StateofVermont
HouseofRepresentatives
Montpelier,Vermont
ConcurrentHouseResolution
H.C.R.57
OfferedbyCommitteeonGovernmentOperationsandMilitaryAffairs
OfferedbySenatorsClarkson,Major,andWhite
HouseconcurrentresolutionrecognizingMarch25,2025asNationalMedalofHonorDayinVermont
Whereas,onDecember21,1861,PresidentAbrahamLincolnsignedPublicResolution82,theoriginal
MedalofHonorlegislation,providingforaNavyMedalofValor,whichSenatorJamesW.GrimesofIowahad
introduced,andin1862,PresidentAbrahamLincolnextendeditseligibilitytoU.S.Armypersonnel, and
Whereas,thefirstrecipientsoftheMedalofHonorwereagroupofsoldiersknownasAndrews’Raiders,
wholedadauntingmissiontocrossConfederatelinesandstealatrain,andsixofthosesoldierswerehonored
onMarch25,1863, and
Whereas,duringtheCivilWar,approximately60VermonterswereMedalofHonorrecipients, and
Whereas,themostunusualrecipientwasWillieJohnston,ayoungresidentoftheNortheastKingdom
communityofSalem,nowDerby,who,despitebeingonly11yearsofagewhenheenlisted,wasacceptedasa
drummerinCompanyDofthe3rdVermontVolunteerInfantryRegiment, and
Whereas,duringthe1862PeninsulaCampaign,whenUnionforcesfailedtoinvadetheConfederatecapital
ofRichmond,Virginia,andwereforcedtofleedowntheVirginiapeninsula,youngJohnstonprovedtobethe
onlydrummerinhisdivisiontoretainhisinstrumentthroughtheharrowingordeal, and
Whereas,onSeptember16,1863,whenWillieJohnstonwasonly13yearsofage,U.S.SecretaryofWar
EdwinStantonpresentedhimwiththisspecialmedal,andheremainstheyoungestrecipienttothisday, and
Whereas,otherVermontershavebeenawardedtheMedalofHonorfortheirmilitaryvalor,includingduring
theIndianWars(1),thePhilippinesCampaign(1),interimperiods(2),WorldWarII(3),andtheVietnamWar
(1), and
Whereas,CongressestablishedNationalMedalofHonorDay,whichwasfirstobservedin1991,“tofoster
publicappreciationandrecognitionofMedalofHonorrecipients,”nowthereforebeit
ResolvedbytheSenateandHouseofRepresentatives:
ThattheGeneralAssemblyrecognizesMarch25,2025asNationalMedalofHonorDayinVermont,andbe
itfurther
Resolved:ThattheSecretaryofStatebedirectedtoprovideacopyofthisresolutiontotheGreenMountain
BaseSubmarineVeterans;toRobertBurke,DirectoroftheVermontOfficeofVeteransAffairs;andtoRichard
Lorenz,thePresidentoftheVermontNationalGuardLibraryandMuseum.