a. Authorization.   10 U.S.C. 6244 

     b. Eligibility Requirements 

          (1) Awarded by the President in the name of Congress to members of the Naval service, who distinguish themselves conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his/her life above and beyond the call of duty 

               (a) while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States; 

               (b) While engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or 

               (c) 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. 

          (2) There must be no margin of doubt or possibility of error in awarding this honor. To justify the decoration, the individual's service must clearly be rendered conspicuous above their comrades by an act so outstanding that it clearly distinguishes their gallantry beyond the call of duty from lesser forms of bravery; and it must be the type of deed which if not done would not subject the individual to any justified criticism. The deed must be without detriment to the mission of the command or to the command to which attached. 

     c. Special Benefits for Medal of Honor Recipients 

          (1) 38 U.S.C. 560 establishes a roll designated as the "Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard Medal of Honor Roll" listing the name of each surviving person who has served on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States, who has been awarded a Medal of Honor. 

          (2) 38 U.S.C. 561 provides that each person whose name is entered on the Medal of Honor roll shall be furnished a certificate of service. 

          (3) 38 U.S.C. 562 requires the Administrator of Veterans Affairs to pay monthly to each person whose name has been entered on the Medal of Honor Roll, a special pension at the rate of $200 per month. 

          (4) 10 U.S.C. 4342, 6954, 9342 authorizes the appointment of children of persons who have been awarded the Medal of Honor as cadets at the U.S. Military Academy, midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy, or cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy, without regard to quota requirements. 

          (5) Medal of Honor recipients are authorized to travel in aircraft of the armed services on a space-available basis, within the Continental United States, provided they certify that the trip is not for personal gain or remuneration. 

The Navy/Marine Corps Medal of Honor came into being during the winter of 1861. During those months the Union was hard pressed for victories but there was no lack of gallantry among fighting men. Senator Grimes, of Iowa, took the lead as chairman of the Senate Naval Committee and introduced a bill authorizing a Navy Medal. The bill, signed by President Lincoln on 21 December 1861, established a Medal of Honor for enlisted men of the Navy and Marine Corps (officers in the Navy and Marine Corps were not eligible for the Medal of Honor until 1915). This was the first decoration authorized by Congress to be worn on the uniform. 

As soon as the Navy Medal of Honor was authorized, James Pollock, Director of the U.S. Mint was asked to submit designs for the medal. After several designs were submitted, the Navy approved one on 9 May 1862. By the time the final design was approved by the Secretary of the Navy, the Army design of the Medal of Honor had also been approved. As a result, the Secretary of war, Edwin stanton, directed the medals be of the same design; the only difference between the Army and Navy medals was that the Army medal, instead of being attached to its ribbon by an anchor, was attached by means of the American Eagle symbol perched atop crossed cannons and cannon balls. 

Dual Medal of Honor recipients are: 

Sergeant-Major Daniel J. Daly. Daly won his first MoH as a Private while serving during the battle of Peking, China, 14 August 1900, and his second MoH in Haiti, while serving in the 15th company of Marines as a Gunnery-Sergeant on 22 October 1915. 

Major Smedley D. Butler. Butler won his first MoH as a Major serving on Vera Cruz, April 22, 1914, and his second as Commanding Officer of detachments from the Fifth, Thirteenth, Twenty-third Companies and the Marine and sailor detachments from the U.S.S.Connecticut, Major Butler led the attack on Fort Riviere, Haiti, 17 November 1915.