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 71 living recipients of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor. The Medal of Honor is bestowed upon any member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself "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."[1]
Of the 71 living recipients, four earned their Medals of Honor in World War II, six in the Korean War, 50 in the Vietnam War, and eleven in the War in Afghanistan. Two earned their medal while serving in the U.S. Air Force, 48 in the U.S. Army, 13 in the U.S. Marine Corps, and eight in the U.S. Navy. The oldest recipient is Robert D. Maxwell, aged 103, whereas the youngest is Kyle Carpenter, aged 34. Two medal holders are still on active duty in the U.S. military, War in Afghanistan soldier William D. Swenson of the U.S. Army and Edward Byers of the U.S. Navy. Among the 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.
Medal of Honor
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 the nature of this medal, it is commonly presented posthumously.[2]
World War II
During World War II 464 United States military personnel received the Medal of Honor, 266 (57.3%) of them posthumously. A total of 42 Medals of Honor were presented for action in just two battles – Fifteen for actions during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and 27 for actions during the Battle of Iwo Jima. A total of 21 (4.5% of all World War II Medals of Honor) were received by members of the all-Japanese American 100th Infantry Battalion of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, for actions in numerous battles across six different campaigns.[3] 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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Charles H. Coolidge | Army | August 4, 1921 | [5] | |
Francis S. Currey | Army | June 29, 1925 | [6] | |
Robert D. Maxwell | Army | October 26, 1920 | [7] | |
Hershel W. Williams | Marine Corps | October 2, 1923 | [8] |
Korea
During the Korean War, 136 Medals of Honor were presented for bravery in action, 98 (72.1%) of them posthumously. As of 2017, six recipients were still living.[4]
Image | Name | Branch | Birth date and age | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|
Duane E. Dewey | Marine Corps | November 16, 1931 | [9] | |
Thomas J. Hudner, Jr. | Navy | August 31, 1924 | [10] | |
Hiroshi H. Miyamura | Army | October 6, 1925 | [11] | |
Ronald E. Rosser | Army | October 24, 1929 | [12] | |
Robert E. Simanek | Marine Corps | April 26, 1930 | [13] | |
Ernest E. West | Army | September 2, 1931 | [8] |
Vietnam
During the Vietnam War, 248 Medals of Honor were received, 156 (62.9%) of them posthumously. Of the living recipients who received their medals for actions in the Vietnam War, 50 are alive as of 2017.[14]
The first person to earn the Medal of Honor in this war was Roger Donlon who, on 6 July 1964, rescued and administered first aid to several wounded soldiers and led a group against an enemy force.[15]
War in Afghanistan
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001 and was the beginning of the 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.[48] Since 2001, 14 American service-members have received the Medal of Honor for actions in Afghanistan, three of them posthumously.
Image | Name | Branch | Birth date and age | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|
Edward Byers | Navy | August 4, 1979 | ||
Kyle Carpenter | Marine Corps | October 17, 1989 | ||
Ty Carter | Army | January 25, 1980 | [49] | |
Salvatore Giunta | Army | January 21, 1985 | [50] | |
Florent Groberg | Army | May 8, 1983 | [51] | |
Dakota Meyer | Marine Corps | June 26, 1988 | [52] | |
Leroy Petry | Army | July 29, 1979 | [53] | |
Ryan M. Pitts | Army | 1985 (age 38–39) | ||
Clinton Romesha | Army | August 17, 1981 | [54] | |
William D. Swenson | Army | November 2, 1978 | ||
Kyle White | Army | March 27, 1987 | [55] |
Recently deceased
Recipients who died within the last twelve months are listed below.[56]
Image | Name | Branch | Conflict | Birth date | Death date | Place of death | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Richard A. Pittman | Marine Corps | Vietnam War | May 26, 1945 | October 13, 2016 | Stockton, California | [57] | |
Charles Liteky | Army | Vietnam War | February 14, 1931 | January 20, 2017 | San Francisco, California | [58] | |
Leo K. Thorsness | Air Force | Vietnam War | February 14, 1932 | May 2, 2017 | St. Augustine, Florida | [59] | |
Wilburn K. Ross | Army | World War II | May 26, 1922 | May 9, 2017 | Tacoma, Washington | [60] | |
Thomas James Kinsman | Army | Vietnam War | March 4, 1945 | May 15, 2017 | Toledo, Washington | [61] | |
Arthur J. Jackson | Marine Corps | World War II | October 18, 1924 | June 14, 2017 | Boise, Idaho | [62] |
References
- ^ United States Department of the Army (July 1, 2002). "Section 578.4 Medal of Honor". Code of Federal Regulations Title 32, Volume 2. Government Printing Office. Retrieved 2006-07-23.
- ^ "A Brief History — The Medal of Honor". Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). Department of Defense. August 8, 2006. Archived from the original on June 15, 2009. Retrieved October 17, 2013.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ Congressional Medal of Honor Society
- ^ a b "Medal of Honor recipients". Statistics of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen who received the Medal of Honor. United States Army Center of Military History. June 8, 2009. Retrieved October 17, 2013.
- ^ "Group of Military Veterans Endorse Wamp For Governor". The Chattanoogan. Chattanooga, Tennessee. June 29, 2009. Archived from the original on June 4, 2010.
- ^ "Medal of Honor recipient turning 100". Army Times. May 29, 2009. Archived from the original on May 31, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e Marshall, John (November 11, 2003). "Medal of Honor recipient Patrick Brady epitomizes the humble hero". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Seattle, Washington. Archived from the original on May 31, 2010.
- ^ a b c Elson, Martha (November 10, 2010). "Sullivan will dedicate plaza to vets". The Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. Archived from the original on November 10, 2010.
- ^ Wolffis, Susan Harrison (November 11, 2006). "Muskegon's Medal of Honor winner 'just doing his job'". Muskegon Chronicle. Muskegon, Michigan. Retrieved June 4, 2010.
- ^ Welker, Grant (May 25, 2008). "Decorated city native joins national parade". The Herald News. Fall River, Massachusetts. Archived from the original on May 28, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e "Medal of Honor - Recipients Bios". Arlington, Virginia: WETA-TV. 2010. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
- ^ Bruce, Billy (November 11, 2009). "VETERAN'S DAY: Never Forgotten". Ironton Tribune. Ironton, Ohio. Archived from the original on June 5, 2010.
- ^ a b c Williams, Rudi (June 14, 2004). "Nine Medal of Honor recipients Attend Gala". United States Department of Defense. Archived from the original on May 28, 2010.
- ^ "Medal of Honor statistics". Medal of Honor citations archive. United States Army Center of Military History. June 8, 2009. Archived from the original on December 14, 2010. Retrieved October 17, 2013.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ Murphy, 1987, pp. 13–23
- ^ Vargo, Joe (May 14, 2008). "Cross-country flight to honor lives lost in Vietnam". The Press-Enterprise. Riverside, California. Archived from the original on May 28, 2010.
- ^ Gooding, Mike (November 29, 2010). "Medal of Honor recipient says being corpsman isn't for everyone". Hampton, Virginia: WVEC. Archived from the original on November 30, 2010.
- ^ a b Vargo, Joe (March 2, 2008). "Medal of Honor recipients give support, thanks to fellow veterans". The Press-Enterprise. Riverside, California. Archived from the original on May 31, 2010.
- ^ "Army Cadet Henson Wins Medal of Honor Scholarship". Clarkson Integrator. Potsdam, New York: Clarkson University. September 18, 2006. Archived from the original on May 30, 2010.
- ^ Miller, Robert (November 6, 2009). "Ridgefield veteran to head state parade". The News-Times. Danbury, Connecticut. Archived from the original on June 15, 2010.
- ^ a b c Reich, Howard (September 13, 2009). "Medal of Honor recipients say you can be hero too". Chicago Tribune. Chicago. Archived from the original on June 21, 2010.
- ^ Gittler, Juliana (November 23, 2003). "Medal of Honor recipient encourages peace". Stars and Stripes. Washington D.C. Archived from the original on July 2, 2010.
- ^ "Veterans speak of war service". East Valley Tribune. Mesa, Arizona. November 10, 2007. Archived from the original on July 2, 2010.
- ^ "Eight Medal of Honor recipients are buried in SD". News From Indian Country. Wisconsin. May 28, 2007. Archived from the original on July 2, 2010.
- ^ "Many ways to celebrate Memorial Day this weekend". The News & Advance. Lynchburg, Virginia. May 27, 2011. Archived from the original on June 1, 2011.
- ^ "Royals to host Tigers, Twins". Kansas City, Missouri: Kansas City Royals. April 16, 2003. Archived from the original on July 2, 2010.
- ^ Gaddis, Rebecca (June 18, 2009). "Medal of Honor recipient administers oath". Jax Air News. Jacksonville, Florida. Archived from the original on July 7, 2010.
- ^ DiIonno, Mark (June 15, 2010). "Medal of Honor recipient from N.J. swears in 300 U.S. Army recruits at Statue of Liberty". New Jersey On-Line. Archived from the original on July 7, 2010.
- ^ Haneisen, Rob (June 3, 2009). "Framingham veteran keeps Flag Day event alive". The MetroWest Daily News. Framingham, Massachusetts. Archived from the original on July 7, 2010.
- ^ O'Brien, B.J. (July 21, 2006). "Kellogg honored by alumni association". The Bethel Beacon. Bethel, Connecticut. Archived from the original on May 31, 2010.
- ^ Dalbey, Beth (November 12, 2015). "In Advance of Veterans Day, Dingell, Peters & Stabenow Introduce Legislation to Award Long-Overdue Medal of Honor to Ypsilanti Vietnam Veteran". Bloomfiled Hills Patch.
- ^ Mishalov, Neil. "List of Living Medal of Honor Recipients". Neil Mishalov. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
- ^ Roper, Peter (May 13, 2010). "Medal of Honor golf tourney to host Fort Carson vets". The Pueblo Chieftain. Pueblo, Colorado. Archived from the original on May 28, 2010.
- ^ Archer, Bill (August 23, 2010). "'I had a job to do'". Bluefield Daily Telegraph. Bluefield, West Virginia. Archived from the original on November 19, 2010.
- ^ Kropf, Schuyler (October 3, 2009). "Convention of heroes shaping up". The Post and Courier. Charleston, South Carolina. Archived from the original on May 28, 2010.
- ^ Voss, Mike (April 23, 2010). "A healing wall". Washington Daily News. Washington, North Carolina. Archived from the original on May 28, 2010.
- ^ a b Liewer, Steve (November 11, 2007). "Medal of Honor process under fire". The San Diego Union-Tribune. San Diego, California. Archived from the original on May 28, 2010.
- ^ Melvin Morris's biography
- ^ Griggs, Travis (October 17, 2010). "Wannabe warriors an 'insult' to their bravery". Pensacola News Journal. Pensacola, Florida. Archived from the original on October 17, 2010.
- ^ George, Justin (August 5, 2005). "A rare and Honorable gathering". St. Petersburg Times. St. Petersburg, Florida. Archived from the original on July 7, 2010.
- ^ Jose Rodela's biography
- ^ Tompkins, John (February 11, 2008). "Legion post pays tribute to Sasser". Brazosport Facts. Clute, Texas. Archived from the original on May 31, 2010.
- ^ Beyerle, Dana (June 25, 2000). "At first a casualty, Gadsden native became a hero". The Tuscaloosa News. Tuscaloosa, Alabama. p. 6A. Retrieved May 30, 2010.
- ^ Diedrich, John (August 22, 2007). "Medal of Honor is fake, say officials". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. p. 6B. Retrieved June 4, 2010.
- ^ Fattig, Paul (June 28, 2010). "Clothes suited for an honorable vet". Mail Tribune. Medford, Oregon. Archived from the original on July 7, 2010.
- ^ http://www.azdvs.gov/SearchResults.aspx?q=Frederick+Edgar+Ferguson&cx=013173311846497028359%3ahre03lpbgt4&cof=FORID%3a10
- ^ Wideman, Steve (May 22, 2010). "LZ Lambeau motorcycle ride kicks off event". The Post-Crescent. Appleton, Wisconsin. Archived from the original on June 4, 2010.
- ^ "The United States Army in Afghanistan". Operation Enduring Freedom. United States Army. March 17, 2006. Archived from the original on February 1, 2010. Retrieved October 17, 2013.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Obama awards Ty Carter Medal of Honor for Afghan battle". BBC. August 26, 2013. Retrieved August 26, 2013.
- ^ Obert, Lori (February 10, 2012). "Blackhawk lands at Pepsi Center". Denver, Colorado: KUSA. Archived from the original on February 11, 2012.
- ^ Gibbons-Neff, Thomas (October 14, 2015). "This Army captain will get the Medal of Honor for tackling an Afghan suicide bomber". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
- ^ Lamothe, Dan (July 19, 2011). "Obama OKs Medal of Honor for living Marine". Marine Corps Times. Springfield, Virginia. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011.
{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Army Ranger to be awarded Medal of Honor". Stars and Stripes. Washington, D.C. May 31, 2011. Archived from the original on June 1, 2011.
- ^ Ogden, Eloise (January 12, 2013). "Minot man to receive Medal of Honor". Minot Daily News. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
- ^ "Profile: Sergeant Kyle Jerome White". U.S. Army. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
- ^ "Recently Departed". Congressional Medal of Honor Society. 2010. Retrieved May 27, 2010.
- ^ Vietnam War Medal of Honor Recipient Richard Pittman Dies at Age 71
- ^ Charlie Liteky, who gave back his Medal of Honor, dies
- ^ Medal of Honor Recipient Leo K. Thorsness Passes Away at 85
- ^ WWII Medal of Honor Recipient Wilburn K. Ross Shares his Story
- ^ Congressional Medal of Honor Society entry for Thomas James Kinsman
- ^ Medal of Honor Recipient Arthur J. Jackson Passes Away at 92
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- "Living Recipients". Congressional Medal of Honor Society. 2017. Retrieved May 3, 2017.