When I think about courage, bravery and honor, the image of an American soldier quickly comes to mind - like the brave men and women who are fighting for freedom on the other side of the world.  They are definitely our heroes.  But who are their heroes? Perhaps the courageous Marines who stormed the beaches of Normandy, the helicopter pilots in Vietnam, or the Medal of Honor recipients of World War I?

One of the best kept secrets in East Tennessee is the National Medal of Honor Museum of Military History in Chattanooga with its many stories and artifacts from almost every major battle this country has ever seen.  Perhaps it is within the walls of this small museum that modern day servicemen and women find the inspiration and bravery to carry out the missions that are required of them today.

The Chattanooga Medal of Honor Museum began as a collection of war artifacts that were first displayed in a small room at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium.  Since 1990, the museum has been located in a building at the corner of 4th Street and Georgia Avenue, but today the museum is in the process of being relocated to a larger facility located at Main Street and Riverfront Parkway.   The museum contains more than information about Congressional Medal of Honor recipients; it showcases artifacts of military history, such as a uniform of one of Adolph Hitler's generals, one of the five handwritten copies of the Gettysburg Address and the autographs of all 21 war criminals at the Nuremberg trials.  These historical treasures are right here in Chattanooga!

All of the artifacts were donated to the museum and the people who work there are all volunteers. The five medals that are on display were all donated by the recipients' families as a way to honor the contributions of their loved ones.

Presenting military personnel with medals for valor and bravery has long been a tradition in our country starting with General George Washington who honored three soldiers with a cloth purple heart when they were wounded in battle. The U.S. Congress made the Medal of Honor (MOH) a permanent decoration for servicemen in 1862 and almost 3,400 men and one woman have received the award for heroic actions in our nation's battles.  The MOH honors the "bravest of the brave" who risked (or gave) their lives for other soldiers and the mission at hand.

Tennessee has a long history of military excellence.  "The Volunteer State" is the home state of 32 MOH recipients from George Lewis Gillespie, Jr. of Chattanooga who fought in the Civil War to Chattanoogan Charles Coolidge who fought in World War II.

We need to honor the brave men and women of our military who are fighting to protect liberty today by continuing to honor those who have gone before them. This past February, I inserted an appropriation of $120,000 in the Veterans Administration bill to help renovate the new museum facility and continue the MOH Museum's mission of honoring the bravery of those who have fought to keep our country free.  This funding will be a sound federal investment to leverage private and local contributions for this worthwhile museum.

As we all continue to closely monitor Operation Iraqi Freedom, I encourage all Tennesseans to honor America's future by recognizing the past and visit the National Medal of Honor Museum in Chattanooga.  We need to share with our children the stories of true heroes, like Medal of Honor recipients, and teach them that we enjoy freedom and liberty everyday because of the sacrifices of past generations. 

Given the proud heritage in Tennessee of patriotism, sacrifice, volunteerism and service, I believe the National Medal of Honor Museum of Military History has extraordinary potential as a national asset that will generate countless benefits to our region and our nation.