The Medal of Honor, the United States’ highest and most prestigious military award, is usually presented to recipients by the sitting president. When Harry Truman awarded the medal, he often remarked that he would rather have received such an honor than be president. Yet, despite his obvious respect for the award, Truman actively blocked efforts to bestow it upon him.
A controversial post-war president
Harry Truman was a polarizing president and leader. He played a key role in rebuilding war-torn Europe, founding the North Atlantic Peace Treaty (NATO), and laying early groundwork for civil rights progress. However, he was also criticized for his proposed policies and the decision to use the only two nuclear weapons ever deployed in combat.
The use of Fat Man and Little Boy ignited a debate that continues to this day. Critics argue that the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were inhumane, unjustified, and intended as a show of strength not only to Japan but also to the Soviet Union. Supporters, on the other hand, argue that the bombings saved more lives than they cost by forcing Japan’s surrender and avoiding a mainland invasion.
Nevertheless, Truman faced some of the most challenging decisions ever encountered by a U.S. president. His service as an artillery officer in World War I gave him familiarity with military operations. Just five years after World War II, he led the nation into the Korean War, a decision that majorly dropped his popularity.
Truman was ultimately succeeded by Dwight D. Eisenhower. Realizing he stood little chance against the beloved WWII commander, Truman chose not to run for reelection.
Harry Truman turns down the Medal of Honor
In more recent years, Harry Truman’s presidency has been viewed in a more positive light, and many now regard him as one of the nation’s greatest presidents.
As he oversaw the closing months of the Second World War and most of what occurred in Korea, he was no stranger to the Medal of Honor. However, when the US House of Representatives attempted to award him the honor in 1971, he wouldn’t accept it. In response, the 87-year-old former president said, “I don’t consider that I have done anything which should be the reason for any award, Congressional or otherwise.”
Although Harry Truman turned down the Medal of Honor, he was greatly appreciative of the gesture, viewing it as an honor of its own. He wrote a letter to Rep. William J. Randall (D-MO), which was read during a session of Congress. In it, he detailed why he wouldn’t accept the decoration. He believed that, as the medal was awarded for bravery in combat, changing the requirements for him would detract from its significance.
“This does not mean I do not appreciate what you and others have done, because I do appreciate the kind things that have been said and the proposal to have the award offered to me,” he wrote.
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Truman passed away in 1972, just a year after his humble rejection of the Medal of Honor. After his death, President Richard Nixon said in a statement, “Harry S. Truman will be remembered as one of the most courageous Presidents in our history, who led the Nation and the world through a critical period with exceptional vision and determination.
“Embroiled in controversy during his Presidency, his stature in the eyes of history has risen steadily ever since. He did what had to be done, when it had to be done.”