Pvt. Jacob Parrott, a member of the Ohio Volunteer Militia, the predecessor to the Ohio National Guard, was the first person to receive the Medal of Honor, on March 25, 1863. Parrott is featured online in a new history of the Medal of Honor, posted by the Defense Department. Congress authorized the Medal of Honor in December 1861, specifically for the Department of the Navy, but within two months it was adapted for Army recipients as well. The medal is now bestowed on individuals serving in any branch of the armed forces who have performed a personal act of valor above and beyond the call of duty in action against an enemy force.
History of the Medal of Honor
