The medal is gold and attached to a blue and green ribbon with a gold bar pin and came with a small matching chevron bar adorned with a gold star. The medal depicts the American Legion logo, which is a five-pointed star on blue enamel, surrounded by a wheat motif with the initials US in the center. The bar pin is inscribed with the text DISTINGUISHED SERVICE. On the back of the medal is an inscription, HERBERT CLARK HOOVER / POSTHUMOUSLY / 1965.

Much Ado About Medals Act V: Denouement

By Kyle Perkins Herbert Hoover died at the age of 90 on October 20, 1964. More than half of those 90 years were spent leading public service efforts. His humanitarian endeavors had such a lasting global impact, they earned the former President recognition from organizations even after his death. This brings us to my final … Continue reading Much Ado About Medals Act V: Denouement

The front of Herbert Hoover's Boys Clubs of America Professional Association Distinguished Achievement Award. The front depicts the Boys’ Clubs logo at the time, a shield with a torch. The inscription on the band surrounding torch reads: BOYS CLUBS / PROFESSIONAL ASSN. There is an inscription around upper edge of medal: BOYS CLUBS PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION, and an inscription under shield: DISTINGUISHED / ACHIEVEMENT / AWARD.

Much Ado About Medals Act IV: The Aftermath and Our Most Valuable Natural Resource

The front of Herbert Hoover's Boys Clubs of America Professional Association Distinguished Achievement Award.The back of Herbert Hoover's Boys Clubs of America Professional Association Distinguished Achievement Award. The back of the medal was personalized for the former President with: PRESENTED TO / HONORARY / HERBERT HOOVER / FOR TWENTY FIVE YEARS / OF HUMANITARIAN SERVICE … Continue reading Much Ado About Medals Act IV: The Aftermath and Our Most Valuable Natural Resource

The front of the Inaugural Medal given to Herbert Hoover, dated March 4, 1929. (65.7.11)

Much Ado About Medals Act III: The Secretary, The Flood, and The Chief

The front of the Inaugural Medal given to Herbert Hoover, dated March 4, 1929. The back of Herbert Hoover's Inauguration Medal. In March 1921, after having served for four years as United States Food Administrator and Commissioner for Belgian Relief, Mr. Hoover was appointed as Secretary of Commerce by President Warren G. Harding. Beloved for … Continue reading Much Ado About Medals Act III: The Secretary, The Flood, and The Chief

A silver medal of thanks was made only two years into Mr. Hoover’s Belgian Relief activities. It depicts the face of Herbert Hoover on the front, with a personalized inscription on the reverse of: Herbert C. Hoover from his friends of the Commission for Relief in Belgium (65.6.38).

Much Ado About Medals Act II: Leones Belgicae

A silver medal of thanks was made only two years into Mr. Hoover’s Belgian Relief activities. It depicts the face of Herbert Hoover on the front, with a personalized inscription on the reverse of: Herbert C. Hoover from his friends of the Commission for Relief in Belgium (65.6.38).The back of the silver medal of thanks … Continue reading Much Ado About Medals Act II: Leones Belgicae

A letter of thanks written by Rosemarie Brettman to Herbert Hoover for his food relief efforts in Germany. The letter is dated March 4, 1948.

“We all are poor fugitives.”

A letter of thanks written by Rosemarie Brettman to Herbert Hoover for his food relief efforts in Germany. The letter is dated March 4, 1948. Previous blogs have described various aspects of Hoover’s food relief efforts in post-WWII Germany. Combating various leaders who sought to punish Germany by withholding food, Hoover understood the necessity of … Continue reading “We all are poor fugitives.”

Modern Hoover Myths: Part 2

Herbert Hoover in Poland, 1946. Science fiction depicts certain aliens and robots as possessing no emotion and basing their actions entirely on logic.  The popular television series Star Trek introduced Vulcans who evolved replacing emotions with logic.  Herbert Hoover was neither a Vulcan nor a robot, but writers have often depicted him as lacking any … Continue reading Modern Hoover Myths: Part 2

Herbert Hoover’s Nobel Peace Prize nominations

The Nobel Peace Prize medal. by Spencer Howard Herbert Hoover was known as “The Great Humanitarian” for the many food relief programs he led during and after both World Wars.  The precise number of people Hoover saved from starvation remains a matter of debate, but most scholars agree it is in the hundreds of millions.  … Continue reading Herbert Hoover’s Nobel Peace Prize nominations

James Putnam Goodrich: Witness to the Famine

By Thomas F. Schwartz Herbert Hoover relied on accurate reporting from a variety of sources on the impact famine and food shortages were affecting area in Russia from 1921-23.  As Secretary of Commerce for President Harding, Hoover could not travel abroad to see for himself the tragedy already gripping many parts of the Russian empire.  … Continue reading James Putnam Goodrich: Witness to the Famine

Herbert Hoover’s vision for healthy children – Part 2: The Children’s Charter

by Spencer Howard When Herbert Hoover became President in 1929, one of his early initiatives was to call for a national conference on child health.  Hoping to build on the work of the non-profit American Child Health Association, an organization he had founded in 1923, President Hoover announced that the purpose of his proposed conference … Continue reading Herbert Hoover’s vision for healthy children – Part 2: The Children’s Charter

Herbert Hoover’s vision for healthy children – Part 1: The Child’s Bill of Rights

This image is from the Commerce Years gallery at the Hoover Presidential Museum. by Spencer Howard Of the many charitable organizations that Herbert Hoover led, one of the most important was the American Child Health Association.  In its almost 13 years of existence, from its founding by Herbert Hoover in 1923 to its liquidation in … Continue reading Herbert Hoover’s vision for healthy children – Part 1: The Child’s Bill of Rights