US Marine Corps Medal of Honor

The Medal of Honor is the highest award for bravery that can be given to any individual in the United States. In judging men for receipt of the medal, each service has established its own regulations. The deed must be proved by incontestable evidence of at least two eyewitnesses; it must be so outstanding that it clearly distinguishes the recipient's gallantry beyond the call of duty from lesser forms of bravery; it must involve the risk of his life; and it must be the type of deed which, if he had not done it, would not subject him to any justified criticism.

The idea for the Medal of Honor was born during the Civil War as men fought gallantly and oftentimes displayed great heroism. George Washington originated the Purple Heart in 1782 to honor brave soldiers, sailors and Marines. From that time until the Civil War, Certificates of Merit and a "brevet" system of promotions were used as military awards. The first military decoration formally authorized by the American Government as a badge of valor was the Medal of Honor for enlisted men of the Navy and Marine Corps. It was authorized by Congress, and approved by President Abraham Lincoln on 21 December 1861. The medal for the Army and Voluntary Forces was authorized on 12 July 1862.

The medal is awarded "in the name of the Congress of the United States" and for this reason, it is often called the Congressional Medal of Honor. It is only on rare occasions, however, that Congress awards special Medals of Honor. An Executive Order, signed by President Theodore Roosevelt on 20 September 1905, directed that ceremonies of award "will always be made with formal and impressive ceremonial" and that the recipient "will, when practicable, be ordered to Washington, D.C., and the presentation will be made by the President, as Commander in Chief, or by such representative as the President may designate."

Since 1862, 294 Marines have been awarded the Medal of Honor. The first recipient was Corporal John F. Mackie, who during the attack on Fort Darling at Drewry's Bluff, Virginia, "fearlessly maintained his musket fire against the rifle pits on shore,and when ordered to fill vacancies at guns caused by men wounded and killed in action, manned the weapon with skill and courage." Sixteen other enlisted Marines were awarded the medal during the Civil War. Another 63 Marines would receive the Medal of Honor in the 1871 Korean Campaign, the Spanish-American War, the Philippine Insurrection and the Boxer Rebellion. Marine and Navy officers were first declared eligible for the award in 1913, and in the next year nine medals were awarded to officers for the landing at Vera Cruz, Mexico. The "Banana Wars" saw a total of another 13 medals conferred on enlisted Marines and officers. Only two Marines, Major General Smedley D. Butler and Sergeant Major Daniel Daly were awarded Medals of Honor for two separate actions: Vera Cruz (1914) and Haiti (1915) for Butler, and Peking (1900) and Haiti (1915) for Daly. Although only 7 Marines received the medal for actions during World War I, 82 medals were given to Marines during World War II, and another 42 were awarded for the Korean War. During the Vietnam War a total of 57 Medal of Honor were awarded to Marines. In the Iraq War, Cpl. Jason L. Dunham, was awarded the Medal of Honor (posthumous), for covering a grenade with his helmet to save his fellow Marines.
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U.S. Marine Corps Recipients of World War II
(Noah's note: Notice how many were awarded posthumous).

AGERHOLM, HAROLD CHRIST (posthumous), Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 4th Battalion, 10th Marines, 2d Marine Division, Saipan, Marianas Islands, 7 July 1944
ANDERSON, RICHARD BEATTY (posthumous), Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps, 4th Marine Division, Roi Island, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, 1 February 1944
BAILEY, KENNETH D. (posthumous), Major, U.S. Marine Corps, Company C, 1st Marine Raider Battalion, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 12-13 September 1942
BASILONE, JOHN, Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 24 and 25 October 1942
BAUER, HAROLD WILLIAM, (posthumous), Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps, Marine Fighting Squadron 212, Over Guadalcanal, 10 May 1942 - 14 November 1942
BAUSELL, LEWIS KENNETH (posthumous), Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, Peleliu Island, Palau Group, 15 September 1944
BERRY, CHARLES JOSEPH (posthumous), Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, 1st Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division, Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 3 March 1945
BONNYMAN, ALEXANDER, JR. (posthumous), First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, 2d Battalion Shore Party, 8th Marines, 2d Marine Division, Tarawa, Gilbert Islands, 20-22 November 1943
BORDELON, WILLIAM JAMES (posthumous), Staff Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, 1st Battalion, 18th Marines, tactically attached to the 2d Marine Division, Tarawa, Gilbert Islands on 20 November 1943
BOYINGTON, GREGORY, Major, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Marine Squadron 214., Central Solomons area, from 12 September 1943 to 3 January 1944.
BUSH, RICHARD EARL, Corporal, U .S. Marine Corps Reserve, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 6th Marine Division., Mount Yaetake on Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, 16 April 1945.
CADDY, WILLIAM ROBERT (posthumous), Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Company 1, 3d Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division, Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 3 March 1945
CANNON, GEORGE HAM (posthumous), First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps, Battery H, 6th Defense Battalion, Fleet Marine Force, Sand Island, Midway Islands, 7 December 1941
CASAMENTO, ANTHONY, Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, Company D, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division., Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, 01 November 1942
CHAMBERS, JUSTICE M., Colonel. U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 3rd Assault Battalion Landing Team. 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division., Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 19 to 22 February 1945.
COLE, DARRELL SAMUEL (posthumous), Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Company B, 1st Battalion, 23d Marines, 4th Marine Division, Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 19 February 1945
COURTNEY, HENRY ALEXIUS, JR. (posthumous), Major, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 2d Battalion, 22d Marines, 6th Marine Division, Okinawa Shima in the Ryukyu Islands, 14 and 15 May 1945
DAY, JAMES L., Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 2nd Battalion, 22nd Marines, 6th Marine Division, Okinawa Shima in the Ryukyu Islands, 14-17 May 1945
DAMATO, ANTHONY PETER (posthumous), Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps., Engebi Island, Eniwetok Atoll, Marshall Islands, on the night of 19-20 February 1944
DEBLANC, JEFFERSON JOSEPH, Captain, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Marine Fighting Squadron 112., Off Kolombangara Island in the Solomons group, 31 January 1943.
DUNLAP, ROBERT. HUGO, Captain, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Company C, 1st Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division., On Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 20 and 21 February 1945.
DYESS, AQUILLA JAMES (posthumous), Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 1st Battalion, 24th Marines (Rein), 4th Marine Division, Namur Island, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, 1 and 2 February 1944
EDSON, MERRITT AUSTIN, Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps, 1st Marine Raider Battalion, with Parachute Battalion attached, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, 13-14 September 1942
ELROD, HENRY TALMAGE (posthumous), Captain, U.S. Marine Corps, Marine Fighting Squadron 211, Wake Island, 8 to 23 December 1941
EPPERSON, HAROLD GLENN (posthumous), Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, 2d Marine Division, Saipan, Marianas Islands, 25 June 1944
FARDY, JOHN PETER (posthumous), Corporal, U.S Marine Corps, Company C, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, Okinawa Shima in the Ryukyu Islands, 7 May 1945
FLEMING, RICHARD E. (posthumous), Captain, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 241, Battle of Midway on 4 and 5 June 1942
FOSS, JOSEPH JACOB, Captain, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Marine Fighting Squadron 121, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing., Over Guadalcanal, 9 October to 19 November 1942, 15 and 23 January 1943.
FOSTER, WILLIAM ADELBERT (posthumous), Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 3d Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, Okinawa Shima in the Ryukyu Chain 2 May 1945
GALER, ROBERT EDWARD, Major, U.S. Marine Corps, Marine Fighter Sqdn. 244, Solomon Islands Area
GONSALVES, HAROLD (posthumous), Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 4th Battalion, 15th Marines, 6th Marine Division, Okinawa Shima in the Ryukyu Chain, 15 April 1945
GRAY, ROSS FRANKLIN (posthumous), Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Company A, 1st Battalion, 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division, Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 21 February 1945
GURKE, HENRY (posthumous), Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps, 3d Marine Raider Battalion, Empress Augusta Bay on Bougainville Island, Solomon Islands area, 9 November 1943
HALYBURTON, WILLIAM DAVID, JR. (posthumous), Pharmacist's Mate Second Class, U.S. Naval Reserve, serving with 2d Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, Okinawa Shima in the Ryukyu Chain, 10 May 1945
HANSEN, DALE MERLIN (posthumous), Private, U.S. Marine Corps, Company E, 2d Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, Okinawa Shima in the Ryukyu Chain, 7 May 1945
HANSON, ROBERT MURRAY (posthumous), First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Marine Fighting Squadron 215, Over Bougainville Island, 1 November 1943; and New Britain Island, 24 January 1944
HARRELL, WILLIAM GEORGE, Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, 1st Battalion, 28th Marines, 5th Marine Division., Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 3 March 1945.
HAUGE, LOUIS JAMES, JR. (posthumous), Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Company C, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, Okinawa Shima in the Ryukyu Chain on 14 May 1945
HAWKINS, WILLIAM DEAN (posthumous), First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps, Scout Sniper Platoon, Tarawa, Gilbert Island, 20 and 21 November 1943
JACKSON, ARTHUR J., Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps, 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division., Island of Peleliu in the Palau group, 18 September 1944.
JACOBSON, DOUGLAS THOMAS, Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 3d Battalion, 23d Marines, 4th Marine Division., Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 26 February 1945.
JULIAN, JOSEPH RODOLPH (posthumous), Platoon Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 1st Battalion, 27th Marines, 5th Marine Division, Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 9 March 1945
KINSER, ELBERT LUTHER (posthumous), Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Company I, 3d Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, Okinawa Shima in the Ryukyu Chain, 4 May 1945
KRAUS, RICHARD EDWARD (posthumous), Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 8th Amphibious Tractor Battalion, Fleet Marine Force, Peleliu, Palau Islands, on 5 October 1944
LA BELLE, JAMES DENNIS (posthumous), Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 27th Marines, 5th Marine Division, Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 8 March 1945
LEIMS, JOHN HAROLD, Second Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Company B, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, 3d Marine Division., Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 7 March 1945.
LUCAS, JACKLYN HAROLD, Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 1st Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division., Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 20 February 1945.
LUMMUS, JACK (posthumous), First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 2d Battalion, 27th Marines, 5th Marine Division, Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 8 March 1945
MARTIN, HARRY LINN (posthumous), First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Company C, 5th Pioneer Battalion, 5th Marine Division, Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 26 March 1945
MASON, LEONARD FOSTER (posthumous), Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps, 2d Battalion, 3d Marines, 3d Marine Division, Guam, Marianas Islands, 22 July 1944
McCARD, ROBERT HOWARD (posthumous), Gunnery Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, Company A, 4th Tank Battalion, 4th Marine Division, Saipan, Marianas Islands, on 16 June 1944
McCARTHY, JOSEPH JEREMIAH, Captain, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 2d Battalion, 24th Marines, 4th Marine Division., Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 21 February 1945.
McTUREOUS, ROBERT MILLER, JR. (posthumous), Private, U.S. Marine Corps, 3d Battalion, 29th Marines, 6th Marine Division, Okinawa in the Ryukyu Chain, 7 June 1945
NEW, JOHN DURY (posthumous), Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps, 2d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, Peleliu Island, Palau Group, 25 September 1944
OWENS, ROBERT ALLEN (posthumous), Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps., Cape Torokina, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, on 1 November 1943
OZBOURN, JOSEPH WILLIAM (posthumous), Private, U.S. Marine Corps, 1st Battalion, 23d Marines, 4th Marine Division, Tinian Island, Marianas Islands, 30 July 1944
PAIGE, MITCHELL, Platoon Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps., Solomon Islands, 26 October 1942.
PHELPS, WESLEY (posthumous), Private, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, Peleliu Island, Palau Group, 4 October 1944
PHILLIPS, GEORGE (posthumous), Private, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 2d Battalion, 28th Marines, 5th Marine Division, Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, on 14 March 1945
POPE, EVERETT PARKER, Captain, U.S. Marine Corps, Company C, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division., Peleliu Island, Palau group, 19-20 September 1944.
POWER, JOHN VINCENT (posthumous), First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps, 4th Marine Division, Namur Island, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, 1 February 1944
ROAN, CHARLES HOWARD (posthumous), Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 2d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, Peleliu, Palau Islands, 18 September 1944
ROUH, CARLTON ROBERT, First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division., Peleliu Island, Palau group, 15 September 1944.
RUHL, DONALD JACK (posthumous), Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Company E, 28th Marines, 5th Marine Division, Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, from 19 to 21 February 1945
SCHWAB, ALBERT EARNEST (posthumous), Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve., Okinawa Shima in the Rykuyu Islands, 7 May 1945
SHOUP, DAVID MONROE, Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps, commanding officer of all Marine Corps troops on Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll, and Gilbert Islands, from 20 to 22 November 1943., Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Islands, from 20 to 22 November 1943
SIGLER, FRANKLIN EARL, Private, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 2d Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division., Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 14 March 1945.
SKAGGS, LUTHER, JR., Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 3d Battalion, 3d Marines, 3d Marine Division., Asan-Adelup beachhead, Guam, Marianas Islands, 21 -22 July 1944.
SMITH, JOHN LUCIAN, Major, U.S. Marine Corps, Marine Fighter Squadron 223,, In the Solomon Islands area, August-September 1942.
SORENSON, RICHARD KEITH, Private, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 4th Marine Division., Namur Island, Kwajalein Atoll Marshall Islands, 1 -2 February 1944.
STEIN, TONY (posthumous), Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Company A, 1st Battalion, 28th Marines, 5th Marine Division, Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 19 February 1945
SWETT, JAMES ELMS, First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Marine Fighter Squadron 221, with Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing., Solomon Islands area, 7 April 1943.
THOMAS, HERBERT JOSEPH (posthumous), Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 3d Marines, 3d Marine Division, Bougainville Islands, Solomon Islands, on 7 November 1943
THOMASON, CLYDE (posthumous), Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Marine Raiders, Makin Island, 17-18 August 1942
TIMMERMAN, GRANT FREDERICK (posthumous), Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, 2d Battalion, 6th Marines, 2d Marine Division, Saipan, Marianas Islands, on 8 July 1944
VANDEGRIFT, ALEXANDER ARCHER, Major General, U.S. Marine Corps, commanding officer of the 1st Marine Division., Solomon Islands, 7 August to 9 December 1942.
WALSH, KENNETH AMBROSE, First Lieutenant, pilot in Marine Fighting Squadron 124, U.S. Marine Corps., Solomon Islands area, 15 and 30 August 1943.
WALSH, WILLIAM GARY (posthumous), Gunnery Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Company G, 3d Battalion, 27th Marines, 5th Marine Division, Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 27 February 1945
WATSON, WILSON DOUGLAS, Private, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 2d Battalion, 9th Marines, 3d Marine Division., Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 26 and 27 February 1945.
WILLIAMS, HERSHEL WOODROW, Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 21st Marines, 3d Marine Division., Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 23 February 1945.
WILSON, LOUIS HUGH, JR., Captain, U.S. Marine Corps, Commanding Rifle Company, 2d Battalion, 9th Marines, 3d Marine Division., Fonte Hill, Guam, 25-26 July 1944.
WILSON, ROBERT LEE (posthumous), Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps, 2d Battalion, 6th Marines, 2d Marine Division, Tinian Island, Marianas Group, 4 August 1944
WITEK, FRANK PETER (posthumous), Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, 3d Marine Division, Guam, Marianas, on 3 August 1944