The Latest News about Medal of Honor Monday

A lot of men who earned the Medal of Honor did so knowing they were about to lose their lives, but they pressed on with what they were doing anyway. Army Pvt. Donald Lobaugh was one of them, giving his life for his comrades in the jungles of the South Pacific during World War II. Lobaugh was born on Feb. ...

I imagine it’s hard to keep your composure while your ship is being attacked, but that’s exactly what Navy Coxswain John G. Morrison did during the Civil War, and it earned him the Medal of Honor. Morrison was born in Ireland sometime between 1836-1842 — online records reflect a few possible dates, so it’s not clear — but in 1855, ...

Marine Corps Pfc. Grant Timmerman had already served plenty of time abroad when he was discharged from the military in late 1941. But Pearl Harbor happened five weeks after he got out, so he decided to join right back up. Timmerman shipped out again for his country a short time later, and he never returned. But the actions he took ...

If you’ve ever seen the movie “Black Hawk Down,” then you know the story of Army Master Sgt. Gary Gordon. Gordon and his comrade, Army Sgt. 1st Class Randall Shughart, made the most difficult decision service members could ever make — to give their lives for their brothers in arms. This Medal of Honor Monday, we honor Gordon’s life and ...

President Theodore Roosevelt’s famous charge up San Juan Hill in Cuba during the Spanish-American War earned him the Medal of Honor, but another lesser-known “Rough Rider” also earned it saving several men beyond the scope of his job in the medical field. James Robb Church was born in Chicago in 1866. He graduated from Columbia Medical College in New York ...

Several Medal of Honor recipients earn the honor for a moment of action. But for Army Sgt. Joe Ronnie Hooper, his moment lasted about seven hours — fitting, considering he’s one of the most decorated soldiers of the Vietnam War. Hooper was born Aug. 8, 1938, in Piedmont, South Carolina, but he grew up in Washington state. He enlisted in ...

During the Civil War, more than 1,500 men earned the Medal of Honor, which had just been created. Today’s Medal of Honor Monday honoree, Army 1st Lt. Arthur MacArthur Jr., was one of only two fathers who shared the privilege of being a Medal of Honor recipient with his son. Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, in June 1845, MacArthur eventually moved ...

For today’s Medal of Honor Monday, we’re honoring a brave recipient who passed away recently — 75 years after he jumped on a grenade to save his fellow soldiers in World War II. Army Technician 5th Grade Robert Maxwell was born on Oct. 26, 1920, in Boise, Idaho, but he grew up with his grandparents in Kansas. He eventually moved ...

Selfless sacrifice is a common theme among Medal of Honor recipients, as many of them give their own lives to save their fellow comrades during war. Army Pfc. Leslie Bellrichard was no exception. Bellrichard was born in Janesville, Wisconsin, on Dec. 4, 1941 — three days before America was thrust into World War II — and his life was a ...

Master divers have one of the most coveted titles in the U.S. Navy. They’re technical experts who can journey to dark depths of the world’s oceans to accomplish things few others can with little to no margin for error. Navy Chief Petty Officer William Badders, a machinist’s mate, had that coveted role in the 1930’s. He and three of his ...

Many of our nation’s fallen heroes have yet to make it home from war. One of those men is Air Force Capt. John S. Walmsley Jr., whose dedication to completing his mission during the Korean War cost him his life, but it earned him the Medal of Honor. Walmsley was born and raised in Baltimore and attended the University of ...

Heroes are often people who volunteer for missions they know might be their last. During the Vietnam War, despite having reached retirement age while managing to survive two wars, Army Capt. Ed Freeman volunteered for just such a mission. Freeman was born on Nov. 20, 1927, into a big family who lived on a farm in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He never finished ...

Operational commander Navy Adm. Frank Jack Fletcher used his leadership experience in two key World War II engagements in the Pacific theater: the Battle of Midway and the Battle of the Coral Sea. But long before that, his actions during the 1914 occupation of Veracruz, Mexico, earned him the Medal of Honor. Born in Marshalltown, Iowa, in April 1885, Fletcher ...

Artillery battalions were rarely on the front lines of the battle during World War II, but cannon units often found themselves in line with the infantrymen directly facing the enemy. Marine Corps Pfc. Harold Gonsalves lost his life on the front line of the Battle of Okinawa in the Pacific, but in doing so, he earned the Medal of Honor. ...

The American Civil War accounts for 1,522 Medal of Honor recipients — nearly half of the total who have earned the award since its creation in 1861. One of those recipients was Union Army Pvt. George Maynard, who refused to leave a man behind during a lopsided fight. Maynard was born in a suburb of Boston in 1836 and attended ...