NCTC to Break Ground on Medal of Honor Museum
Gainesville, Texas and North Central Texas College (NCTC) will be breaking ground on a new Medal of Honor Host City Museum on April 21st, 2022 at 1:00 pm. A public ground-breaking ceremony will be held at the NCTC Gainesville Campus (1525 West California Street, Gainesville, TX 76240), in the main Welcome Center parking lot, adjacent to the location the new museum will be erected in the coming months.
The City of Gainesville will now be the proud home of the new Medal of Honor Museum in partnership with North Central Texas College, Gainesville Chamber of Commerce, the Gainesville Economic Development Corporation, and the State of Texas.
The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force which can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed Services of the United States. This honor is generally presented to the recipient by the President of the United States of America in the name of Congress.
The Medal of Honor (MOH) Host City Program was established in 2001 by the City of Gainesville to provide residents with a more interactive connection with America’s history, the military, and the veteran community. The Gainesville Medal of Honor Host City Board decided the best approach was to reach out to the men who had served our nation with heroic distinction and at the same time engage the local community in the patriotic process. Since 2001, the program has hosted and celebrated 56 of the 67 living Medal of Honor recipients through parades, ceremonies and dedications, and in-turn they have inspired the Gainesville community with their patriotism and courage.
Each year the Medal of Honor program meets MOH recipients at DFW airport and escorts them with a seven-mile long motorcade to Gainesville. Along the way, bridges, overpasses, and stretches of road lined with cheering people welcome our heroes. Activities throughout the Medal of Honor week include recipients attending a tree dedication along the Home Grown Hero Walking Trail, MOH recipients visit the local Gainesville school district to share their stories and encourage students to contribute to our country in their own way, MOH recipients attend a luncheon and meet with students at North Central Texas College, recipients are honored at the annual Medal of Honor Banquet, and recipients participate in a full military parade.
“Through my travels throughout the country, the knowledge of our military and military history is kind of lacking. So, what Gainesville is doing is educating the public, and that secures the legacy.” - Staff Sergeant Melvin Morris, Medal of Honor Recipient
Visiting with students, sharing the stories of the Medal of Honor recipients and those whom they served alongside, is a long-standing tradition for the Medal of Honor recipients.North Central Texas College is proud to serve as the host location for the museum, as another educational resource for Gainesville’s students and community.