I don’t think it’s a common enough occurance for it to be a practiced custom, but not a rule. It being, primarily, a posthumous award.
I think the rarity of the event is what helps to perpetuate the myth. Further, something so extremely important like that would be–at the very least–mentioned in an FM as encouraged or as appropriate, even if not required.
Even the most insignificant Army customs are written somewhere, on some military publication. Hell… the Army even has a publication explaining the use of Limericks at Dinings-In. Army Pamphlet 600-15. There simply isn’t a more mundane, non-required custom in the military as roasting each other with Limericks during a formal dinners… Yet it is in writing.
So no… I do not believe it is at all possible that saluting the recipient of the Medal of Honor could be an unwritten, practiced custom. It’s a myth. Nothing more.
Whether it is written down or not it happens - or at least happened. And it had the full support of the command I was assigned to.
Like I said above, the BMCM I worked with had been in over 30 years in 2000. I doubt he’s still on active duty now, and I wonder if he’s even still alive. How many MoHs have been awarded in the Iraq/Afghanistan conflicts? Are any of the awardees still on active duty or in active service but Reserves (Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force)?
1962, Ft Lewis, WA. (ARMY)
We had a WWII MOH E-4 in our barracks.( Was an alcoholic sadly and got busted down with some regularity.) He wanted my KP duty for $ and as we were allowed to sell our KP, I did so. OOPS !!! Much hot water. A Big No No…
Later that year we were standing an IG inspection. He had his own private room. The main man ( A Colonel ) started ripping him a new one as his ‘display’ was not up to snuff. He did have his MOH displayed on his bunk. (He was there as a courtesy, he was a nice guy.) We were watching down the stair well. A sharp eyed Captain farther back spotted said medal; and poked the Colonel in the back and when he spun around to draw and quarter the Captain, he just pointed to the MOH.
That Colonel turned snow white and backed of of that room so fast with profuse apologies that is was hard to believe. He was so rattled that the rest of us had a very easy time of it. MOH winners at that time did not do, guard duty, KP or stand inspections.
I don’t know if it is the regs, but in practice, no one messed with them… (They still had to do their jobs of course but you know what I mean.)
PS: We had an NG Captain as CO who was a bit contrary with others then his own men and I guess he forgot to let the new Colonel from IG know we had an MOH man on the premises… snerk
As a military Officer, I only know one MOH awardee (hell I think I’ve only met one) and I work for him on occasion. I asked him about being saluted by superiors years ago and he thought it was nonsense. His statement on the subject went something like this:
"The MOH is the highest honor I could earn. It is the epitome of the military way of life. The salute is the most basic and time honored symbol of our profession. Why would we turn this honor on it’s side, corrupting the salute by having seniors salute juniors?
