# § 8291. Medal of honor
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.
---
**Source Credit**: (Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 389, § 6241; Pub. L. 88–77, § 2(1), July 25, 1963, 77 Stat. 93; Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title XV, § 1503(b)(2), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 512; renumbered § 8291, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(b)(13), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1836.)
| Revised section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 6241 | 34 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 ” are substituted for the words “adopted pursuant to the Act approved ()” 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 .
## Editorial Notes
### Prior Provisions
A prior section 8291, , , 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 , , .
### Amendments
2018— renumbered as this section.
1996—Par. (2). inserted “or” after “an opposing foreign force;”.
1963— 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 .
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Effective Date of 2018 Amendment
Amendment by effective , with provision for the coordination of amendments and special rule for certain redesignations, see , set out as a note preceding .
## Executive Documents
### Meritorious Service Medal
Establishment of, see Ex. Ord. No. 11448, set out as a note preceding .