Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage
Center and the Greater Chattanooga
Community to Serve as the Host City for the 2025 Medal of
Honor Celebration on September 30–October 4, 2025
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., July 18,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Coolidge National Medal of
Honor Heritage Center is pleased to announce today the 2025
gathering of all living Medal of Honor Recipients will be hosted by
the Heritage Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee—the Birthplace of the
Medal of Honor. Presented by Textile Rubber & Chemical Company,
the 2025 Medal of Honor Celebration will feature a series of public
and private events starting on Tuesday,
September 30, 2025, and will conclude with the
highly-anticipated Patriot Award Gala on Saturday, October 4, at the Chattanooga Convention Center.
"Chattanooga is widely known
for its rich military history and ability to honor the brave men
and women who have served our country in uniform," said Colonel
Frank Hughes, U.S. Marine Corps
(Retired) and chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Coolidge
National Medal of Honor Heritage Center. "We are truly honored to
host the 2025 Medal of Honor Celebration. This week-long event will
provide our community with a unique opportunity to immerse
Recipients in the history of the Chattanooga and its historical connections to
Medal of Honor, have them visit iconic Chattanooga landmarks and provide countless
opportunities for Recipients to share their powerful stories of
courage, sacrifice and patriotism with our community."
This annual gathering of all living Medal of Honor Recipients is
one of our country's most prestigious and patriotic events. During
their time in Chattanooga,
Recipients and their families will have an opportunity to reunite
with each other and share their heroic stories of Patriotism,
Citizenship, Courage, Integrity, Sacrifice and Commitment with
local students, veterans, active-duty military and community
members. More importantly, the event will allow Recipients to make
a lasting impact on the Greater
Chattanooga community for years to come. The Heritage Center
will be releasing additional details on the various events and
activities being planned for the 2025 Medal of Honor Celebration in
the coming months.
"We look forward to bringing the Congressional Medal of Honor
Society and all living Medal of Honor Recipients back to the place
where it all began on April 12, 1862,
with Andrews' Raid and the Great Locomotive Chase," said General BB
Bell, U.S. Army (Retired) and chairman of the National Advisory
Board for the Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center.
"The acts of valor on that day and those that followed during the
Chattanooga Campaign of the Civil War created an undeniable,
historical connection between our City and the Medal of Honor that
ultimately established Chattanooga
as the Birthplace of the Medal of Honor."
General Bell continued, "We look forward to creating a
once-in-a-lifetime experience for the Recipients and the
Greater Chattanooga community—one
that will highlight the incredible stories and legacy of all Medal
of Honor Recipients and promote our ongoing educational programs
that inspire students to live out the six core values to make a
difference today and in the future."
State Representative Patsy
Hazlewood said, "Tennessee
is the Volunteer State and is excited to play a role in honoring
all of our Medal of Honor Recipients next year, including the
Recipients who are closely associated with our area – Raymond Cooley Paul Huff, Desmond Doss, Charles
Coolidge and Larry Taylor.
The state looks forward to honoring these true American heroes and
welcoming them as they gather in Chattanooga and see what makes our community
special and unique."
Hamiton County Mayor Weston Wamp
added, "It's fitting that the 2025 Congressional Medal of Honor
Society Convention is coming home to the birthplace of the nation's
highest military honor. We are looking forward to celebrating the
legacy of our hometown heroes Larry
Taylor and Charles Coolidge
as we welcome American heroes from across the country to
Hamilton County."
Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly continued, "I believe that
Chattanooga is the most patriotic
city in America, which is just one reason we're so excited so host
this event. As the son and grandson of Army veterans, I'm proud of
Chattanooga's military tradition
and our special connection to the Medal of Honor. From Veterans
Memorial Bridge, to the Medal of Honor Center, to Coolidge Park,
our support for veterans is built into the fabric of our city. I
know the Medal of Honor recipients will feel right at home here,
and they'll get a warm welcome from every Chattanoogan they
meet."
Hugh Morrow, Chattanooga Tourism
Company Board Chair, said, "Chattanooga holds a special place in history
as home of the first Medals of Honor. We are deeply grateful for
the opportunity to host Recipients, their families, and supporters
from across the nation to our community in 2025 and show our
appreciation for their extraordinary sacrifices. The event will
draw national attention to our vibrant city and showcase our
reputation as a hub of patriotism, innovation, rich cultural
history and warm hospitality."
The Heritage Center is also pleased to announce the Co-Chairs
for the 2025 Medal of Honor Celebration will be Linda Moss Mines and Lynda Minks Hood, with Chip and Cindy Howalt serving as the Honorary
Chairs. Members of the Chattanooga Leadership Committee will be
traveling to San Antonio in early
October to attend the 2024 Medal of Honor Celebration where they
will accept the official Congressional Medal of Honor Society flag
and bring it back to Chattanooga
for a special flag raising ceremony at the Heritage Center. This
ceremony begins a year-long series of events and activities
culminating in the 2025 Medal of Honor Celebration and Patriot
Gala.
Awarded by the President, in the name of Congress, the Medal of
Honor is our nation's highest award for military valor in action.
To date, more than the 41 million Americans have served our country
as a member of our Armed Forces since the Civil War. To date, the
Medal of Honor has been awarded to 3,519 service members who went
above and beyond the call of duty, including 33 Recipients
associated with the state of Tennessee.
To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, please contact
Vince Butler at (423) 877-2525 or
vince@MOHHC.org. Additional information and future updates on the
2025 Medal of Honor Celebration will be posted online at
www.MOHHC.org/Celebration. To learn more about the Coolidge
National Medal of Honor Heritage Center, please visit
www.MOHHC.org.
About the Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage
Center
Opened in February
2020, the Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center
is situated in the heart of the Birthplace of the Medal of Honor —
Chattanooga, Tennessee. The 19,000
square-foot facility features life-sized, immersive exhibits that
memorialize our nation's highest military award for valor, honor
its national heritage and Recipients, and educate future
generations of Americans about the six character traits embodied by
the Medal of Honor and its Recipients: Patriotism, Citizenship,
Courage, Integrity, Sacrifice, and Commitment. For more
information, visit www.MOHHC.org.
About The Congressional Medal of Honor Society
The
Congressional Medal of Honor Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization, is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Medal of
Honor (the United States' highest award for military valor in
action) and its Recipients, inspiring Americans to live the values
the Medal represents, and supporting Recipients as they connect
with communities across America. Chartered by Congress in 1958, the
Society's membership consists exclusively of those individuals who
have received the Medal of Honor.
The Society carries out its mission through outreach, education,
and preservation programs, including the Medal of Honor Character
Development Program, Citizen Honors Awards, and The Medal of Honor
Museum. As part of Public Law 106-83, the Medal of the Honor
Memorial Act, The Medal of Honor Museum, which is co-located with
the Congressional Medal of Honor Society's headquarters on board
the U.S.S. Yorktown at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime
Museum in Mount Pleasant, South
Carolina, was designated as one of three national Medal of
Honor sites. The Society's programs and operations are fully funded
by generous donors. Learn more about the Medal of Honor
and the Congressional Medal of Honor Society's initiatives
at cmohs.org.
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SOURCE Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center