Title 10 — Armed ForcesRelease 119-73
§8291 Medal of honor
Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle C— - Navy and Marine Corps › Part PART II— - PERSONNEL › Chapter CHAPTER 837— - DECORATIONS AND AWARDS › § 8291
Summary
The President may, in Congress' name, award the Medal of Honor to a naval service member who risks life beyond duty while fighting a US enemy, in combat with foreign forces, or serving with friendly forces in conflicts not involving the US.
Full Legal Text
Title 10, §8291
Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
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 naval service, distinguishes himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty—
(1)while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States;
(2)while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or
(3)while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Revised sectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 624134 U.S.C. 354.Feb. 4, 1919, ch. 14, § 1, 40 Stat. 1056; Aug. 7, 1942, ch. 551, § 1, 56 Stat. 743. In subsection (a) the word “award” is added for clarity since the President determines the recipient, in addition to presenting the medal in the name of Congress. The words “a member of the naval service” are substituted for the words “in the naval service of the United States” for uniformity. The word “distinguishes” is substituted for the words “shall * * * distinguish” for uniformity. In subsection (b) the words “of the medal of honor authorized on
August 8, 1942” are substituted for the words “adopted pursuant to the Act approved
December 21, 1861 (12 Stat. 330)” for the reason that the 1861 Act does not establish the design, and the date of formal adoption of the design of the medal is obscure. The effect of the subsection is to continue the design recognized by 34 U.S.C. 354.
Editorial Notes
Prior Provisions
A prior section 8291, act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 509, related to original appointments in Regular Air Force of nurses or woman medical specialists, and prescribed qualifications for appointment as a nurse, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 85–155, title IV, § 401(1), Aug. 21, 1957, 71 Stat. 390.
Amendments
2018—Pub. L. 115–232 renumbered section 6241 of this title as this section. 1996—Par. (2). Pub. L. 104–106 inserted “or” after “an opposing foreign force;”. 1963—Pub. L. 88–77 enlarged the authority to award the medal of honor, which was limited to those cases in which persons distinguished themselves in action involving actual conflict with an enemy, or in the line of his profession, and without detriment to the mission of his command or to the command to which attached, to permit its award for distinguished service while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States, while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force, or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party, and substituted the requirement that it be of appropriate design, with ribbons and appurtenances, for the requirement that it be the same as that authorized on August 8, 1942.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 2018 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of
Amendments
and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.
Executive Documents
Meritorious Service MedalEstablishment of, see Ex. Ord. No. 11448, set out as a note preceding section 1121 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
10 U.S.C. § 8291
Title 10 — Armed Forces
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73