Dr. Mary Walker was the first woman to recieve the Medal of Honor and remains the only woman to ever recieve it out of about 3,500 recipients.
What is the Medal of Honor?
The Congressional Medal of Honor is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as "The highest decoration in the U.S. armed forces, consisting of a five-pointed star on a blue ribbon, awarded for courage in action."
Citation: Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.
Why Did She Recieve the Medal?
Dr. Walker recieved the Medal of Honor in 1865 for her service in the Army during the Civil War. It was presented to her by President Andrew B. Johnson. The bill granting her the award stated that she "devoted herself with patriotic zeal to the sick and wounded soldiers, both in the field and hospital, to the detriment of her own health, and has also endured hardships as a prisoner-of-war four months in a Southern prison."
"When I am buried neath the ground, wrap that flag my corpse around, plant that flag above my grave, there let it wave, let it wave." - Dr. Mary Edwards Walker
The Medal is Revoked
In 1917, Dr. Walker's Medal was revoked with the Medals of 910 other recipients. Hers was revoked because she wasn't formally instated in the military. Dr. Mary wore the Medal every day until he death despite that it was revoked.
Citation: Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.
The Medal is Reinstated
The Medal was reinstated to Dr. Walker in 1977 by the Army Board of Correction of Military Records 58 years after her death.
Dr. Walker's award card
Citation: National Archives and Records Administration