The Medal of Honor is recognized as the highest award in the U.S. military regardless of branch. Whether the recipients were Privates or Generals, they ultimately distinguished themselves with the highest level of duty that one can perform for their country. The recipients of the Medal of Honor are known for going above and beyond basic service requirements, exhibiting uncommon valor, and some even giving the ultimate sacrifice.
During the time that the Medal of Honor has been awarded there have been roughly 41 million Americans who have served in the armed forces. Of these servicemembers, roughly 3,500 medals have been awarded to a select few.
Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at these recipients, namely, the most recent ones. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society (CMOHS) to identify the most recent Medal of Honor recipients. We included the name of the most recent recipient as well as what branch of the military they served in, the highest rank, the date of medal presentation, and the conflict the recipient was involved in. The most recent 30 recipients are ordered chronologically from their presentation date.
The most recent presentations for the Medal of Honor were to a number of Korean War veterans and a couple Vietnam veterans. Each of these men distinguished themself by going above and beyond the call of duty.
Here is a look at the most recent recipients of the Medal of Honor:
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.
William Shemin
- Date of presentation: June 2, 2015
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Sergeant
- Served in this conflict: World War I
Henry Johnson
- Date of presentation: June 2, 2015
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Private
- Served in this conflict: World War I
Florent A. Groberg
- Date of presentation: November 12, 2015
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Captain
- Served in this conflict: War on Terrorism
Charles S. Kettles
- Date of presentation: July 18, 2016
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Major
- Served in this conflict: Vietnam War
James C. McCloughan
- Date of presentation: July 31, 2017
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Specialist Fifth Class
- Served in this conflict: Vietnam War
Gary M. Rose
- Date of presentation: October 23, 2017
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Captain
- Served in this conflict: Vietnam War
Garlin M. Conner
- Date of presentation: June 26, 2018
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: First Lieutenant
- Served in this conflict: World War II
Ronald J. Shurer II
- Date of presentation: October 1, 2018
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Staff Sergeant
- Served in this conflict: War on Terrorism
Travis W. Atkins
- Date of presentation: March 27, 2019
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Staff Sergeant
- Served in this conflict: War on Terrorism
David D. Bellavia
- Date of presentation: June 25, 2019
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Staff Sergeant
- Served in this conflict: War on Terrorism
Matthew O. Williams
- Date of presentation: October 30, 2019
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Sergeant Major
- Served in this conflict: War on Terrorism
Thomas P. Payne
- Date of presentation: September 11, 2020
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Sergeant Major
- Served in this conflict: War on Terrorism
Ralph Puckett, Jr.
- Date of presentation: May 21, 2021
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Colonel
- Served in this conflict: Korean War
Alwyn Crendall Cashe
- Date of presentation: December 16, 2021
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Sergeant First Class
- Served in this conflict: War on Terrorism
Christopher Andrew Celiz
- Date of presentation: December 16, 2021
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Sergeant First Class
- Served in this conflict: War on Terrorism
Earl D. Plumlee
- Date of presentation: December 16, 2021
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Master Sergeant
- Served in this conflict: War on Terrorism
Dwight W. Birdwell
- Date of presentation: July 5, 2022
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Specialist Five
- Served in this conflict: Vietnam War
John J. Duffy
- Date of presentation: July 5, 2022
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Major
- Served in this conflict: Vietnam War
Dennis M. Fujii
- Date of presentation: July 5, 2022
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Specialist Five
- Served in this conflict: Vietnam War
Edward N. Kaneshiro
- Date of presentation: July 5, 2022
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Staff Sergeant
- Served in this conflict: Vietnam War
Paris D. Davis
- Date of presentation: March 3, 2023
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Colonel
- Served in this conflict: Vietnam War
Larry L. Taylor
- Date of presentation: September 5, 2023
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Captain
- Served in this conflict: Vietnam War
George D. Wilson
- Date of presentation: July 3, 2024
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Private
- Served in this conflict: U.S. Civil War
Philip G. Shadrach
- Date of presentation: July 3, 2024
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Private
- Served in this conflict: U.S. Civil War
Hugh R. Nelson Jr.
- Date of presentation: January 3, 2025
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Captain
- Served in this conflict: Vietnam War
Kenneth J. David
- Date of presentation: January 3, 2025
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Specialist Fourth Class
- Served in this conflict: Vietnam War
Brunor R. Orig
- Date of presentation: January 3, 2025
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Private
- Served in this conflict: Korean War
Wataru Nakamura
- Date of presentation: January 3, 2025
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Private First Class
- Served in this conflict: Korean War
Fred B. McGee
- Date of presentation: January 3, 2025
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Corporal
- Served in this conflict: Korean War
Charles R. Johnson
- Date of presentation: January 3, 2025
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: Private First Class
- Served in this conflict: Korean War
Richard E. Cavazos
- Date of presentation: January 3, 2025
- Military branch: U.S. Army
- Highest rank achieved: General
- Served in this conflict: Korean War
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