In 1872 Buffalo Bill Cody received the Medal of Honor for gallantry in action while serving as a civilian scout for the 3rd Cavalry Regiment. Shortly after Cody's death in 1917 the U.S. Congress revised the standards for the medal and revoked 911 medals that has been awarded to civilians or for actions that did not meet the new higher standards. Among those who lost their medals was Mary Edwards Walker, a nurse during the battle of Bull Run. In 1977 President Jimmy Carter posthumously reinstated her award.
That move led to the investigation of other awards that had been removed including Cody's. On June 12th 1989 Cody's as well as four other civilian scout's awards were reinstated. 45 yeas after first being awarded the medal was revoked, 72 years after that is was reinstated.
-Professor Walter
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