The Medal of Honor is regarded as the highest achievement possible within the Armed Forces of the United States. Service members across all branches of the U.S. military have earned this prestigious honor and occupy an elite group that have distinguished themselves by acts of valor that go above and beyond the call of duty. (This fearless marine earned the Medal of Honor twice but hated war.)

These service members come from all over the United States, from the East Coast to Hawaii and everywhere in between. Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at how many of these recipients come from each individual state within the Union.

24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society (CMOHS) to identify the states with the most Medal of Honor recipients. We ranked states based on total Medal of Honor recipients. We included supplemental information regarding the conflict with the most recipients, service branch with most recipients, and the most recent recipient from each state.

The most recent presentations for the Medal of Honor were given to Civil War soldiers, Philip G. Shadrach and George D. Wilson. Like some of these awards, both were awarded posthumously. These men served in the Civil War, and each distinguished themselves by acts of gallantry and intrepidity while serving in the Ohio Volunteer Infantry, specifically Andrews’ Raiders. The CMOHS noted that the actions of these men “were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service,” a sentiment that is pervasive among all service members that receive this prestigious honor.

Here is a look at the states with the most Medal of Honor recipients:

Why Are We Covering This?

The stories of Medal of Honor recipients and the significance of the medal itself is central to the U.S. military ethos. These recipients and their stories are an inspiration, “For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty.” It’s important to appreciate the profound sacrifices that these men made in service to the nation. The Medal of Honor symbolizes the courage, selflessness, and resilience that define the highest ideals of military service. Again, these stories serve as powerful reminders of the values we aspire to as a society even in the face of adversity.

50. Alaska

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 0
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: N/A
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: N/A
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: N/A

49. Nevada

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 2
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Indian Campaigns (1 recipient)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (1 recipient)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Bruce Avery Van Voorhis – August 1, 1946

48. South Dakota

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 3
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (2 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (2 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Michael John Fitzmaurice – October 15, 1973

47. Wyoming

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 3
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (2 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (3 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Joe Hayashi – June 21, 2000

46. Utah

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 5
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (4 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Navy (3 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: George Taro “Joe” Sakato – June 21, 2000

45. Montana

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 9
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (5 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (7 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Travis W. Atkins – March 27, 2019

44. New Mexico

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 9
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (3 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (8 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Leroy Arthur Petry – July 12, 2011

43. Idaho

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 10
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Korean War (4 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (6 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Frank Stanley Reasoner – January 31, 1967

42. Arkansas

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 11
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (7 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (7 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Johnny Lee Canley – October 17, 2018

41. Delaware

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 13
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (9 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (11 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: James Phillip Connor – May 7, 1945

40. Oregon

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 13
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Vietnam War (4 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (10 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Larry Gilbert Dahl – August 8, 1974

39. Arizona

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 17
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Vietnam War (6 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (9 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Manuel V Mendoza – March 18, 2014

38. North Dakota

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 17
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Philippine Insurrection (9 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (14 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Woodrow Wilson Keeble – March 3, 2008

37. Mississippi

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 18
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (6 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (12 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Ed W. Freeman – July 16, 2001

36. Hawaii

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 20
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (14 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (20 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Dennis M. Fujii; Edward N. Kaneshiro – July 5, 2022

35. Nebraska

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 20
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (4 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (10 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Donald K Schwab – March 18, 2014

34. North Carolina

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 20
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (7 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (14 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Melvin Morris – March 18, 2014

33. Alabama

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 21
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (8 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (13 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: George Watson – January 13, 1997

32. Georgia

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 22
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Vietnam War (9 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (11 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: William D. Swenson – October 16, 2013

31. Colorado

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 23
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (10 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (14 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Jon Edward Swanson – May 1, 2002

30. Florida

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 23
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Vietnam War (9 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (11 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Alwyn Crendall Cashe – December 16, 2021

29. Oklahoma

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 23
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (13 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (17 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Dwight W. Birdwell – July 5, 2022

28. Louisiana

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 24
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (6 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (13 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Paris D. Davis – March 3, 2023

27. Kansas

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 28
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Indian Campaigns (9 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (23 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Riley Leroy Pitts – December 10, 1968

26. Rhode Island

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 31
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (22 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (22 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: David Bernard Champagne – July 23, 1953

25. South Carolina

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 31
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War I (8 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (19 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Christopher Andrew Celiz – December 16, 2021

24. Tennessee

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 33
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (7 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (27 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Larry L. Taylor – September 5, 2023

23. Washington

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 34
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (13 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (17 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Ronald J. Shurer II – October 1, 2018

22. New Hampshire

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 36
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (30 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (25 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Richard Hetherington O’Kane – March 27, 1946

21. Kentucky

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 44
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Indian Campaigns (14 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (35 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Garlin Murl Conner – June 26, 2018

20. West Virginia

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 45
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (26 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (39 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Robert Willard Hartsock – August 6, 1970

19. Minnesota

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 46
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (16 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (33 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Leo Keith Thorsness – October 15, 1973

18. Vermont

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 47
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (43 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (43 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Lawson Paterson “Red” Ramage – January 10, 1945

17. Wisconsin

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 49
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (17 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (38 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Benjamin Louis Salomon – May 1, 2002

16. Virginia

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 50
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (10 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (24 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Humbert Roque “Rocky” Versace – July 8, 2002

15. Iowa

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 54
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (30 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (45 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Salvatore Augustine Giunta – November 16, 2010

14. Connecticut

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 56
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (36 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (38 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: John A. Chapman – August 22, 2018

13. Maine

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 66
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (48 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (40 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Gary Ivan Gordon – May 23, 1994

12. Indiana

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 74
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (45 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (61 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Frank Harry Ono – September 21, 2000

11. Texas

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 77
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (32 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (50 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Matthew O. Williams – October 30, 2019

10. Missouri

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 78
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Indian Campaigns (26 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (63 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Willy F. James Jr. – January 13, 1997

9. Maryland

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 83
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (41 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (49 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Florent A. Groberg – November 12, 2015

8. New Jersey

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 94
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (35 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (60 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Henry Svehla – May 2, 2011

7. Michigan

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 109
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (62 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (94 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: James C. McCloughan – July 31, 2017

6. California

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 138
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Indian Campaigns (29 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (89 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Salvador J. Lara; Joe Gandara – March 18, 2014

5. Illinois

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 207
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (112 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (159 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: John J. Duffy – July 5, 2022

4. Ohio

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 258
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (155 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (220 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: George D. Wilson – July 3, 2024

3. Massachusetts

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 265
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (132 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (140 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Britt Kelly Slabinski – May 24, 2018

2. Pennsylvania

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 379
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (212 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (272 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Ross A. McGinnis – June 2, 2008

1. New York

• Medal of Honor recipients credited to state: 675
• Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (383 recipients)
• Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (409 recipients)
• Most recent recipient and award presentation date: Ralph Puckett, Jr. – May 21, 2021

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