The Medal of Honor was created during the American Civil War and is the highest military decoration presented by the United States government to a member of its armed forces. The recipients must have distinguished themselves at the risk of their own life above and beyond the call of duty in action against an enemy of the United States.
Since the April 1975 end of American presence in Vietnam, the United States military has been involved in a number of conflicts and peacekeeping activities, including actions in the invasion of Grenada, Lebanese Civil War, invasion of Panama, the Yugoslav Wars, the Somali Civil War and elsewhere.[1] [2] Following the September 11 attacks, the United States entered into a War on Terror against militant Islamists, the War in Afghanistan and the Iraq War.[3] [4]
The Medal of Honor has been awarded to 30 U.S. servicemen for actions since Vietnam, seventeen to living recipients.
The first post-Vietnam Medal of Honor recipients were two Delta Force snipers, MSG Gary Gordon and SFC Randy Shughart, who volunteered to defend a downed helicopter pilot in the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia; the medals were awarded posthumously.[5]
The Battle of Mogadishu or for Somalis Ma-alinti Rangers ("The Day of the Rangers") was a battle that was part of Operation Gothic Serpent that was fought on October 3 and 4, 1993, in Mogadishu, Somalia, by forces of the United States supported by UNOSOM II against Somali militia fighters loyal to warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid. The battle is also referred to as the First Battle of Mogadishu to distinguish it from the Second Battle of Mogadishu in 2006.[6] The Medals were awarded to two Delta Force operators, both snipers, who volunteered to attempt to save the pilot of one of the downed UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, despite facing hundreds, possibly thousands of rebels around the crash site.
| Image | Name | Service | Rank | Place of action | Date of action | Unit | Notes[7] | Army | Mogadishu, Somalia | For volunteering to secure a helicopter crash site while under heavy enemy fire until relief could arrive | Army | Mogadishu, Somalia | For volunteering to secure a helicopter crash site while under heavy enemy fire until relief could arrive |
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The War in Afghanistan, which began on October 7, 2001, was launched by the United States, the United Kingdom, and NATO allies in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks. It was the beginning of the War on Terrorism. The stated purpose of the invasion was to capture Osama bin Laden, destroy al-Qaeda, and remove the Taliban regime which had provided support and safe harbor to al-Qaeda.[8]
Since 2001, 20 U.S. servicemen have received the Medal of Honor for actions in Afghanistan, five of them posthumously.
| Image | Name | Service | Rank | Place of action | Date of action | Unit | Notes[9] | Navy | Laghman Province | – | SEAL Team Six | For courageous actions while serving as part of a team that rescued a U.S. civilian being held hostage.[10] | Marine Corps | Marjah, Helmand Province | For risking his life by diving toward a grenade in an attempt to save a fellow Marine while their outpost was under attack.[11] | Army | Kamdesh District, Nuristan Province | 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division | For repeatedly risking his life under enemy fire during the Battle of Kamdesh: administering life-extending first aid to wounded comrade, obtaining ammunition for firefight, helping carry wounded to aid station. | Army | Paktia Province | Company D, 1st Battalion,75th Ranger Regiment | Voluntarily exposed himself to intense enemy machine-gun and small-arms fire in order to retrieve and employ a heavy weapon system, thereby allowing U.S. and partnered forces to regain the initiative, maneuver to a secure location, and begin treating a critically wounded partnered force member.[12] | Air Force | Paktia Province | 24th Special Tactics Squadron | Engaged two enemy bunkers during the Battle of Takur Ghar, enabling a pinned rescue team to move to cover and break enemy contact. Inadvertently left behind after being knocked unconscious, he was later killed providing covering fire for an arriving quick reaction force. | Army | Korengal Valley, Kunar Province | 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team | For risking his life to save a wounded soldier from being captured. Was the first living recipient since the Vietnam War. | Army | Asadabad, Kunar Province | 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division | For risking his life by running toward a suicide bomber, grabbing him, and pushing him away before the bomb detonated, greatly minimizing casualties. | Ganjgal, Kunar Province | Embedded Training Team 2-8 | Defied order from superiors and rescued 23 Afghan allies and 13 Americans in the Battle of Ganjgal. | Army | Nari District, Kunar Province | 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group | Fatally shot while diverting gunfire from Taliban forces in Afghanistan so that his fellow soldiers could escape. | Army | Gowardesh, Nuristan Province | 3rd Squadron, 71st Cavalry, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division | Killed while trying to rescue a wounded soldier from intense small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire | Navy | Near Asadabad, Kunar Province | SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1 | Led a four-man reconnaissance team in a fight against superior numbers, exposed himself to hostile fire in order to call for help | Army | Paktia Province | 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment | While shot through both legs, saved his fellow Rangers by picking up and throwing a live enemy grenade, thus amputating his hand. | Army | Kunar Province | 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team | For his courageous actions while serving as a Forward Observer during the Battle of Wanat.[13] | Army | Forward Operating Base Ghazni | Operation Detachment Alpha 1434 (ODA-1434), 4th Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group | For repeatedly engaging the enemy at close range, was wounded by a detonating suicide vest, risked his life to bring another Soldier to safety and provide first aid, all while continually putting himself in the line of fire in order to prevent the assault from penetrating the perimeter of the FOB. | Army | Kamdesh, Nuristan Province | 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division | For risking his life to save fellow soldiers and organize and repel an attack against Taliban forces during the Battle of Kamdesh. | Army | Nuristan Province | 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group | For his courageous actions while serving as a Combat Medic during the Battle of Shok Valley. | Navy | Paktia Province | SEAL Team Six | Senior Chief Slabinski repeatedly exposed himself to deadly fire to personally engage the enemy and orient his team's fires in the furious, close-quarters firefight.[14] | Army | Ganjgal, Kunar Province | 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division | For risking his life, under enemy fire, to render medical aid to a fellow wounded soldier, and rescue others and recover fallen comrades, during the Battle of Ganjgal. | Army | Nuristan Province | 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team | For repeatedly risking his life under enemy fire to render life saving medical aid to wounded comrades, and radioing situation reports to enable counterattack and rescue. | Army | Nuristan Province | 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group | For his courageous actions during the Battle of Shok Valley. |
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The Iraq War, also known as the Second Gulf War,[15] Operation Iraqi Freedom (US),[16] Operation TELIC (UK)[17] or the occupation of Iraq,[18] was a conflict which began on March 20, 2003, with the United States-led invasion of Iraq by a multinational coalition composed of U.S. and British troops supported by smaller contingents from Australia, Poland, and other nations.[19] Six service members have posthumously received the Medal of Honor for actions in Iraq: four from the Army, one from the Marine Corps and one from the Navy.
| Image | Name | Service | Rank | Place of action | Date of action | Unit | Notes[20] | Army | Yusufiyah, Iraq | Company D, 2d Battalion, 14th Infantry, 10th Mountain Division | Fought hand-to-hand with a suicide bomber and used his body to shield fellow soldiers from the subsequent bomb blast[21] | Army | Fallujah, Iraq | 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division | For single-handedly clearing three stories of building from insurgents, even resorting to hand-to-hand combat to complete his task.[22] | Army | Salah ad Din Governorate, Iraq | 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division | Saved the lives of six of his fellow soldiers after the Bradley fighting vehicle they were riding in struck an improvised explosive device, despite suffering second and third-degree burns over 72% of his body. | Marine Corps | Iraq, near Syrian border | 3rd Battalion 7th Marines | Fought hand-to-hand with the enemy and hurled himself on a grenade to protect fellow Marines | Army | Adhamiyah, Iraq | C Company, 1-26th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division | Saved the lives of four soldiers by diving on a grenade while inside HMMWV (Humvee) | Navy | Ramadi, Iraq | SEAL Team Three, Delta Platoon | Saved the lives of his fellow SEALs at his sniper position by diving on a grenade | Army | B Company, 11th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division | Held the enemy at bay by throwing grenades and returning accurate small arms fire; allowing for the wounded to be carried out, died in the process |
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One soldier received the Medal of Honor during the fight against ISIL during the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve.
| Image | Name | Service | Rank | Place of action | Date of action | Unit | Notes | Thomas Payne | Army | Hawija, Iraq | 1st SFOD-D | Rescued 70 Iraqi prisoners in a joint operation, conducted with the Kurdish CTG (Counter Terrorism Group). Payne ran into a collapsing building three times to make sure all hostages were out and safe while taking heavy enemy fire. |
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