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Welcome to Medal of Honor.com |
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The Congressional Medal Of Honor Profiles of Americas Military Heroes from the Civil War to the Present - 3,460 and counting...
The Medal of Honor, established by joint resolution of Congress, 12 July 1862 (amended by Act of 9 July 1918 and Act of 25 July 1963) is awarded in the name of Congress to a person who, while a member of the Armed Services, 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 any enemy of The United States; while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which The United States is not a belligerent party. The deed performed must have been one of personal bravery or self-sacrifice so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the individual above his comrades and must have involved risk of life. Incontestable proof of the performance of service is exacted and each recommendation for award of this decoration is considered on the standard of extraordinary merit. Full-text Listings of Medal of Honor Citations The President, in the name of Congress, has awarded more than 3,400 Medals of Honor to our nation's bravest Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen since the decoration's creation in 1861.
The Medal of Honor was first issued during the Civil War, and since it was the only military award for valor during that war, 1,527 medals were awarded. By the time of the Spanish American War, there were more earned medals available for distribution, and the Medal of Honor became the supreme honor. During the military action in Vietnam, a much longer conflict than the Civil War, 238 medals were awarded.
Early in the Civil War, a medal for individual valor was proposed to General-in-Chief of the Army Winfield Scott. But Scott felt medals smacked of European affectation and killed the idea.
The medal found support in the Navy, however, where it was felt recognition of courage in strife was needed. Public Resolution 82, containing a provision for a Navy medal of valor, was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln on December 21, 1861. The medal was "to be bestowed upon such petty officers, seamen, landsmen, and Marines as shall most distinguish themselves by their gallantry and other seamanlike qualities during the present war."
Shortly after this, a resolution similar in wording was introduced on behalf of the Army. Signed into law July 12, 1862, the measure provided for awarding a medal of honor "to such noncommissioned officers and privates as shall most distinguish themselves by their gallantry in action, and other soldierlike qualities, during the present insurrection."
Although it was created for the Civil War, Congress made the Medal of Honor a permanent decoration in 1863. 1,520 Medals were awarded during the Civil War, 1,195 to the Army, 308 to the Navy, 17 to the Marines. 25 Medals were awarded posthumously.
For years, the citations highlighting these acts of bravery and heroism resided in dusty archives and only sporadically were printed. In 1973, the U.S. Senate ordered the citations compiled and printed as Committee on Veterans' Affairs, U.S. Senate, Medal of Honor Recipients: 1863-1973 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1973). This book was later updated and reprinted in 1979.
The breakdown of these is a duplicate of that in the congressional compilation. Likewise, some minor misspelling and other errors are duplicated from the official government volume. These likely were the result of the original transcriptions. The following is an index of the full-text files by war.
Civil War Medal of Honor Recipients
World War I Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients
World War II Medal of Honor Recipients Full-Text Citations Recent passings
World War II Master Sgt. Jose M. Lopez , 94, who received the Medal of Honor for engaging in a series of "seemingly suicidal missions" during the Battle of the Bulge, died May 16, 2005 at a daughter's home in San Antonio, Texas.
World War II Technical Sergeant Yeiki Kobashigawa passed away on March 31st, 2005. He served bravely in Italy during 1944 eliminating machineguns under fire.
Vietnam War Medal of Honor Recipient Sp4c. George C. Lang died Wednesday March 15, 2005 of cancer at the age of 57 at his Seaford, Long Island, New York home.
World War II Lt. Col. Ernest Childers , One of five American Indians to receive Medal of Honor passes away March 18, 2005, He was 91
Korean War 2nd Lt. George H. O'Brien Jr. , a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, died Friday, March 11, 2005 following a hospital stay. He was 78.
World War II 2nd Lt. Stephen R. Gregg died at home February 4, 2005 after a lengthy illness. He was 90.
World War II Marine Pvt. Richard Sorenson passed away October 13, 2004.
World War II Master Gunnery Sergeant Richard Earl Bush passed away on June 7, 2004.
Vietnam War Recipient Pvt. Raymond Clausen passes away May 30, 2004 after a long illness.
Korean War Army Veteran 1st. Lt. Edward R. Schowalter passed away on November 21st, 2003
Colonel Mitchell Paige , WWII Medal of Honor recipient, dies at age 85 Sunday November 16, 2003
US Army World War II Recipient Yukio "Yuki" Okutsu passed away September 7, 2003 at the age of 81. He was member of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team or 100th Infantry Battalion who coined the motto "Go For Broke". He spent 18 months in combat in Italy, where he used grenades and his submachine gun to neutralize three German machine gun positions on Mount Belvedere on April 7, 1945.
USMC Gen. Raymond G. Davis , America's most decorated Marine passed away of a heart attack at age 88. Korean War Recipient honor for Heroism died September 3, 2003
US Army Sfc. Webster Anderson , one of only eight South Carolinians who received the Medal of Honor for heroism in the Vietnam War, died Saturday August 30, 2003 at his Fairfield County home.
US Army Staff Sergeant Lucian Adams Passed away March 31, 2003
Vietnam War MOH Recipient US Army Staff Sergeant Delbert O. Jennings Passed away March 16, 2003
World War II MOH Recipient USMC Captain Joseph Jacob Foss
This leaves just 123 living Medal of Honor Recipients, the least number since the medal was first initiated in 1861.
Medal of Honor Features & Topics
Medal of Honor Forums
Presidential Proclamation, Veterans Day 2003
Vietnam War Medal of Honor Recipient Army Captain Humbert "Rocky" Versace Gen. Raymond Davis dies of heart attack at 88 . Read his Medal of Honor Citation
Navy Names Newest USNS Ship for Vietnam War Medal of Honor Recipient
USMC Lance Corporal Roy M. Wheat
Korean War Hero Due Honors - USMC Staff Sgt. William E. Shuck Jr.
 Tribute To A Hero
Lt. John F. Kennedy receives the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps medal for heroic conduct from Capt. Frederic L. Conklin June 12, 1944. JFK used his father's connections to get assigned to active duty. Says Dallek, "He was determined to get into combat. It was part of the culture at the time, patriotism. But he was heroic in doing that."
President John F. Kennedy hosts a White House Ceremony honoring 240 Living Medal of Honor Recipients on May 2, 1963.
 Rear Admiral James Bond Stockdale, USN
"James Stockdale...deliberately inflicted a near-mortal wound to his person in order to convince his captors of his willingness to give up his life rather than capitulate. He was subsequently discovered and revived by the North Vietnamese who, convinced of his indomitable spirit, abated in their employment of excessive harassment and torture toward all of the Prisoners of War."
"Heroes are people who do what has to be done when it has to be done, regardless of the consequences"
"Any nation that does not honor its heroes will not long endure." - President Abraham Lincoln
"There are two tangible symbols of selfless sacrifice.
There are two symbols representing the ultimate offer of one's life for others.
One of those symbols is the Cross of Christ and the other is ...
the Congressional Medal of Honor." - Paul Harvey
 WASHINGTON, March 30, 2005 -- The White House announced yesterday that President George W. Bush will honor Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith on the second anniversary of his courageous actions during the Battle of Baghdad Airport. The Medal of Honor will be presented to the Smith family during a White House ceremony, April 4. Smith is the first to receive the military's highest award for actions taken in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
 Smith's leadership and personal actions to engage the enemy thwarted an attack on his outnumbered platoon. Smith hastily arranged for a defense using grenades, an antitank missile launcher, and individual weapons to evacuate wounded Soldiers and take control of a .50 caliber machine gun. Smith preventedthe enemy from overtaking his unit's position, protected his Task Force's flank, and defended the lives of more than 100 Soldiers. He was mortally wounded during the battle. Smith was serving as a platoon sergeant in Bravo Company, 11th Engineer Battalion, Task Force 2-7, 3rd Infantry Division. He answered the noble call of military service when he joined the Army in October 1989.
Four Marines from Camp Pendleton's pantheon of war heroes will appear on a special
collection of commemorative stamps to be issued next year by the U.S. Postal Service.
 The faces on the "Distinguished Marines " stamp series include Medal of Honor Recipient Gunnery Sgt. John Basilone of Iwo Jima fame; Medal of Honor Recipient Sgt. Daniel Daly from World War I; Lt. Gen. John Lejeune , the World War I commander and Camp Lejeune's namesake; and Lt. Gen. Lewis "Chesty" Puller , one of the most famous Marine commanders of World War II and Korea .
Frequently Asked Question About the Medal of Honor
The Making of the Congressional Medal of Honor
Additional Information
Examples of the different Medals of Honor
Photograph by Richard Dorbin of Paragon Lights, Easton, MD
'Congressional Medal of Honor Memorial Coin Act of 2003'
Identification of Ownership of a Medal of Honor
The grade, name, and organization of the awardee are engraved on the reverse of the Medal of Honor. The name only of the awardee is engraved on the reverse of every other decoration and the Good Conduct Medal. Normally, engraving will be accomplished prior to presentation. When this is impracticable, the awardee will be informed that he or she may mail the decoration (or Good Conduct Medal) to the Commander, U.S. Army Support Activity, Philadelphia, 2800 South 20th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19101-3460, for engraving at Government expense.
Recipients of the Medal of Honor receive $1,000 per month for life, a right to burial at Arlington National Cemetery, admission for them or their children to a service academy (if they qualify and quotas permit), and free travel on government aircraft to almost anywhere in the world, on a space-available basis.
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