9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor
| Company type | Honor/medal |
|---|---|
| Industry | Awards and decorations |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Founder | George W. Bush |
Area served | United States |
| Products | Commemorative medal |
The 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor is a United States honor established to commemorate the 442 public safety personnel who lost their lives during the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
On September 9, 2005, President George W. Bush presented this medal to the families of the deceased officers in a ceremony held at the White House, serving as a symbol of the nation's gratitude for their ultimate sacrifice.
Its design draws inspiration from both the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor and the military's Medal of Honor. The medal consists of a gilded, light blue-enamelled, five-point inverted star encircled by a laurel wreath. At its center lies a dark blue-enamelled pentagon signifying the Pentagon building, overlaid by a gilt disc depicting the twin towers, an American eagle clutching the U.S. shield and laurel branches, along with the inscription "9. 11. 01". The medal is suspended from a gilded disc featuring an "H" for Heroism within a Pennsylvania keystone surrounded by laurels, attached to a neck ribbon striped in blue, gold, light blue, and white.
This award is exclusively conferred posthumously for this singular event and is regarded as commemorative; it does not come with lapel pins or ribbon bars.