Skip to content

1871

Korea 1871: Medal of Honor Recipients

15 Medals of Honor were awarded for the Korean Campaign 1871 (1871), 0 of them posthumously.

15medals

0posthumous

0living

7states

In June 1871 a U.S. naval squadron sailed to Korea, in part to learn the fate of the American merchant schooner General Sherman, destroyed there in 1866. After Korean shore batteries fired on American survey boats, a landing force of sailors and Marines stormed the forts guarding Ganghwa Island.

The fighting culminated at the Citadel on June 11, 1871, where hand-to-hand combat decided the day. These were the first Medals of Honor awarded for action in a foreign conflict.

By service branch

U.S. Navy9

U.S. Marine Corps6

Top states (credited to)

Days with the most recipients

June 11, 1871 — Korean Forts, Korea12 medals
June 9, 1871 — Korean Forts, Korea2 medals

All recipients

15 total, A–Z by last name

JA John Andrews Ordinary Seaman · Navy June 9, 1871 CB Charles Brown Corporal · Marine Corps June 11, 1871 JC John Coleman Private · Marine Corps June 11, 1871 JD James Dougherty Private · Marine Corps June 11, 1871 FF Frederick H. Franklin Quartermaster · Navy June 11, 1871 PG Patrick Henry Grace Chief Quartermaster · Navy June 10, 1871 CH Cyrus Hayden Carpenter · Navy June 11, 1871

William F. Lukes Landsman · Navy June 11, 1871 AM Alexander McKenzie Boatswain's Mate · Navy June 11, 1871 MM Michael McNamara Private · Marine Corps June 11, 1871 JM James F. Merton Landsman · Navy June 9, 1871 MO Michael Owens Private · Marine Corps June 11, 1871 HP Hugh Purvis Private · Marine Corps June 11, 1871 SR Samuel F. Rogers Quartermaster · Navy June 11, 1871 WT William Troy Ordinary Seaman · Navy June 11, 1871