List of living Medal of Honor recipients

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File:Barack Obama participates in National Medal of Honor Day 3-25-09.JPG
President Barack Obama meets with recipients at the National Medal of Honor Day ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns on March 25, 2009

There are currently 76 living recipients of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor. The Medal of Honor is bestowed to 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 76 living recipients, six earned their Medals of Honor in World War II, six in the Korean War, 53 in the Vietnam War, and eleven in the War in Afghanistan. Three earned their medal while serving in the U.S. Air Force, 50 in the U.S. Army, 15 in the U.S. Marine Corps, and eight in the U.S. Navy. The oldest recipient is Robert D. Maxwell, aged 104, whereas the youngest is Kyle Carpenter, aged 35. 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

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Main article: List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II

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See also: List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Battle of Iwo Jima

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
Coolidge313645.tif Charles H. Coolidge Army (1921-08-04) August 4, 1921 (age 103) [5]
Currey in 1945 Francis S. Currey Army (1925-06-29) June 29, 1925 (age 99) [6]
Jackson AJ.jpg Arthur J. Jackson Marine Corps (1924-10-18) October 18, 1924 (age 100) [7]
Bob Maxwell 2006 BBC MOH Scholarship Ceremony.jpg Robert D. Maxwell Army (1920-10-26) October 26, 1920 (age 104) [8]
100px Wilburn K. Ross Army (1922-05-12) May 12, 1922 (age 102) [8]
Williams in 2010 Hershel W. Williams Marine Corps (1923-10-02) October 2, 1923 (age 101) [9]

Korea

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Main article: List of Korean War Medal of Honor recipients

During the Korean War, 136 Medals of Honor were presented for bravery in action, 98 (72,1%) of them posthumously. As of 2016, six recipients were still living.[4]

Image Name Branch Birth date and age Reference
100px Duane E. Dewey Marine Corps (1931-11-16) November 16, 1931 (age 93) [10]
Thomas J. Hudner 2008.jpg Thomas J. Hudner, Jr. Navy (1924-08-31) August 31, 1924 (age 100) [11]
Miyamura in 2008 Hiroshi H. Miyamura Army (1925-10-06) October 6, 1925 (age 99) [12]
Rosser in 2012 Ronald E. Rosser Army (1929-10-24) October 24, 1929 (age 95) [13]
100px Robert E. Simanek Marine Corps (1930-04-26) April 26, 1930 (age 94) [14]
West in 2009 Ernest E. West Army (1931-09-02) September 2, 1931 (age 93) [9]

Vietnam

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Main article: List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Vietnam War

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, 53 are alive as of 2016.[15]

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.[16]

Image Name Branch Birth date and age Reference
100px Bennie Adkins Army (1934-02-01) February 1, 1934 (age 90)
JBaca.jpg John Baca Army (1949-01-10) January 10, 1949 (age 75) [17]
100px Donald E. Ballard Navy (1945-12-05) December 5, 1945 (age 79) [18]
H.C. "Barney" Barnum Jr. at the Medal of Honor Flag ceremony for Michael Murphy .jpg Harvey C. Barnum, Jr. Marine Corps (1940-07-21) July 21, 1940 (age 84) [19]
Gary B Beikirch.jpg Gary B. Beikirch Army (1947-08-29) August 29, 1947 (age 77) [20]
Brady in 1989 Patrick Henry Brady Army (1936-10-01) October 1, 1936 (age 88) [8]
Bucha in 2011 Paul Bucha Army (1943-08-01) August 1, 1943 (age 81) [21]
Crandall in 2012 Bruce P. Crandall Army (1933-02-17) February 17, 1933 (age 91) [19]
100px Sammy L. Davis Army (1946-11-01) November 1, 1946 (age 78) [22]
Dix in 2010 Drew Dennis Dix Army (1944-12-14) December 14, 1944 (age 80) [12]
Maj Roger Donlon.jpg Roger Donlon Army (1934-01-30) January 30, 1934 (age 90) [23]
100px Frederick Edgar Ferguson Army (1939-08-18) August 18, 1939 (age 85) [24]
100px Michael John Fitzmaurice Army (1950-03-09) March 9, 1950 (age 74) [25]
100px James P. Fleming Air Force (1943-03-12) March 12, 1943 (age 81) [8]
Robert F. Foley Robert F. Foley Army (1941-05-30) May 30, 1941 (age 83)
100px Wesley L. Fox Marine Corps (1931-09-30) September 30, 1931 (age 93) [26]
100px Harold A. Fritz Army (1944-02-21) February 21, 1944 (age 80) [22]
100px Charles C. Hagemeister Army (1946-08-21) August 21, 1946 (age 78) [27]
100px Frank A. Herda Army (1947-09-13) September 13, 1947 (age 77)
100px Robert R. Ingram Navy (1945-01-20) January 20, 1945 (age 79) [28]
Joe Jackson in 2010 Joe M. Jackson Air Force (1923-03-14) March 14, 1923 (age 101) [8]
Jack H Jacobs aboard Roosevelt.jpg Jack H. Jacobs Army (1945-08-02) August 2, 1945 (age 79) [29]
100px Don J. Jenkins Army (1948-04-18) April 18, 1948 (age 76) [9]
Kelley in 2011 Thomas G. Kelley Navy (1939-05-13) May 13, 1939 (age 85) [30]
100px Allan J. Kellogg Marine Corps (1943-10-01) October 1, 1943 (age 81) [31]
Kerrey in 2009 Bob Kerrey Navy (1943-08-27) August 27, 1943 (age 81) [12]
100px Thomas James Kinsman Army (1945-03-04) March 4, 1945 (age 79) [8]
100px Howard V. Lee Marine Corps (1933-08-01) August 1, 1933 (age 91) [32]
100px Peter C. Lemon Army (1950-06-05) June 5, 1950 (age 74) [33]
100px Charles Liteky Army (1931-02-14) February 14, 1931 (age 93) [12]
100px Gary L. Littrell Army (1944-10-26) October 26, 1944 (age 80) [34]
100px James E. Livingston Marine Corps (1940-01-12) January 12, 1940 (age 84) [35]
100px Allen James Lynch Army (1945-10-28) October 28, 1945 (age 79) [22]
100px Walter Joseph Marm, Jr. Army (1941-11-20) November 20, 1941 (age 83) [36]
Modrzejewski in 2011 Robert J. Modrzejewski Marine Corps (1934-07-03) July 3, 1934 (age 90) [37]
100px Melvin Morris Army (1942-01-07) January 7, 1942 (age 82) [38]
Thomas Norris 2008.jpg Thomas R. Norris Navy (1944-01-14) January 14, 1944 (age 80) [8]
O'Malley in 2010 Robert Emmett O'Malley Marine Corps (1943-06-03) June 3, 1943 (age 81) [14]
Patterson in 2012 Robert Martin Patterson Army (1948-04-16) April 16, 1948 (age 76) [39]
100px Richard A. Pittman Marine Corps (1945-05-26) May 26, 1945 (age 79) [40]
Rascon in 2010 Alfred V. Rascon Army (1945-09-10) September 10, 1945 (age 79) [12]
100px Ronald E. Ray Army (1941-12-07) December 7, 1941 (age 83) [41]
100px Gordon Ray Roberts Army (1950-06-14) June 14, 1950 (age 74)
100px Jose Rodela Army (1937-06-15) June 15, 1937 (age 87) [42]
Sasser in 2010 Clarence Sasser Army (1947-09-12) September 12, 1947 (age 77) [43]
100px James M. Sprayberry Army (1947-04-24) April 24, 1947 (age 77) [44]
100px Kenneth E. Stumpf Army (1944-09-28) September 28, 1944 (age 80) [45]
100px James Allen Taylor Army (1937-12-31) December 31, 1937 (age 87) [46]
100px Brian Thacker Army (1945-04-25) April 25, 1945 (age 79) [14]
100px Michael E. Thornton Navy (1949-03-23) March 23, 1949 (age 75) [12]
100px Leo K. Thorsness Air Force (1932-02-14) February 14, 1932 (age 92) [47]
100px Jay R. Vargas Marine Corps (1938-07-29) July 29, 1938 (age 86) [37] [48]
100px Gary Wetzel Army (1947-09-29) September 29, 1947 (age 77) [49]

War in Afghanistan

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Main article: List of post-Vietnam Medal of Honor recipients

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.[50] 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
Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Edward C. Byers Jr. will be awarded the Medal of Honor. (24646290034).jpg Edward Byers Navy (1979-08-04) August 4, 1979 (age 45)
140618-M-LI307-0155.jpg Kyle Carpenter Marine Corps (1989-10-17) October 17, 1989 (age 35)
100px Ty Carter Army (1980-01-25) January 25, 1980 (age 44) [51]
Head and torso portrait of a young white man in a formal military uniform with a U.S. flag in the background Salvatore Giunta Army (1985-01-21) January 21, 1985 (age 39) [52]
Captain Florent Groberg Florent Groberg Army (1983-05-08) May 8, 1983 (age 41) [53]
Dakota L. Meyer.JPG Dakota Meyer Marine Corps (1988-06-26) June 26, 1988 (age 36) [54]
Leroy Petry Leroy Petry Army (1979-07-29) July 29, 1979 (age 45) [55]
SSGT Pitts half body shot.jpg Ryan M. Pitts Army 1985 (age 39–40)
Clinton Romesha 2013.jpg Clinton Romesha Army (1981-08-17) August 17, 1981 (age 43) [56]
WilliamSwensonMOHspeech20131015.jpg William D. Swenson Army (1978-11-02) November 2, 1978 (age 46)
Sergeant Kyle J. White Kyle White Army (1987-03-27) March 27, 1987 (age 37) [57]

Recently deceased

Recipients who died within the last twelve months are listed below.[58]

Image Name Branch Conflict Birth date Death date Place of death Ref.
100px Einar H. Ingman, Jr. Army Korean War October 6, 1929 September 9, 2015 Tomahawk, Wisconsin [59]
George Sakato 2009.jpg George T. Sakato Army World War II February 19, 1921 December 2, 2015 Denver, Colorado [60]
100px Tibor Rubin Army Korean War June 18, 1929 December 5, 2015 Garden Grove, California [61]
100px Santiago J. Erevia Army Vietnam War December 15, 1946 March 22, 2016 San Antonio, Texas [62]
100px Hector A. Cafferata, Jr. Marine Corps Korean War November 4, 1929 April 12, 2016 Venice, Florida [63]

References

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    • ↑ Congressional Medal of Honor Society
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    • ↑ Murphy, 1987, pp. 13–23
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    • ↑ Melvin Morris's biography
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    • ↑ Jose Rodela's biography
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    • ↑ http://www.azdvs.gov/SearchResults.aspx?q=Frederick+Edgar+Ferguson&cx=013173311846497028359%3ahre03lpbgt4&cof=FORID%3a10
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    • ↑ Korean War veteran and Medal of Honor recipient Einar Ingman dies at 85
    • ↑ Medal of Honor recipient George T. Sakato passes away at 94
    • ↑ Tibor Rubin dies at 86; Holocaust survivor received Medal of Honor for Korean War heroism
    • ↑ Medal of Honor recipient Erevia dies in San Antonio
    • ↑ Medal of Honor Recipient Hector A. Cafferata, Jr. Passes Away at 86
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