List of Medal of Honor recipients

What the lists record and why they matter

Lists of Medal of Honor recipients collect core information about each award: the recipient's name, rank, service branch, unit, date and place of the action, and the official citation describing the act of valor. These compilations are used by historians, families, educators, and government agencies to verify awards, preserve citations, and commemorate recipients. While some recipients are widely known, many appear only in archival citations; compiling names into accessible lists ensures that lesser-known acts of heroism remain part of public memory.

Eligibility, legal changes and notable exceptions

Modern regulations, codified in Title 10 of the U.S. Code, generally require that a Medal of Honor recipient be a member of the U.S. armed forces at the time of the action. Nevertheless, there have been notable exceptions and special cases. The medal has been awarded retroactively, and rare exceptions recognized civilians or foreign figures associated with U.S. efforts. For example, the aviator Charles Lindbergh received the medal while serving in a reserve capacity but in a role that was largely civilian in character. In another historic gesture, the American award was presented to the British Unknown Warrior by General Pershing in 1921; the United States later reciprocated by presenting the British Victoria Cross to the U.S. Unknown Soldier.

Historical development and compiled registers

The first Medals of Honor were created in the 1860s and early recipients are associated with actions of the Civil War era. Over time, official and unofficial compilations of recipients have been assembled. In the 20th century Congress and the Senate produced printed compilations of citations to ensure preservation and accessibility. Such registers gather citations that otherwise might remain scattered in service records and archival materials, and they provide a primary resource for producing modern lists grouped by conflict, service branch, or chronological order.

Notable firsts and distinctive recipients

Several early recipients and notable cases are frequently highlighted in lists and histories. The first Army Medal of Honor was awarded to Private Jacob Parrott for his role in the Great Locomotive Chase. The first African American to receive the medal was William Harvey Carney, celebrated for his refusal to let the flag fall during combat despite severe wounds. The only woman to be awarded the medal is Mary Edwards Walker, a Civil War surgeon whose decoration was controversially revoked in 1917 and later restored by President Jimmy Carter in 1977. Lists also note national and allied dimensions: while U.S. citizenship is not an absolute prerequisite, most recipients have been U.S. service members. Historically, dozens of Canadians who served in U.S. forces received the decoration during the Civil War era and beyond; recorded counts identify many such cases, including a small number awarded after 1900 and the Canadian-born recipient Peter C. Lemon in the Vietnam era.

Organization, research and public access

Lists of recipients are organized in a variety of ways to meet different needs. Common arrangements include chronological lists by conflict (Civil War, Indian Wars, World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, and modern conflicts), alphabetical indices, and lists by service branch. Government publications, museum exhibits, veterans' organizations, and online databases have made these compilations more accessible. Researchers rely on the official citation text to confirm details and to understand the context of each award. Where disputes or corrections arise—such as posthumous upgrades of awards or restored decorations—lists are updated to reflect official decisions and the best documentary evidence.

• Primary purposes of recipient lists: historical record, verification, commemoration.
• Common groupings: by war, branch, state of origin, or citation keywords.
• Resources and further reading: official registers, archival collections, and compiled volumes produced by congressional committees and veteran organizations.

For further background and primary documents, readers may consult authoritative summaries and archival collections: general information on the decoration is available under the label Medal of Honor, Civil War context is discussed at American Civil War, and broader government and historical information can be found via references to the United States military and executive institutions such as the President and Congress. Biographical entries for individual recipients can be located through dedicated name searches such as for Jacob Parrott, Mary Edwards Walker, and others. For examples of exceptional cases and policy discussion, the cases of Charles Lindbergh, the British Unknown Warrior and the exchange involving General Pershing and the Victoria Cross provide useful historical context. International recipients and volunteers from allied countries, including Canadians, are discussed in sources referenced under Canadians.