• Australia
• Birthplace Unknown
• Canada
• Denmark
• England

• France
• Germany
• Holland
• Ireland
• Japan

• Malta
• Norway
• Philippines
• Russia
• Scotland

How the Ancient Order of Hibernians Got Involved in the Medal of Honor Grove

The Ancient Order of Hibernians’ (AOH) involvement with the Medal of Honor Grove began with the remarkable efforts of Sister Maria Veronica, a retired teacher and member of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Upon retiring to Camilla Hall, Sister Veronica devoted herself to extensive military research, specifically focusing on every recipient of the Medal of Honor in our nation’s history.

Through her work, she discovered that a number of Medal of Honor recipients could not be accredited to any U.S. state or territory. Many of these individuals had been born in Ireland and never had the opportunity to become American citizens. Determined to see their sacrifice recognized, Sister Veronica shared her findings with her close friend, the late Bob Dougherty.

Bob Dougherty, a charter member of the Chester County Ancient Order of Hibernians, brought this important discovery to the attention of Joe Roche, then National President of the AOH. Moved by the significance of Sister Veronica’s research, President Roche established a committee to honor these foreign-born heroes. Thanks to the dedication and hard work of the committee, the idea for an AOH memorial at the Grove was born.

Their efforts culminated in the creation of a striking memorial: a seven-foot-seven-inch obelisk crafted from Wicklow granite, situated on an octagonal plaza near the entrance to the Medal of Honor Grove and overlooking a peaceful man-made pond. This obelisk stands as a tribute to the valor and service of foreign-born Medal of Honor recipients. Engraved on the monument are the names of recipients born in Ireland, as well as those from Australia, Canada, Denmark, England, France, Norway, the Philippines, Scotland, South Wales, Sweden, Switzerland, the West Indies—and even five individuals whose birthplaces remain unknown.

In recognition of her groundbreaking research and unwavering dedication, Sister Maria Veronica was honored in 1989 with the prestigious Anna C. Malia Award by the Pennsylvania Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians.

In blood they stood
And in their ghosts
So too we stand this day.
The freedom wrought
So costly bought
In an iron, final pain.

From lands unknown
To hear they sailed
To fight for liberty.
They heard the name
And with no shame
They left to fight across the sea.

Salute these here!
The ones who gave
To us their unknown lives
For so long as we
Honor those deeds
Still, now they are nigh.