Many American military heroes have made the ultimate sacrifice protecting our liberty and freedom. Those who have lost their lives in the line of duty have been honored and memorialized nationwide in various ways. Military leaders have been awarded with medals and recognition since the earliest battles, and holidays in remembrance of military service members and fallen heroes are celebrated annually in the United States and beyond.
Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day are reflective occasions dedicated to honoring the deceased, as well as living veterans. Independence day, celebrated on the Fourth of July, has become a more celebratory observance and many cities across America commemorate the occasion with parades, barbecues, and fireworks.
24/7 Tempo honors the legacy of some of the most decorated war heroes in our nation’s history. Our list was created by reviewing information obtained from sources such as the Department of Defense.
All individuals included in this list have been awarded with the Medal of Honor, which is the most prestigious military decoration granted in the United States. Nearly 3,500 Medals of Honor have been awarded, with more than 600 being presented posthumously. Many of those honored also received the Distinguished Service Cross, the nation’s second-highest military honor.
The list highlights those who served following the Civil War, as earlier awards were often influenced by political factors. Only American medals are included and they were given to service members who demonstrated extraordinary bravery and selflessness in battle. (Here is a list of the most famous battles in American history.)
These are 40 of America’s most decorated war heroes:
Alvin York
- Rank: Corporal
- Military branch: Army
- Served in: WWI
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross
Audie L. Murphy
- Rank: Second lieutenant
- Military branch: Army
- Served in: WWII
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star
Daniel J. Daly
- Rank: Gunnery sergeant
Source: Public Domain / WIkimedia Commons - Military branch: Marines
- Served in: WWI
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, Distinguished Service Cross
David McCampbell
- Rank: Commander
- Military branch: Navy
- Served in: WWII
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, Silver Star
Douglas MacArthur
- Rank: General
- Military branch: Army
- Served in: WWI, WWII, Korean War
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star
Edward V. Rickenbacker
- Rank: First lieutenant
- Military branch: Army
- Served in: WWI
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross
Eugene B. Fluckey
- Rank: Commander
- Military branch: Navy
- Served in: WWII
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Navy Cross
Frank Luke, Jr.
- Rank: Second lieutenant
- Military branch: Army
- Served in: WWI
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross
George A. Davis
- Rank: Major
Source: Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons - Military branch: Army/Air Force
- Served in: WWII, Korean War
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star
George E. Day
U.S. Air Force Medal of Honor recipients are photographed with, standing from left, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz and Commander of Air Education and Training Command Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz during the Air Education and Training Command 2010 Symposium at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, Jan. 15, 2010. The honorees, seated from left, are retired Cols. Leo K. Thorsness, Bernard F. Fisher, George E. Day, Joe M. Jackson and James P. Fleming. (U.S. Air Force photo by Don Lindsey/Released)
- Rank: Colonel
- Military branch: Air Force/Army/Marines
- Served in: WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Air Force Cross, Silver Star
George L. Mabry, Jr.
- Rank: Lieutenant colonel
Source: US Army / Wikimedia Commons - Military branch: Army
- Served in: WWII
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star
Gordon Johnston
- Rank: First lieutenant
- Military branch: Army
- Served in: WWI
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star
Henry L. Hulbert
- Rank: First lieutenant
- Military branch: Marines
- Served in: WWI
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, Distinguished Service Cross
Herman H. Hanneken
- Rank: Second lieutenant
- Military branch: Marines
- Served in: Banana Wars, WWI, WWII
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, Silver Star
Jack L. Treadwell
- Rank: Captain
- Military branch: Army
- Served in: WWII, Vietnam War
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star
James E. Williams
- Rank: Boatswain’s mate first class
- Military branch: Navy
- Served in: Korean War, Vietnam War
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, Silver Star
Joel T. Boone
- Rank: Lieutenant
- Military branch: Navy
- Served in: WWI, WWII, Korean War
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star
John C. McCloy
- Rank: Lieutenant commander
- Military branch: Navy
- Served in: Boxer Rebellion, Battle of Veracruz
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Navy Cross
John D. Bulkeley
- Rank: Lieutenant commander
- Military branch: Navy
- Served in: WWII
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, Silver Star
John H. Quick
- Rank: Sergeant major
- Military branch: Marines
- Served in: WWI
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross
Jonas H. Ingram
- Rank: Admiral
- Military branch: Navy
- Served in: Mexican Revolution, WWI, WWII
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Navy Cross
Lawson P. Ramage
- Rank: Commander
- Military branch: Navy
- Served in: WWII
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, Silver Star
Leon W. Johnson
- Rank: General
- Military branch: Army/Air Force
- Served in: WWII
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Silver Star
Lewis L. Millett
Retired Army Colonel (COL) Lewis Millett, a Korean War Medal of Honor recipient, salutes the flag at a memorial service commemorating the charge he led up Bayonet Hill in 1951. The service is being held during the joint U.S/South Korean Exercise TEAM SPIRIT 85.
- Rank: Captain
- Military branch: Army
- Served in: WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star
Lloyd L. Burke
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Rank: First lieutenant
- Military branch: Army
- Served in: WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star
Louis Cukela
- Rank: Sergeant
- Military branch: Marines
- Served in: WWI
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Silver Star
Matej Kocak
- Rank: Sergeant
- Military branch: Marines
- Served in: WWI
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Silver Star
Matt L. Urban
- Rank: Captain
- Military branch: Army
- Served in: WWII
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Silver Star
Melvin Morris
- Rank: Sergeant
- Military branch: Army
- Served in: Vietnam War
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross
Merritt A. Edson
- Rank: Colonel
- Military branch: Marines
- Served in: WWII
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, Silver Star
Neel E. Kearby
- Rank: Colonel
- Military branch: Army
- Served in: WWII
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Silver Star
Patrick H. Brady
BGEN Patrick H. Brady, USA (uncovered) Medal of Honor Recipient
- Rank: Major
- Military branch: Army
- Served in: Vietnam War
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross
Raymond G. Davis
- Rank: Lieutenant colonel
- Military branch: Marines
- Served in: WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, Silver Star
Raymond Harvey
- Rank: Captain
Source: United States Army / Wikimedia Commons - Military branch: Army
- Served in: WWII, Korean War
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star
Richard H. O’Kane
- Rank: Commander
- Military branch: Navy
- Served in: WWII
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, Silver Star
Richard I. Bong
Maj. Thomas B. McGuire Jr. with Richard I. Bong (Majs. Bong and McGuire were the top two scoring U.S. aces in World War II with 40 and 38 victories, respectively; taken Nov. 15, 1944 in the Philippines). (U.S. Air Force photo)
- Rank: Major
- Military branch: Army
- Served in: WWII
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star
Robert L. Howard
Retired Army Command Sergeant Major Gary Littrell and retired Army Colonel Robert Howard write greetings on a 2,000lb Guided Bomb Unit -31V1 before it is loaded onto a B-1B Lancer for delivery to the enemy, Apr. 8, 2009, at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. The Medal of Honor recipients were on base as part of a USO Medal of Honor tour of the U.S. Central Commands area of responsibility. Both men are here to inspire and acknowledge servicemembers who are supporting Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom and Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Andrew Satran/released)
- Rank: Captain
- Military branch: Army
- Served in: Vietnam War
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star
Samuel D. Dealey
- Rank: Commander
- Military branch: Navy
- Served in: WWII
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star
Thomas B. McGuire, Jr.
- Rank: Major
- Military branch: Army
- Served in: WWII
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star
William J. Donovan
- Rank: Colonel
- Military branch: Army
- Served in: WWI, WWII
- Medal(s) of valor: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star