Medal of Honor
America's highest military decoration — awarded for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty.
1861
Established
~3,500
Total Recipients
~60
Living Recipients
40%+
Awarded Posthumously
About the Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration that may be awarded by the United States government. It is presented by the President of the United States, in the name of Congress, to members of the U.S. Armed Forces who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor — specifically, conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of their own life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States.
The Medal was established during the Civil War. On December 21, 1861, Congress approved a Navy Medal of Valor; the Army Medal of Honor followed on July 12, 1862. President Lincoln signed both into law. Today three versions exist: the Army, Navy/Marine Corps, and Air Force Medals of Honor, each with distinct designs.
Lincoln was assassinated at Ford's Theatre on April 14, 1865 — the first U.S. president to be killed in office. View assassination profile ↗
The standard of valor required is extraordinarily high. The act must be witnessed and documented, and the recommendation must survive multiple layers of military and presidential review. More than 40% of Medals of Honor have been awarded posthumously — meaning the recipient gave their life in the act that earned the decoration.
The Medal in the Civil War
The Civil War produced the largest number of Medal of Honor recipients in American history — over 1,500. Standards were different then; some awards were later rescinded, including the entire 27th Maine Infantry regiment (864 men) who were mistakenly promised the medal as an inducement to re-enlist. Congress tightened standards significantly in 1916.
Vietnam War Recipients
The Vietnam War produced 260 Medal of Honor recipients — the second-highest total for any conflict. Many were awarded posthumously, reflecting the brutal close-quarters nature of combat in Southeast Asia. The acts that earned them ranged from throwing oneself on a grenade to save fellow soldiers, to surviving extraordinary ordeals as prisoners of war.
Medal of Honor Recipients in Our Profiles
The following graduates profiled on this site are Medal of Honor recipients.
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army; Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (Pacific)
Douglas MacArthur graduated first in his class at West Point and commanded Allied forces in the Pacific during World War II and United Nations forces during the Korean War.
Lance P. Sijan
Captain, USAF (Medal of Honor, posthumous)
Captain Lance P. Sijan was the first Air Force Academy graduate to receive the Medal of Honor, awarded posthumously for extraordinary acts of heroism — including 46 days of solo evasion while severely wounded — as a prisoner of war in Vietnam.
Other Service Academy MOH Recipients
Many Medal of Honor recipients have been graduates of the federal service academies. Notable examples include General Douglas MacArthur (West Point, 1903), who received the Medal for his defense of the Philippines in 1942 — continuing a family tradition, as his father Arthur MacArthur Jr. had received the Medal at Missionary Ridge during the Civil War. General Jonathan Wainwright (West Point, 1906) received the Medal for his leadership at Bataan and Corregidor.
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