The U.S. Postal Service on Saturday dedicated the Korean War Medal of Honor Forever stamps, paying tribute to 145 American veterans who received the nation’s highest military honor for personal acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty during the Korean War.

The dedication took place at the Arlington National Cemetery’s Amphitheater where one of the living Korean War recipients, Thomas Jerome Hudner Jr. of Concord, MA, and family members of other recipients depicted on the stamp sheet participated in the ceremony.

“Today we are here, in this peaceful setting, to remember a war and those who fought it so valiantly,” said Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe in dedicating the stamps. “It’s very fitting that we are gathered at the place where 25 Korean War Medal of Honor recipients are laid to rest. With these stamps we salute them and all Medal of Honor recipients, who so bravely fought for our nation.

“As a participant in the Korean War, I’m pleased with the Postal Service’s recognition of the sacrifices made in a vicious war fought under brutal conditions,” said Hudner. “By defeating the North Korean and Chinese forces, our veterans of that war ensured that South Korea would remain free and served as a warning to other nations that we will not stand idly by while a friendly nation is being attacked.”

Also joining Donahoe in the dedication were the President of the Korean War Veterans Association Larry Kinard; Republic of Korea Vice Minister for the Ministry of Patriot and Veterans Affairs, Choi Wan Keun; and Representative of National Assembly of the Republic of Korea Kim Jung Hoon.

The idea for the Medal of Honor was conceived during the Civil War, when the nation had no formal system for rewarding acts of heroism. Iowa Sen. James W. Grimes introduced a bill to “promote the efficiency of the Navy” by distributing “medals of honor.”

President Abraham Lincoln signed the bill into law Dec. 21, 1861. Lincoln signed a similar measure for the U.S. Army July 12, 1862, and the country had two Medals of Honor: one for sailors, and one for soldiers.

By the time the Civil War ended, 1,525 medals had been awarded, including one to Army surgeon Mary Walker, the only woman ever to receive the Medal of Honor.

Because it was the country’s only military medal, the Medal of Honor was awarded more freely at first.

After World War I broke out, the Army and Navy created a series of new decorations to recognize different degrees of accomplishment, including the Distinguished Service Cross, the Navy Cross and the Citation Star, later replaced by the Silver Star.

As a result, only 124 Medals of Honor were awarded for service in World War I.

Only 145 of the 6.8 million members who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during the Korean War received the Medal of Honor. Nearly three out of four (107) of the 145 recipients received the honor posthumously.

The first side of this four-page design highlights historical photographs of the Korean War Medal of Honor recipients who were alive at the time the stamp sheet was designed.

One stamp features a photograph of the Navy version of the Medal; the other features a photograph of the Army version of the Medal of Honor.

The third page lists the names of all 145 recipients of the Medal of Honor from the Korean War.

The remaining 18 stamps are found on the back page. Art director Antonio Alcala of Alexandria, VA, designed the stamps and the new format, working with photographs of the medals by Richard Frasier of Vienna, VA.

Customers may purchase the Medal of Honor: Korean War Prestige Folio Forever stamps at www.usps.com/stamps , at 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724), at Post Offices nationwide or at www.ebay.com/stamps . The stamps are available as a set of 20 stamps.