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Establishment of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Statement by the President Upon Issuing Order Relating to the Medal of Freedom
February 22, 1963
IN A PERIOD when the national government must call upon an increasing portion of the talents and energies of its citizens, it is clearly appropriate to provide ways to recognize and reward the work of persons, within and without the Government, who contribute significantly to the quality of American life. In the years since World War II a number of important Presidential honors have been established for this purpose. Of these, the Medal of Freedom has emerged as the highest civil honor conferred by the President for service in peacetime. However, until now no procedure has been established whereby awards are made on a regular, systematic basis. If civil honors are to serve their proper function of rewarding and encouraging public service and high achievement in all forms of endeavor that are touched with the public interests such arrangements are necessary. Executive Order 11085 establishes such a procedure and provides safeguards to ensure that the President will receive considered and prudent advice as to those who should receive such honors.
NOTE: The Medal of Freedom was established by Executive Order 9586 of July 6, 1945, as an award for meritorious, war-connected acts or services. Executive Order 10336 of April 3, 1952, provided that it could be awarded also for meritorious acts or services in the interests of the security of the United States.
Executive Order 11085 (Feb. 21, 1963, 28 F.R. 1759; 3 CFR, 1963 Supp.) renamed the award the Presidential Medal of Freedom. It broadened its scope to include persons who had made especially meritorious contributions to "(1) The security or national interests of the United States, or (2) world peace, or (3) cultural or other significant public or private endeavors." The order provided that nominations to the President for the award would be made by the Distinguished Civilian Service Awards Board which was expanded to include five additional members appointed from outside the executive branch. The order also provided that announcements of the awards would be made annually, normally on July 4.
The release, of which the President's statement is a part, lists the following members of the Awards Board: Henry Cabot Lodge, Dr. Lee A. DuBridge, Samuel I. Newhouse, Mary McGrory, and Justice Arthur J. Goldberg, appointed from outside the executive branch; Robert F. Kennedy; W. Willard Wirtz, Anthony J. Celebrezze, George W. Ball, and Roswell L. Gilpatric, appointed from within the executive branch. The release stated that Mr. Ball would serve as chairman.
On July 4 the President announced his selection of 31 U.S. citizens and foreign nationals to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The presentation ceremony took place on December 6 (See page 899).
Executive Order 11085
THE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM
By virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows:
SECTION 1. Prior orders. The numbered sections of Executive Order No. 9586 of July 6, 1945, as amended by Executive Order No. 10336 of April 3, 1952, are hereby amended to read as follows:
"SECTION 1. Medal established. The Medal of Freedom is hereby re-established as the Presidential Medal of Freedom , with accompanying ribbons and appurtenances. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, hereinafter referred to as the Medal, shall be in two degrees.
"SEC. 2. Award of the Medal. (a) The Medal may be awarded by the President as provided in this order to any person who has made an especially meritorious contribution to (1) the security or national interests of the United States, or (2) world peace, or (3) cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.
"(b) The President may select for award of the Medal any person nominated by the Board referred to in Section 3(a) of this Order, any person otherwise recommended to the President for award of the Medal, or any person selected by the President upon his own initiative.
"(c) The principal announcement of awards of the Medal shall normally be made annually, on or about July 4 of each year; but such awards may be made at other times, as the President may deem appropriate.
"(d) Subject to the provisions of this Order, the Medal may be awarded posthumously.
"SEC. 3. Distinguished Civilian Service Awards Board. (a) The Distinguished Civilian Service Awards Board, established by Executive Order No. 10717 of June 27, 1957, hereinafter referred to as the Board, is hereby expanded, for the purpose of carrying out the objectives of this Order, to include five additional members appointed by the President from outside the Executive Branch of the Government. The terms of service of the members of the Board appointed under this paragraph shall be five years, except that the first five members so appointed shall have terms of service expiring on the 31st day of July 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, and 1968, respectively. Any person appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which his predecessor was appointed shall serve for the remainder of such term.
. "(b) A chairman of the Board shall be designated by the President from time to time from among the membership of the Board appointed from the Executive Branch.
"(c) For purposes of recommending to the President persons to receive the President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service, and to carry out the other purposes of Executive Order No. 10717, only the members of the Board from the Executive Branch will sit. The names of persons so recommended will be submitted to the President without reference to the other members of the Board.
"SEC 4. Functions of the Board. (a) Any individual or group may make recommendations to the Board with respect to the award of the Medal, and the Board shall consider such recommendations.
"(b) With due regard for the provisions of Section 2 of this Order, the Board shall screen such recommendations and, on the basis of such recommendations or upon its own motion, shall from time to time submit to the President nominations of individuals for award of the Medal, in appropriate degrees.
"SEC. 5. Expenses. Necessary administrative expenses of the Board incurred in connection with the recommendation of persons to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, including expenses of travel of members of the Board appointed under Section 3 (a) of this Order, during the fiscal year 1963, may be paid from the appropriation provided under the heading 'Special Projects' in the Executive Office Appropriation Act, 1963, 76 Stat. 315, and during subsequent fiscal years, to the extent permitted by law, from any corresponding or like appropriation made available for such fiscal years. Such payments shall be without regard to the provisions of section 3681 of the Revised Statutes and section 9 of the Act of March 4, 1909, 35 Stat. 1027 (31 U.S.C. 672 and 673). Members of the Board appointed under Section 3(a) of this Order shall serve without compensation.
"SEC. 6. Design of the Medal. The Army Institute of Heraldry shall prepare for the approval of the President a design of the Medal in each of its degrees."
SEC. 2. Other existing orders. (a) Section 4 of Executive Order No. 10717, establishing the terms of service of the members of the Distinguished Civilian Service Awards Board, is hereby amended to read "The members of the Board shall serve at the pleasure of the President", and the other sections of that Order are amended conformably to this Order.
(b) Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Order, existing arrangements for conferring medals and honors shall continue in effect.
JOHN F. KENNEDY
THE WHITE HOUSE,
February 22, 1963.
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Medal History
