army. The Bomarc site was located 4 miles (6.4 km) ESE of the main base 40°02′06″N 074°26′29″W / 40.03500°N 74.44139°W / 40.03500; -74.44139 ( 46th ADMS ) in a separate facility, and
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