By Nadia Ramlagan
The stories of 57 West Virginians who have received the Medal of Honor, the highest military award, will be on display at the new National Medal of Honor Museum, which opened last month in Arlington, Texas.
Among them is Hershel “Woody” Williams who, until his death in 2022, was the last living Medal of Honor recipient from World War II.
Chris Cassidy, CEO of the museum, said the facility is unlike any other military or war museum.
“We’ve paid a lot of attention to telling a broad swath of stories – from the Civil War to present day – of all branches of service, of all hometowns and states and ethnicity,” Cassidy explained. “Just kind of covering a broad section of America, because the Medal of Honor recipients really do represent America.”
Visitors can also learn about the lives and stories of the nearly 3,500 Medal of Honor awardees. Today is the 162nd anniversary of the day the first Medal of Honor was awarded.
Only 61 recipients are still living. Cassidy pointed out the museum will be a place where the public can interact with these heroes.
“In the ensuing weeks and months, we have several programs that we’ll put on in the museum, where folks can come and listen to their stories live, and ask the Medal of Honor recipients questions in person,” Cassidy outlined.
Cassidy added the museum is dedicated to giving back to the community by working with kids in its Leadership Institute.
“We’re actively right now delivering programs on character excellence to youth, particularly seventh and eighth graders,” Cassidy emphasized. “It’s not just a museum. (The) museum is going to be amazing but we want to be able to transmit those stories around the country and that’s where our Leadership Institute comes in.”
The $290 million structure has classrooms and spaces for meetings, memorials and ceremonies.
