Military decorations, such as the
Medal of Honor, are often given posthumously. The title
Hero of the Soviet Union was posthumously given, but the Gold Star medal was not awarded itself. During
World War II, many countries practiced the granting of posthumous awards. In the Soviet Union, the only posthumous award that was physically awarded was the
Order of the Patriotic War. All other awards were not physically awarded. Until 1977, upon the death of an awardee, all medals and awards were returned. Less commonly, certain prizes, medals, and awards are granted
only posthumously, especially those that honor people who died in service to a particular cause. Such awards include the
Confederate Medal of Honor award, to Confederate veterans who distinguished themselves conspicuously during the
American Civil War (1861–1865), and the
Dag Hammarskjöld Medal, to military personnel, police, or civilians who died while serving in a
United Nations peacekeeping operation. ==Other fields==