United States Stamps: Korean War Medal of Honor (2014)

In January 2012, the U.S. Postal Service® invited the last living Korean War Medal of Honor recipients to join in honoring the extraordinary courage of every member awarded the medal for their valorous actions during the war.
One stamp features a photograph of the Navy version of the Medal of Honor; the other stamp features a photograph of the Army version of the Medal of Honor. The second page includes a short piece of text and a key to the names of the recipients pictured in the cover photos. The names of all 145 recipients of the Medal of Honor from the Korean War are listed on page three. The remaining 18 stamps are found on the back page along with a quote describing why the Medal of Honor is awarded, “For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty.” Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamps and the new format, working with photographs of the medals by Richard Frasier. The Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest award for valor in combat, is presented “for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty.” In January 2012, the U.S. Postal Service® invited the last living recipients of the award from the Korean War to join in honoring the extraordinary courage of every individual who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the war. More than 6.8 million people served with the American armed forces during the Korean War, but only 145 received the Medal of Honor. The road to receiving this medal is a long one. After being recommended, honorees are reviewed by a lengthy chain of command, starting with their superiors and ending with the Secretary of Defense and the President. More than two-thirds of the men who received the Medal of Honor for their actions during the Korean War were killed in action.
Source: United States Postal Services
Released August 25, 2014