Letter from Major General Harry Vaughan to Secretary of War Robert Patterson

357-7 November 12, 1946 My dear Mr. Secretary: The following statement concerning the writing of the War Department's history of the Congressional Medal of Honor was published by the American Historical Association in a recent issue of the American Historical Review: 1 x "The War Department is preparing a study of the history of the Congressional Medal of Honor. Docu- mentary information is desired concerning the time, place and related circumstances surrounding the actual presentation of Medals of Honor. ****** Communications may be addressed to Mr. Thomas W. Huntington, Bureau of Public Relations, Office Chief of Staff, The Pentagon, Washington, D. C." It is the President's considered judgment that the writing of this history is highly appropriate at this time, and he trusts that it is being carried forward now without delay. It is his wish that this undertaking be given the fullest possible administrative x561 assistance by the competent authority in the War Department, during x the coming months. The Chief Executive has asked me to obtain your assurance that this project will be continued without any interruption. Should administrative circumstances delay this study of the history of the Congressional Medal of Honor, it would be appreciated by him if you would take the necessary steps to facilitate the prosecution of the work. The President would be very happy to write a foreword for the book when this material is ready for publication. x PP7202 X Sincerely and respectfully yours, HARRY H. VAUGHAN Major General, U.S. Army Military Aide to the President Honorable Robert P. Patterson x 25 The Secretary of War