Sergeant John Carmichael was a British Army soldier and a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
Christopher James Speer was a United States Army combat medic and an armed member of a special operations team who was killed during a skirmish in Afghanistan on July 27, 2002. Speer, who was not wearing a helmet at the time because the mission called for indigenous clothing, suffered a head wound from a grenade and succumbed to his injuries approximately two weeks later. Omar Khadr was charged and convicted of throwing the grenade that killed Speer.
William Richard Charette was a United States Navy master chief hospital corpsman who received the nation's highest military decoration for valor, the Medal of Honor. He was awarded the medal for heroic actions "above and beyond the call of duty" on March 27, 1953, while assigned to a Marine Corps rifle company during the Korean War. He retired from the Navy after 26 years of service.
Hector Albert Cafferata Jr., USMCR was a United States Marine who received the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War. In November 1950, Private First Class Cafferata single-handedly held off a regimental-strength enemy and saved wounded Marines by hurling away a live grenade that had landed in their midst, at the cost of serious personal injury.
Baldomero López was a first lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. He posthumously received the Medal of Honor for smothering a hand grenade with his own body during the Incheon Landing on September 15, 1950.
Richard Earl Bush was a United States Marine corporal who received the Medal of Honor as a corporal for heroism on Okinawa during World War II. On April 16, 1945, Cpl. Bush placed himself on a thrown enemy grenade, absorbing the force of the explosion, saving the lives of his fellow Marines and corpsmen. In World War II, twenty-seven Marines similarly used their bodies against thrown enemy grenades in order to save their comrades' lives. Four of these Marines survived and were awarded the Medal of Honor — Richard Bush, Jacklyn H. Lucas, Carlton R. Rouh, and Richard K. Sorenson.
Jason Lee Dunham was a corporal in the United States Marine Corps who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions while serving with 3rd Battalion 7th Marines during the Iraq War. While on a patrol in Husaybah, his unit was attacked and he deliberately covered an enemy grenade to save nearby Marines. When it exploded Dunham was gravely injured and died eight days later.
Herbert A. Littleton was a United States Marine who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for falling on an enemy grenade to save the lives of fellow Marines who were near him from the grenade blast. His heroic action and personal sacrifice took place during the Battle of Hwacheon in the Korean War.
Jacklyn Harold "Jack" Lucas was an American Marine in World War II who was awarded the Medal of Honor at the age of 17 years as a private first class in the Marine Corps during the Battle of Iwo Jima.
John Philip Baca is a former United States Army soldier and a Vietnam War veteran. He was awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest decoration of the United States Armed Forces, for his actions in Vietnam.
Captain Carlton Robert Rouh was a United States Marine who received the Medal of Honor for gallantry in risking his life to save the lives of two fellow Marines on Peleliu Island on September 15, 1944. First Lieutenant Rouh threw his body between his fellow Marines and an exploding grenade. During World War II, 27 Marines similarly used their bodies to cover grenades in order to save the lives of others. Four of these Marines survived — including Rouh and fellow Medal of Honor recipients Richard E. Bush, Richard K. Sorenson, and Jacklyn H. Lucas. Rouh had earlier earned a field commission and been awarded the Silver Star medal of gallantry during the Battle of Guadalcanal for action on October 9, 1942.
Richard Keith Sorenson was a United States Marine who, as a private, received the Medal of Honor during World War II for his heroism during the Marine landing on Kwajalein Atoll on the night of February 1–2, 1944. He threw himself on a Japanese grenade that was part of US munitions captured during the Battle of Bataan, to save the lives of five fellow Marines. Although fragments of the grenade ripped through his thighs, hips, right arm and right leg, he survived the action. Of the 27 Marines who similarly threw themselves on grenades to save the lives of their fellow Marines during World War II, Sorenson was one of only four who lived. Fellow Medal of Honor recipients Richard E. Bush, Jacklyn H. Lucas and Carlton R. Rouh were the other three survivors.
Billie Gene Kanell was a United States Army soldier in the Korean War who posthumously received the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor. He was awarded the medal for twice falling on a grenade to protect his fellow soldiers during a 1951 battle.
The Battle of Qala-i-Jangi in Afghanistan was a six-day military engagement following an uprising of prisoners of war who had been taken into custody by US-led coalition forces on 25 November 2001. The battle took place between 25 November and 1 December, in northern Afghanistan. It followed the intervention by United States-led coalition forces to overthrow the Taliban's Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, which had been harboring al-Qaeda operatives.
Robert M. Viale was a United States Army officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II.
George W. G. Boyce Jr. was a United States Army officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II.
Matthew Croucher, is a member of the Royal Marines Reserve and a recipient of the George Cross, the highest British and Commonwealth medal for gallantry not in the face of the enemy, for his extreme valour in risking his life to safeguard the lives of his comrades. The award was announced by the Ministry of Defence on 23 July 2008, and gazetted on 24 July 2008, with a lengthy citation.
William Kyle Carpenter is a medically retired United States Marine who received the United States' highest military honor, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in Marjah, Helmand Province, Afghanistan in 2010. Carpenter is the youngest living Medal of Honor recipient.
Kyle Jerome White is an American financial analyst and former United States Army soldier. He is the seventh living recipient of the Medal of Honor from the War in Afghanistan.
Bernard George Ellis, GC was a junior officer in the British Army who was awarded the Albert Medal for bravery during the First World War while serving in Mesopotamia. His Albert Medal was exchanged for the George Cross in 1971.
