The Medal of Honor is the United States  of America’s highest military honor, and is awarded for personal acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty. *

Listen to Peter Collier 1

That’s local author and editor Peter Collier who says it was his honor to be able to interview all living Medal of Honor recipients for a  book featuring portraits by nationally known photographer Nick Del Calzo who took it upon himself to photograph every living  medal of honor recipient. *

Listen to Peter Collier 2

There have been 3,468 Medals of Honor awarded to the nation’s soldiers, airmen, marines and coast guardsmen since the decoration’s creation in 1861.*

Listen to Peter Collier 3

Collier says it’s not a dead process …people in the Pentagon are always looking backward as well as forward for service members deserving of the Medal of Honor. For instance, in 1992, they realized that the Nisei troops– the American Born Japanese of the famous 442nd combat regiment team– had unfairly been not recognized and they retroactively  received 22 medals,  5 of them to people still living.