The Medal of Honor has changed greatly over the last 150 years, not only in the design of the physical decoration itself, but also in terms of the qualifying criteria for the award's recipients. America's Heroes: Medal of Honor Recipients from the Civil War to Afghanistan pays tribute to Americans who have demonstrated uncommon valor in the face of great danger.The introduction to this unique encyclopedia chronicles the evolution in the award's significance, while the rest of the book provides biographical entries on selected Medal of Honor recipients that detail their award-winning actions. The stories of the individuals included this volumechosen to reflect the wide diversity of ethnic and cultural backgrounds, branches of service, and conflicts of the recipientswill broaden readers' understanding and appreciation of this highly coveted award and the distinguished Americans who have received it.