Veteran in crisis? Dial 988 then press 1 · Text 838255 Next observance: Navy Birthday · October 13
Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Founded October 13, 1775

U.S. Navy: Medal of Honor Recipients

750 Medals of Honor have been awarded to members of the U.S. Navy, 53 posthumously.

750medals
53posthumous

The Navy’s Medal of Honor, authorized in December 1861, is the oldest version of the award. Its five-pointed bronze star hangs from an anchor and depicts Minerva, personifying the Union, repulsing Discord.

Many Navy recipients earned the medal in peacetime: until 1942 sailors could receive it for lifesaving and other non-combat heroism, which is why so many 19th-century citations describe rescues at sea.

By conflict

U.S. Civil War307
Interim 1871 - 1899101
Spanish-American War64
World War II57
Interim 1899 - 191049
Mexican Campaign (Vera Cruz)46
China Relief Expedition (Boxer Rebellion)22
World War I21
Vietnam War16
Interim 1920 - 194015
Interim 1865 - 187012
Korean Campaign 18719

Service components

U.S. Navy735
U.S. Naval Reserve10
U.S. Naval Reserve Force4
U.S. Naval Reserve Fleet1

All recipients · page 1 of 7

A–Z by last name
MA Michael Aheam Paymaster's Steward · Navy Civil War · 1864 WA William Ahern Watertender · Navy Interim 1871–1899 · 1897 EA Edward G. Allen Boatswain's Mate First Class · Navy Boxer Rebellion · 1900 Edwin Alexander Anderson Captain · Navy Veracruz 1914 · 1914 RA Robert N. Anderson Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1863 WA William Anderson Coxswain · Navy Interim 1871–1899 · 1878 JA John Andrews Ordinary Seaman · Navy Korea 1871 · 1871 JA John Angling Cabin Boy · Navy Civil War · 1864 Richard Nott Antrim Commander · Navy World War II · 1942 MA Matthew Arther Signal Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1862 CA Charles Asten Quarter Gunner · Navy Civil War · 1864 DA Daniel Atkins Ship's Cook First Class · Navy Interim 1871–1899 · 1898 TA Thomas E. Atkinson Yeoman · Navy Civil War · 1864 JA John F. Auer Ordinary Seaman Apprentice · Navy Interim 1871–1899 · 1883 JA James Avery Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1864 WB William Badders Chief Machinist's Mate · Navy Interim 1920–1940 · 1939 OB Oscar Charles Badger Ensign · Navy Veracruz 1914 · 1914 Benjamin F. Baker Coxswain · Navy Spanish-American War · 1898 CB Charles Baker Quarter Gunner · Navy Civil War · 1864 John Henry Balch Pharmacist's Mate First Class · Navy World War I · 1918 CB Charles H. Baldwin Coal Heaver · Navy Civil War · 1864 Donald Everett Ballard Hospital Corpsman Second Class · Navy Vietnam War · 1968 JB James Barnum Boatswain's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1865 EB Edward Barrett Second Class Fireman · Navy Interim 1871–1899 · 1881 DB David Duffy Barrow Seaman · Navy Spanish-American War · 1898 GB Gurdon H. Barter Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1865 TB Thomas Barton Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1862 DB David L. Bass Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1865 RB Richard Bates Seaman · Navy Interim 1865–1870 · 1866 PB Philip Bazaar Ordinary Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1865 HB Harry C. Beasley Seaman · Navy Veracruz 1914 · 1914 FB Frederick Behne Fireman First Class · Navy Interim 1899–1910 · 1905 HB Heinrich Behnke Seaman First Class · Navy Interim 1899–1910 · 1905 GB George H. Bell Captain of the Afterguard · Navy Civil War · 1861 WB William Henry Belpitt Captain of the Afterguard · Navy Interim 1871–1899 · 1884 Edward Clyde "ted" Benfold Hospital Corpsman Third Class · Navy Korean War · 1952 ✦ Floyd Bennett Machinist · Navy Interim 1920–1940 · 1926 JB James Harvey Bennett Chief Boatswain's Mate · Navy Spanish-American War · 1898 Mervyn Sharp Bennion Captain · Navy World War II · 1941 ✦ JB James Benson Seaman · Navy Interim 1871–1899 · 1872 AB Asa Betham Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1864 AB Albert Beyer Coxswain · Navy Spanish-American War · 1898 CB Charles James Bibber Gunner's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1864 John F. Bickford Captain of the Top · Navy Civil War · 1864 Elmer Charles Bigelow Watertender First Class · Navy World War II · 1945 ✦ Charles Francis Bishop Quartermaster Second Class · Navy Veracruz 1914 · 1914 EB Ernest H. Bjorkman Ordinary Seaman · Navy Interim 1899–1910 · 1903 WB William Blagheen Ship's Cook · Navy Civil War · 1864 RB Robert M. Blair Boatswain's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1864 RB Robert Blake Contraband · Navy Civil War · 1863 RB Robert Blume Seaman · Navy Spanish-American War · 1898 Edward William Boers Seaman · Navy Interim 1899–1910 · 1905 FB Frank Bois Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1863 WB William S. Bond Boatswain · Navy Civil War · 1864 RB Robert Earl Bonney Chief Watertender · Navy Interim 1899–1910 · 1910 Joel Thompson Boone Lieutenant Commander · Navy World War I · 1918 TB Thomas Bourne Seaman and Gun Captain · Navy Civil War · 1862 EB Edward R. Bowman Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1865 AB Alexander Bradley Landsman · Navy Interim 1871–1899 · 1872 AB Amos Bradley Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1862 CB Charles Bradley Boatswain's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1863 GB George Bradley Chief Gunner's Mate · Navy Veracruz 1914 · 1914 Willis Winter Bradley Jr. Commander · Navy World War I · 1917 GB George F. Brady Chief Gunner's Mate · Navy Spanish-American War · 1898 JB John Brazell Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1864 HB Henry Breault Torpedoman Second Class · Navy Interim 1920–1940 · 1923 GB George Breeman Seaman · Navy Interim 1899–1910 · 1906 JB John Breen Boatswain's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1862 CB Christopher Brennan Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1862 PB Patrick Francis Bresnahan Watertender · Navy Interim 1899–1910 · 1905 GB George Washington Bright Coal Passer · Navy Spanish-American War · 1898 AB Andrew Brinn Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1863 GB George F. Brock Carpenter's Mate Second Class · Navy Interim 1899–1910 · 1905 JB James Brown Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1863 JB John Brown Captain of the Afterguard · Navy Interim 1865–1870 · 1866 JB John Brown Captain of the Forecastle · Navy Civil War · 1864 RB Robert Brown Captain of the Top · Navy Civil War · 1864 WB William H. Brown Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1864 WB Wilson Brown Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1864 WB William P. Brownell Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1863 HB Henry Brutsche Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1863 Allen Buchanan Lieutenant Commander · Navy Veracruz 1914 · 1914 DB David M. Buchanan Apprentice · Navy Interim 1871–1899 · 1879 JB James Buck Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1862 John Duncan Bulkeley Lieutenant · Navy World War II · 1941 TB Thomas Burke Seaman · Navy Interim 1865–1870 · 1866 JB John M. Burns Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1864 AB Albert Burton Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1865 Robert Eugene Bush Hospital Apprentice First Class · Navy World War II · 1945 GB George Butts Gunner's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1864 Edward C. Byers Jr. Chief · Navy Afghanistan · 2012 Richard Evelyn Byrd Jr. Commander · Navy Interim 1920–1940 · 1926 JB James Byrnes Boatswain's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1863 TC Thomas Cahey Seaman · Navy Interim 1899–1910 · 1901 Daniel Judson Callaghan Rear Admiral · Navy World War II · 1942 ✦ WC William Campbell Boatswain's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1865 Tedford Harris Cann Seaman · Navy World War I · 1917 Vincent Robert Capodanno Lieutenant · Navy Vietnam War · 1967 ✦ JC James Carey Seaman · Navy Interim 1865–1870 · 1867 Wayne Maurice Caron Hospital Corpsman Third Class · Navy Vietnam War · 1968 ✦ WC William M. Carr Master-at-Arms · Navy Civil War · 1864 JC Joseph Edward Carter Blacksmith · Navy Spanish-American War · 1898 Robert Webster Cary Lieutenant Commander · Navy Interim 1915–1916 · 1915 MC Michael Cassidy Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1864 Guy Wilkinson stuart Castle Lieutenant · Navy Veracruz 1914 · 1914 JC John Hugh Catherwood Ordinary Seaman · Navy Philippines 1911 · 1911 TC Thomas Cavanaugh Fireman First Class · Navy Interim 1871–1899 · 1898 LC Leonard B. Chadwick Apprentice First Class · Navy Spanish-American War · 1898 JC James B. Chandler Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1864 AC August Chandron Seaman Apprentice Second Class · Navy Interim 1871–1899 · 1885 LC Louis G. Chaput Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1864 George Charette Gunner's Mate First Class · Navy Spanish-American War · 1898 William Richard Charette Hospital Corpsman Third Class · Navy Korean War · 1953 JC John Purness Chatham Gunner's Mate Second Class · Navy Boxer Rebellion · 1900 George Robert Cholister Boatswain's Mate First Class · Navy Interim 1920–1940 · 1924 ✦ JC Joseph Clancy Chief Boatswain's Mate · Navy Boxer Rebellion · 1900 EC Edward Alvin Clary Watertender · Navy Interim 1899–1910 · 1910 Claus Kristian randolph Clausen Coxswain · Navy Spanish-American War · 1898 JC John Joseph Clausey Chief Gunner's Mate · Navy Interim 1899–1910 · 1905 RC Robert Teleford Clifford Master-at-Arms · Navy Civil War · 1863

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