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Medal of Honor |
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All recipients |
American Civil War |
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Other wars and conflicts |
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There are currently 67 living recipients of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor. [1] The Medal of Honor is bestowed upon a member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes themselves "conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States." [2]
Of the 67 living recipients, one earned his Medal of Honor in World War II, four in the Korean War, 47 in the Vietnam War, 13 in the War in Afghanistan, one in the War in Iraq and one in Operation Inherent Resolve. One earned his medal while serving in the U.S. Air Force, 46 in the U.S. Army, 12 in the U.S. Marine Corps, and eight in the U.S. Navy. The oldest recipient is Hershel Williams, aged 97, whereas the youngest is Kyle Carpenter, aged 31. Three medal holders are still on active duty in the U.S. military, soldiers William D. Swenson, Thomas Payne and Matthew O. Williams of the U.S. Army. Among the living recipients are former U.S. Senator Bob Kerrey and three retired generals: Patrick Henry Brady and Robert F. Foley of the Army and James E. Livingston of the Marine Corps.
The Medal of Honor was created during the American Civil War and is the highest military decoration presented by the United States government to a member of its armed forces. The recipient must have distinguished themselves at the risk of their own life above and beyond the call of duty in action against an enemy of the United States. Due to these requirements, it has frequently been presented posthumously. [3]
During World War II, 464 United States military personnel received the Medal of Honor. Additionally, the only Medal of Honor ever presented to a member of the United States Coast Guard was received for actions during this war. [4]
Image | Name | Branch | Birth date and age | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hershel W. Williams | Marine Corps | October 2, 1923 | [5] |
During the Korean War, 146 Medals of Honor were presented for bravery in action. As of 2021, four recipients were still living. [6]
Image | Name | Branch | Birth date and age | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|
Duane E. Dewey | Marine Corps | November 16, 1931 | [7] | |
Hiroshi H. Miyamura | Army | October 6, 1925 | [8] | |
Ralph Puckett | Army | December 8, 1926 | [9] | |
Robert E. Simanek | Marine Corps | April 26, 1930 | [10] |
During the Vietnam War and in the following twelve months, 235 Medals of Honor were awarded and since 1978 a further 26 awards have been presented. Of the total of 261 awards, 174 were to the US Army, 15 to the US Navy, 58 to the USMC and 14 to the USAF. [11]
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001 and was the beginning of the Global War on Terrorism. The war was launched by the United States, the United Kingdom, and NATO allies in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks. The stated purpose of the invasion was to capture Osama bin Laden, destroy al-Qaeda, and remove the Taliban regime which had provided support and safe harbor to al-Qaeda. [43] Since 2001, 18 U.S. servicemen have received the Medal of Honor for actions in Afghanistan, four of them posthumously.
Image | Name | Branch | Birth date and age | Reference |
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Edward Byers | Navy | August 4, 1979 | ||
Kyle Carpenter | Marine Corps | October 17, 1989 | ||
Ty Carter | Army | January 25, 1980 | [44] | |
Salvatore Giunta | Army | January 21, 1985 | [45] | |
Florent Groberg | Army | May 8, 1983 | [46] | |
Dakota Meyer | Marine Corps | June 26, 1988 | [47] | |
Leroy Petry | Army | July 29, 1979 | [48] | |
Ryan M. Pitts | Army | October 1, 1985 | [49] | |
Clinton Romesha | Army | August 17, 1981 | [50] | |
Britt K. Slabinski | Navy | December 1, 1969 | [51] | |
William D. Swenson | Army | November 2, 1978 | [52] | |
Kyle J. White | Army | March 27, 1987 | [53] | |
Matthew O. Williams | Army | October 3, 1981 | [54] |
Six Iraq War veterans have received the Medal of Honor, five of them posthumously.
Image | Name | Branch | Birth date and age | Reference |
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David Bellavia | Army | November 10, 1975 | [55] [56] |
One soldier has received the Medal of Honor during the fight against ISIL.
Image | Name | Branch | Birth date and age | Reference |
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Thomas Payne | Army | April 2, 1984 | [57] [58] |
Recipients who died within the last twelve months are listed below. [59]
Image | Name | Branch | Conflict | Birth date | Death date | Place of death | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Charles H. Coolidge | Army | World War II | August 4, 1921 | April 6, 2021 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | [60] | |
Ernest E. West | Army | Korean War | September 2, 1931 | May 1, 2021 | Huntington, West Virginia | [61] [62] | |
Charles C. Hagemeister | Army | Vietnam War | August 21, 1946 | May 19, 2021 | Leavenworth, Kansas | [63] |
The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after April 5, 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, which took the form of a heart made of purple cloth, the Purple Heart is the oldest military award still given to U.S. military members – the only earlier award being the obsolete Fidelity Medallion. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York.
Gary Ivan Gordon was a master sergeant in the United States Army and a recipient of the Medal of Honor. At the time of his death, he was a non-commissioned officer in the United States Army's premier special operations unit, the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1SFOD-D), or "Delta Force". Together with his comrade, Sergeant First Class Randy Shughart, Gordon was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Mogadishu in October 1993.
The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is the United States Army's second highest military decoration for soldiers who display extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree that they are above those required for all other U.S. combat decorations, but which do not meet the criteria for the Medal of Honor. The Army Distinguished Service Cross is equivalent to the Navy and Marine Corps' Navy Cross, the Air Force and Space Force's Air Force Cross, and the Coast Guard Cross. Prior to the creation of the Air Force Cross in 1960, airmen were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
The Air Force Cross (AFC) is the United States Air Force and United States Space Force's second highest military decoration for airmen and guardians who distinguish themselves with extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is awarded to any person, while serving in any capacity with the Air Force or Space Force, who distinguish themselves by extraordinary heroism, not justifying the award of a Medal of Honor.
Chief Warrant Officer Two Louis Richard Rocco was a United States Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor—the United States' highest military decoration—for his actions near the village of Katum, in the Republic of Vietnam, during the Vietnam War. Despite being wounded, Rocco saved three comrades from a burning helicopter.
Salvatore Augustine Giunta is a former United States Army soldier and the first living person since the Vietnam War to receive the United States Armed Forces' highest decoration for valor, the Medal of Honor. Giunta was cited for saving the lives of members of his squad on October 25, 2007 during the War in Afghanistan. He left the United States Army in June 2011.
Dakota Louis Meyer is a United States Marine. A veteran of the War in Afghanistan, he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Ganjgal on September 8, 2009, in Kunar Province, Afghanistan. Meyer is the second-youngest living Medal of Honor recipient, the third living recipient for either the Iraq War or the War in Afghanistan, and the first living United States Marine in 38 years to be so honored.
Leroy Arthur Petry is a now-retired, former career United States Army soldier. He received the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in Afghanistan in 2008 during Operation Enduring Freedom.
Clinton LaVor "Clint" Romesha is a former United States Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Kamdesh in 2009 during the War in Afghanistan.
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States government's highest and most prestigious military decoration that may be awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, Space Force guardians, and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. The medal is normally awarded by the President of the United States, but as it is presented "in the name of the United States Congress", it is often referred to (erroneously) as the "Congressional Medal of Honor".
Melvin Morris is a United States Army veteran of the Vietnam War, a Special Forces soldier, and a recipient of the Medal of Honor.
Candelario Garcia, Jr. was a United States Army veteran of the Vietnam War, and a recipient of the Medal of Honor.
Ryan Pitts is a former United States Army soldier and the ninth living recipient of the Medal of Honor from the War in Afghanistan.
Florent Ahmed Groberg is a French-American soldier, retired United States Army officer and civilian employee of the United States Department of Defense. Born in France to an American father and Algerian mother, he became a naturalized United States citizen in 2001. He renounced his French citizenship prior to joining the United States Army in 2008. He served in the War in Afghanistan where, in August 2012, he was severely injured attempting to thwart a suicide bomber. On November 12, 2015, Groberg received the Medal of Honor for his actions.