Medal of Honor FAQ: Answers to the Most Common Questions

Our archive records 3,555 Medals of Honor, awarded to about 3,537 people since 1863. More than 43% were for the Civil War. Browse them by conflict.

According to the records in our archive, 65 recipients are living. See the current list of living Medal of Honor recipients.

Private Jacob Parrott of the 33rd Ohio Infantry, one of Andrews’ Raiders, received the first medal on March 25, 1863. Five other raiders were decorated the same day, which is why March 25 is National Medal of Honor Day.

One: Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, a surgeon who served with Union forces and was captured as a prisoner of war. Her medal was rescinded in 1917 along with hundreds of others and restored in 1977.

18 people in our records hold two Medals of Honor, including Marines Dan Daly and Smedley Butler, who earned theirs for separate actions. Five Marines of World War I received both the Army and Navy medals for the same deed. See the full list of double recipients.

The official name is the Medal of Honor. It is presented by the President “in the name of Congress,” and the recipients’ organization is the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, so both names are widely used.

Not today. Since World War I the medal has been limited to members of the armed forces. A handful of 19th-century civilians — among them scouts such as William “Buffalo Bill” Cody — received it when the rules were looser.

By long-standing military custom, service members of every rank salute a recipient wearing the medal as a mark of respect. It is a tradition of courtesy rather than a strict legal requirement.

Yes. Federal law prohibits the unauthorized manufacture, sale or trade of the Medal of Honor, and the Stolen Valor Act of 2013 makes it a crime to fraudulently claim the medal to obtain money, property or other tangible benefits.

Recipients receive a special monthly pension, enhanced burial honors, travel and commissary privileges and more. Read our guide to Medal of Honor benefits and privileges.

669 of the 3,555 awards in our records were posthumous. The share rose sharply in the 20th century — see the facts & records page and our fallen heroes tribute.

The Civil War, with 1,525 medals, followed by World War II and the Indian Campaigns. Compare all eras on the conflicts page.

412 recipients rest at Arlington National Cemetery, far more than anywhere else, but recipients are buried in hundreds of cemeteries across the country and abroad. Explore the cemetery directory.

The Army version shows a star within a laurel wreath under a “Valor” bar and eagle; the Navy version (also used by the Marine Corps and Coast Guard) hangs from an anchor; the Air Force version features the Statue of Liberty. See the designs.

Use our search to look up any name, unit or hometown, then follow our guide to researching military ancestors for service records and pension files.

Recommendations go through the military chain of command, usually from a commander or witness, and must normally be made within two years of the act. For older cases, families typically work with their member of Congress. Learn how the process works.