Once a year, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society provides an opportunity for Medal of Honor Recipients to reconnect and remember those who have passed while conducting important Society business, including engaging with the community. Our annual convention visited Boston for the first time in Oct. 2001, a month after postponing the event due to the terrorist attacks that took place on Sept. 11, 2001. Now, twenty years later, the Medal of Honor Recipients once again visited the city for an unprecedented fourth time. Last week, they had the opportunity to participate in various outreach programs as well as honor our 2020 and 2021 Citizen Honors Valor Awardees. Here is an inside look at the ceremony and the events that took place last week. 

Boston Outreach Events

Throughout the week, Recipients participated in a wide range of activities as part of our Veterans Outreach Program and our Character Development Program. The Recipients spoke to Veterans, active-duty military personnel, and community members at places such as Eastern Bank, Holyoke Soldiers Home, Chelsea Soldiers Home, and New England Center for Home for Veterans. In addition, Recipients were flown out to schools across Massachusetts via Massachusetts National Guard Blackhawk helicopters. They visited Beverly High School, Catholic Memorial High School, Duxbury High School, Lawrence High School, and Plymouth North High School.

The Citizen Honors Award for Valor Ceremony

On Friday night, the Recipients headed over to the Seaport Hotel for the 2020 & 2021 Citizen Honors Award for Valor Ceremony. During the event, the Recipients formally recognized seven individuals who went above and beyond in their service to others. Many of these individuals were given the award posthumously, and their families attended the event to accept it in their honor. We are grateful to our sponsor, Boeing, for helping us put on this event. 

2020 Awardees

Riley Howell (Single Act of Heroism Award)

Keanon Lowe (Single Act of Heroism Award)

Christian Garcia (Young Hero Award) 

Cody Runyon (Young Hero Award) 

2021 Awardees

Raina Neeland (Single Act of Heroism Award) 

David Dorn (Single Act of Heroism Award) 

Chris Stone (Young Hero Award) 

Remembering Those We Have Lost

On Friday morning, the Recipients gathered at Our Lady of Good Voyage for a memorial service to celebrate and honor those Recipients who had recently passed away. 

On Saturday, the Recipients started the day with a 9/11 memorial ceremony at the Charlestown Navy Yard. Following this event, they embarked on the USS Constitution for a Boston Harbor cruise in collaboration with the National Parks Service and the USS Constitution Museum.

We would like to thank the Boston Medal of Honor Convention Committee for hosting us last week and making all of the events the Recipients participated in possible. We honor your commitment to sharing the stories and values of the Medal of Honor. 

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