The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the US government. It is bestowed by the President in the name of Congress on members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States." Since 1941, more than half have been awarded posthumously.
As the award citation includes the phrase "in the name of Congress", it is sometimes erroneously called the Congressional Medal of Honor; however, the official title is simply the Medal of Honor.
Fireman First Class Laddie Stupka (USN) is currently the only Medal of Honor recipient intered at Baltimore National Cemetery.
From MilitaryTimes.com:
- Date of birth: March 4, 1878
- Date of death: February 20, 1946
- Burial Location: Baltimore, Maryland
- Place of Birth: Cleveland, Ohio
- Home of record: Cleveland, Ohio
Awarded for actions during Peace Time
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Fireman First Class Laddie Stupka, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession while serving on board the U.S.S. Leyden, at the time of the wreck of that vessel, 21 January 1903, near Block Island, Rhode Island.
General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 145 (December 26, 1903)
Action Date: 21-Jan-03
Service: Navy
Rank: Fireman First Class
Division: U.S.S. Leyden
The area of the Baltimore National Cemetery was once part of an elevated site in Baltimore, referred to as early as 1750 as the Cloud Capped estate. It was originally owned by the Baltimore Company and Charles Carroll of Carrollton, and acquired by Blanchard and Susan Randall in 1890. When the nearby Loudon Park National Cemetery was deemed full, the War Department set out to find a new site. In 1936 the federal government took possession for a cost of $95,000, and began converting the estate to "Little Arlington". The first interment took place on December 18, 1936, but the cemetery was not formally dedicated until May 30, 1941.
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