National Medal of Honor Museum opening: Some names you may not expect

ARLINGTON, Texas - A new museum devoted to telling the stories of those who have received the nation's highest military honor is opening this coming week in Texas.

The National Medal of Honor Museum is set to open Tuesday in Arlington, just west of Dallas. It highlights the lives and service of Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War to the global war on terrorism. 

The Medal of Honor is awarded by Congress for risking one's life in combat beyond the call of duty.

National Medal of Honor Museum opens

By the numbers:

Through the front doors, visitors are greeted with the "Ring of Valor," which contains the names of all 3,528 Medal of Honor recipients - the military's highest distinction.

Big picture view:

As visitors move upstairs, the first exhibit they'll encounter is "Moments of Action."

The exhibit is an immersive experience, transporting people to the battlefields where these awards are earned.

After leaving the Ring of Valor, visitors will have a chance to see the "Rails to Rotors" exhibit that highlights the equipment and machinery that troops have used throughout history.

Among its exhibits is one of the largest artifacts in the museum, a Vietnam-era Huey helicopter.

They were used in "dustoff" missions which are credited with saving thousands of lives during the Vietnam War.

What they're saying:

"They were basically helicopter ambulances," Greg Waters, the museum's director of curatorial arts, told FOX 4 Dallas. "When things went bad, they would send out the call for dustoff and that's when General Brady would go out and rescue whoever needed rescuing."

The helicopter is so large that it was lifted into the museum by a crane before the walls were finished.

One of the more expansive exhibits in the museum is the "More Than a Medal" exhibit.

Inside, visitors will find memorabilia and personal effects that let visitors put faces to the nation's most prestigious military award.

"That's what this place is," museum President and CEO Chris Cassidy said. "It's a place for the stories of those Medal of Honor recipients."

Inside the exhibit, visitors can get up close and personal with real medals that have been loaned to the museum for display.

"The Medals of Honor themselves are the crown jewel of our collection," Waters said.

Five pillars are integrated into the building's design, representing each branch of the armed forces.

Then, once the sun goes down, a beam of light will shine into the sky.

Officials call it a "perpetual" light, ensuring none of the stories, inside, are ever lost to darkness.

Who will be honored at National Medal of Honor Museum?

Jack Jacobs, a retired U.S. Army colonel who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Vietnam War, told The Associated Press that he wants museum visitors to realize the recipients aren't "spectacular supermen," but regular people who "embody the kinds of values that are really important."

"Really grand things, not just in combat, but in everyday life ... are all accomplished by ordinary people who come to the conclusion that something has to be done and they are going to do it," Jacobs said.

When his unit was ambushed by the Viet Cong on March 9, 1968, Jacobs took charge after his commander was seriously wounded. Despite being wounded in the head by shrapnel and bleeding heavily, Jacobs reorganized the company and repeatedly ran through enemy fire to rescue the wounded, saving the lives of a U.S. adviser and 13 soldiers.

Jacobs, now 79, said he lost a lot of friends in the battle.

"You really do wear the award for all of the people who can't wear the award," he said. Other notable recipients of the National Medal of Honor include actor Audie Murphy, one of the most decorated American combat soldiers in history. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of the Colmar Pocket in France.

Alvin York was awarded the Medal of Honor for leading an attack on a German machine gun nest, killing 28 enemy soldiers, and capturing 132 others during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in 1918.

Meanwhile, Desmond Doss, a conscientious combat medic who refused to carry a weapon, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery during the Battle of Okinawa, where he saved 75 men without ever firing a shot.

John Basilone was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism during the Battle of Guadalcanal, where he single-handedly held off an enemy attack. He was later killed in action during the Battle of Iwo Jima.

In addition, Smedley Butler was awarded the Medal of Honor twice during his career, once for his actions in the Philippines and again for his efforts in Haiti.

Brian Thacker received the Medal of Honor for his bravery in a firefight in Afghanistan, where he demonstrated extraordinary leadership in saving his team.

William Carney was the first African American to receive the Medal of Honor, awarded for his actions during the Battle of Fort Wagner in 1863, where he bravely carried the American flag through enemy lines despite being severely wounded.

Another exhibit lets visitors speak with Medal of Honor recipients and ask them questions. There are over 60 recipients who are still living.

"We sit down recipients and we ask them hundreds of questions, over the course of several days with lots of cameras trained on them," Waters said. "We use AI to match the question with the most appropriate answer. We don’t use AI to put words in their mouths. So all of the answers are the words the recipients actually said."

Museum comes to Arlington, Texas

The backstory:

More than 20 cities tried to attract the museum. In the end, it came down to Arlington and Denver as finalists.

Arlington was chosen because it's centrally located, giving easier access for all Americans to visit.

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