Edison did not win the Congressional Medal of Honor

The [Congressional] Medal of Honor is the United States of America's highest military honor, awarded for personal acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty. Curiously, a number of websites (and books) credit Edison with receiving this award. For example, at charlesedison.org:

[Edison] could never get over being embarrassed when some new medal came his way. But one of his greatest honors was yet to come. On Oct. 20, 1928, he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor - the nation's highest award in recognition of services rendered.

link: http://www.charlesedisonfund.org/tomedisonbio/ch14.html

Conservapedia writes:


[Edison] developed a process for making synthetic carbolic acid, coal-tar products necessary for the manufacture of explosives, and many safety devices. He also served as head of the Navy Consulting Board. After the war Edison was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.


link: http://www.conservapedia.com/Thomas_Edison#Generating_electricity

Accord: answers.com
and Linda J. Barth, "A History of Inventing in New Jersey"

This is incorrect. Edison did not win the [Congressional] Medal of Honor; he won the Congressional Gold Medal,
an award for civilians.


**As to the Congressional Gold Medal, from wikipedia:


A Congressional Gold Medal is an award bestowed by the United States Congress; the Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom are the highest civilian awards in the United States. It is awarded to persons "who have performed an achievement that has an impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major achievement in the recipient's field long after the achievement."



link: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_Gold_Medal

**From "Inventing in New Jersey"