Army, Marines, Air Force, Navy.

The room is a tapestry of dress blue and white uniforms.

Rows and rows of high-ranking members from every branch of the U.S. military

stand at attention, shifting subtly on their feet in disciplined silence,

eagerly awaiting a ceremony few ever witness.

All eyes drift towards the velvet-covered podium at the front of the room, and more

specifically, did a small blue box positioned at its center.

Inside of it lies a five-pointed gold star on a field of blue.

It is the Medal of Honor, the highest military

decoration for Valor. And since its creation in 1862, it has been awarded to 3,536 service members.

But here's a question. Throughout our history, who of the greatest generals in our military

has earned the Medal of Honor?

And how did so many others not?

Good day, listeners, here. Thanks for tuning us in. From time to time on this series,

we'll take a look at history from another angle, not concentrate so much on a singular moment or pivotal event,

but rather back up for a broader view. Make comparisons between different ages and iconic figures who commanded them. In this case, quite literally. Today on this episode, we're looking at who were the

greatest generals of American history. We've shortlisted this to four, the four greatest

generals of U.S. American history, understanding this is a slim number, considering over 250 years, we've

produced something like 4,000 generals across all the branches of the U.S. military. So we've narrowed

things down, and such a conversation requires an expert. And once more, we're calling on our

friend and frequent guest, Major Jonathan Bratton, of the main National Guard who has served actively as an engineer

officer, a sapper in the parlance, as well as command historian. Major Bratton is the author of

...