This Is the Most Legendary Medal of Honor Winner in Every State

1st Lt. William Robert Lawley, a B-17 pilot, was flying over enemy-occupied Europe on Feb. 20, 1944. Despite being seriously wounded, having a crippled plane, and losing his copilot, Lawley managed to evade enemy fighters, control an engine fire, and make a successful crash landing. He did this to save two severely wounded crewmembers, refusing to abandon them despite the risk and his own exhaustion.

Alaska has no Medal of Honor recipients.

A veteran of the 6th Marine Regiment in WWI, Cpl. John Pruitt is remembered for his remarkable courage during the Battles of Belleau Wood, Chateau-Thierry, and Blanc Mont Ridge. He captured an enemy machine gun and 40 prisoners single-handedly before dying from enemy shell fire, earning him three Silver Stars and posthumous Medals of Honor from both the Army and Navy.

On Dec. 26, 1944, near Assenois, Belgium, Pvt. James Richard Hendrix, compelled to surrender from two artillery gun crews, took out hostile machine guns under heavy fire to aid wounded comrades and risked his life through enemy sniper fire and exploding mines to rescue a soldier from a burning vehicle.

Spc. Ty M. Carter displayed extraordinary heroism during the combat in Afghanistan in 2009 by repeatedly braving enemy fire. He resupplied ammunition and alone defended a vulnerable position armed with only a M4 carbine rifle. He also rescued a critically wounded comrade and saved the lives of other soldiers. If it were not for his actions, Outpost Keating would have been captured.

Staff Sergeant Drew Dennis Dix was a unit adviser to the Army of the Republic of Vietnam. He played a critical role to defend the city of Chau Phu from two Viet Cong battalions. He saved a nurse and eight civilian employees while leading quite a few rescue missions. He also rescued two Filipinos and cleared the city’s hotel, theater, and other buildings. Seeing his actions, local soldiers joined the fight. This caused 14 Viet Cong to be shot down while 20 more were captured. All in all, he helped to rescue 14 civilians and captured 20 prisoners and 15 weapons.

Tech. Sgt. John A. Chapman received the medal for actions during a mission in Takur Ghar, Afghanistan, on March 4, 2002. To rescue a teammate, he voluntarily reinserted into enemy territory. While moving uphill through deep snow, he assaulted two enemy bunkers under intense fire. He ultimately succumbed to his wounds.

On Aug. 15, 1944, during the southern France amphibious landing, Sgt. James Phillip Connor led his platoon to overcome a numerically superior enemy at Cape Cavalaire. He was seriously wounded three times but refused medical aid. He personally eliminated threats and therefore inspired his depleted platoon to complete their mission. He took out seven enemies and captured 40 more. He also seized key material and secured all of the platoon’s assigned objectives.

On March 28, 1966, Petty Officer 3rd Class Robert Ronald Ingram of the U.S. Marines displayed exceptional bravery when he faced fire from more than 100 North Vietnam Aggressors in Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam. He was wounded four times, but in spite of that, he provided medical aid to his comrades. By doing this, he saved the lives of many of his fellow soldiers.

Lt. Col. Joe Madison Jackson volunteered for a rescue mission at the special forces camp at Kham Duc. He was a C-123 pilot and landed his aircraft in a hostile area to rescue a three-man Air Force Combat Control Team. This was done under constant, intense enemy fire and rapidly deteriorating weather. During the operation, a rocket landed in the nose of the aircraft but did not explode.

During an attack in San Terenzo, Italy on April 21, 1945, 2nd Lt. (then 1st Lt.) Daniel K. Inouye, ed his platoon through intense enemy fire and personally neutralized several enemy positions, despite being wounded. His extraordinary heroism and leadership resulted in the capture of a strategic ridge and the defeat of 25 enemy soldiers.

Sgt. David Bruce Bleak, a medical aidman, under heavy enemy fire, treated wounded comrades. He got rid of enemy soldiers in close combat, also with his bare hands. He furthermore shielded a fellow soldier from a grenade blast. He carried a fellow wounded soldier downhill when he was attacked by two enemies with fixed bayonets. Here he knocked together the heads of the two soldiers and saved himself and his fellow soldier.

Master Sgt. Vito R Bertoldo used a machine gun and grenades to thwart numerous attacks during a 48-hour defense against a vastly larger enemy force. He personally got rid of at least 40 enemy soldiers. This helped his fellow soldiers to withdraw safely. All this despite having been blown across the room twice, first by an 88mm shell and then by a tank shell from just 50 yards away. He just got up and returned to his post immediately.

In April 1942, Cmdr. (then Lt.) Richard Nott Antrim earned widespread respect from both the captors and his fellow prisoners. He was a prisoner of war in Macassar, Celebes, Netherlands East Indies. When he witnessed the brutal beating of a fellow naval officer by a Japanese guard, he offered to take the further punishment. By doing this he not only saved a fellow officer but also improved camp conditions.

Sgt. 1st Class Junior Dean Edwards of Company E was mortally wounded when he, on his own, charged enemy machine gun positions and neutralized them with grenades. He did this three times despite intense enemy fire. His platoon could hold a strategic position because of his heroic actions.

Pvt. Henry Hogan, an Irish-born soldier in Company G, 5th U.S. Infantry is one of a few soldiers who received the Medal of Honor twice. He first received it for “gallantry in action” at Cedar Creek, Montana (1876-1877). He then rescued the severely wounded Lt. Henry Romeyn, and received another medal for his actions under heavy gunfire at Bear Paw Mountain.

Dr. Mary E. Walker is the only woman to receive the Medal of Honor. She served as a voluntary field surgeon for the Union Army during the Civil War, providing critical medical aid to both sides. She endured hardships as a contract surgeon and also spent four months as a prisoner of war. She was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1865 by President Andrew Johnson.

Capt. Jefferson Joseph DeBlanc was attached to the Marine Fighting Squadron 112. On Jan. 31, 1943, he took part in aerial operations against Japanese forces off Kolombangara Island. Deblanc successfully escorted dive bombers and disrupted enemy attacks. Despite a much larger Japanese force and sustaining severe damage to his aircraft, he shot down five enemy planes, including three Zeros. He was forced to bail out over enemy waters.

Master Sgt. Gary I. Gordon was a U.S. Army sniper team leader during the 1993 Task Force Ranger mission in Mogadishu, Somalia. During the mission, he volunteered to protect critically wounded personnel at a crash site. He fought through enemy lines and established a perimeter. There he continued to defend his fellow soldiers until his ammunition was depleted and he was fatally wounded. The film Black Hawk Down tells the story of his actions.

Another recipient of two Medals of Honor is Irish-born boatswain’s Mate Patrick Mullen. On March 17 1865 during the US Civil War, his howitzer fire dispersed enemy soldiers during a boating expedition. On May 1 he jumped into the water the rescue his fellow shipmate on the USS Don and thereby saved the drowning officer.

Sgt. William Harvey Carney was the first black American to receive the Medal of Honor. He was enlisted in the Union Army’s 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment during the US Civil War. When the flag bearer fell in the assault on Fort Wagner, he took the flag. He held onto the flag throughout the conflict, despite sustaining injuries and the regiment’s retreat. The action of the Union Army’s 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, one of the first Black American military units, was immortalized in the film “Glory”,

2nd Lt. Thomas Ward Custer, a Civil War soldier, was the first to earn two Medals of Honor. His initial honor was for leading a successful cavalry charge at the Battle of Namozine Church, where he captured a Confederate flag and took 14 prisoners. Days later, at the Battle of Sailor’s Creek, he once more captured a Confederate flag after breaking a Confederate line. Despite being shot in the face, he managed to seize the flag and present it to his brother. Custer, along with his two brothers, died in the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876.

During a suppression mission over North Vietnam, Lt. Col. (then Maj.) Leo Keith Thorsness, piloting an F-105 aircraft, silenced two missile sites. His wingman was shot down, and while keeping sight of the crew’s parachutes, he destroyed a MIG-17. Despite low fuel, Thorsness returned to the scene, and faced four MIG-17s, damaging one and driving the rest away. He then landed at a forward operating base, allowing the low on fuel aircraft fuel to refuel safely.

In Carano, Italy, on May 23, 1944, 2nd Lt. (then Tech. Sgt.) Van Thomas Barfoot single-handedly took out two machine gun nests with grenades and his Thompson submachine gun and captured 17 prisoners. He then organized a counterattack, firing on three tanks with a bazooka from 75 yards, disabling one. Despite extreme fatigue, he then helped carry two wounded comrades 1,700 yards to safety.

On April 7, 1945, during an assault in Lippoldsberg, Germany, Pvt. 1st Class Willy F. James Jr. was in the forward position on a scouting mission. He exposed himself to intense enemy fire to observe and report on enemy positions, making his way over 200 yards of open terrain. Using the important information he acquired, he volunteered to lead a squad assault on a key building. Later, James Jr. again risked his life to aid his fallen platoon leader and unfortunately was fatally shot in the process.

During WWII Pfc. Leo J Powers’ company had to capture Hill 175 near Cassino, Italy. About 50 of the enemy defended the location with machine guns and mortars. Powers’ company suffered eight casualties and its advance was halted. Al alone Powers neutralized three enemy pillboxes using hand grenades. This allowed his company to advance. What he did caused several enemy soldiers to be captured and helped a lot to get his regiment into the city of Cassino.

During the Vietnam War Spc. 4th Class Charles Chris Hagemeister’s platoon was ambushed. He ran through enemy fire in order to provide medical aid to his fellow soldiers. In the process, he single-handedly neutralized a sniper and took out an enemy machine gun. While under continuous enemy fire, he got help and evacuated the wounded.

Lt. Cmdr. Bruce Avery Van Voorhis, Bombing Squadron 102’s leader distinguished himself during the Solomon Islands battle. He flew 700 miles without fighter escort to destroy key enemy installations and aircraft. He decided not to return, but to continue attacking enemy targets on his own. He made six ground-level bombing runs. He destroyed a radio station, installations, anti-aircraft guns, and crews. Unfortunately, his plane got caught in his own bomb blast, crashed and he lost his life.

During the approach toward Casoni di Romagna Sgt. Chris Carr led a unit of Company L. They encountered resistance and he decided to go on alone. At the first enemy position, he captured eight soldiers and captured one at the second position. He also neutralized a third position where all four defenders surrendered. He then approached a high ground with two machine gun nests, destroying the first and causing the immediate surrender of the second. All in all, he captured five positions, shot eight enemy soldiers down, and captured 22 prisoners.

The HBO series “The Pacific” tells the story of how Sgt. John Basilone, AKA “Manila John,” got his medal during the 1942 Guadalcanal campaign. He repelled an overwhelming Japanese assault by leading two sections of heavy machine guns. He maneuvered through enemy lines to retrieve vital machine gun ammo when ammunition ran low. It was because of his actions that an entire Japanese regiment was defeated. Basilone reenlisted and tragically lost his life on the first day of the Iwo Jima invasion.

During the Korean War Cpl. Hiroshi Miyamura, of Company H, fought the enemy at short range. His ammunition was almost used up and he had severe injuries, but he prevailed, thereby ensuring his squad’s safe withdrawal. After that, he used a second gun to, alone, hold the position against a large number of enemy soldiers. In the course of the fight, he eliminated more than 50 enemy soldiers.

First Lt. William Bradford Turner led a small detachment that was separated from the main company. While doing this he alone took out an enemy machine gun crew using his pistol. He and his group then advanced to a second position that they also took out. He was wounded three times, but still led his men across three enemy trenches. When he ran out of pistol ammunition, he used a fallen soldier’s rifle. With this, he eliminated another machine gun crew. When they reached the fourth trench, they captured it and held it until they were eventually surrounded and Turner lost his life.

During a night patrol when a larger enemy force attacked, Pfc. Bryant Homer Womack was the sole medical aid. He had serious injuries from the attack, but he helped his fellow soldiers first. He was also struck by an enemy mortar and lost his right arm. Despite this, he continued instructing others in first-aid, refusing help for himself. He was the last to withdraw, collapsing from blood loss and losing his life while being carried by his comrades.

Cpl. Charles Joseph Berry served with the 1st Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division during the Iwo Jima invasion, on March 3, 1945. The Japanese attacked the frontlines at midnight. During a hand-grenade exchange, an enemy grenade landed in his foxhole. Berry absorbed the explosion by diving onto the grenade. This protected his fellow marines but caused severe injuries to himself.

Sgt. 1st Class Bennie G. Adkins operated a mortar position during combat operations at Camp A Shau, Vietnam, from March 9 to 12, 1966. He was wounded 18 times, but in spite of that, he aided wounded soldiers, retrieved supplies, and evaded enemy forces. They estimated that he eliminated between 135 and 175 enemy combatants. He did this by using machine guns, recoilless rifles, small arms, mortars, and hand grenades.

Pfc. Arthur Junior Jackson served with the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. On Sept. 18, 1944, they fought the Japanese on Pelelui. During this, he advanced ahead of American lines and then blew up a large pillbox housing about 35 Japanese soldiers using explosives and grenades. He then took out two smaller positions nearby, while under continuous fire. All in all, he took out 12 pillboxes and 50 enemy soldiers.

During WWII Staff Sgt. Robert Earl Laws was the leader of an assault squad from Company G that attacked well-armed Japanese infantry on a hill. Laws reached and disabled an enemy pillbox with grenades, despite a narrow 70-yard ridge and enemy fire. He sustained injuries from enemy grenades and TNT, but carried on to lead an attack against enemy riflemen. He sustained a gash to his head when in a physical altercation with an enemy soldier. His squad completed the mission, while he was given first aid and evacuated.

Lance Cpl. William Kyle Carpenter was an automatic rifleman with Company F, 2d Battalion, 9th Marines. They were stationed in Helmand Province, Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2010. His platoon was a coalition force that included two Marine squads and an Afghan National Army squad. They had established Patrol Base Dakota in the Marjah District. When the enemy attacked, a grenade landed in Carpenter’s sandbagged position. He prevented injury to a fellow marine by moving towards the grenade, becoming severely injured himself.

Capt. Arlo Laverne Olson led a 30-mile advance through enemy territory on Oct. 13, 1943. Undeterred by point-blank gunfire, he navigated a raging river, neutralized enemy positions, and led his company to the opposite bank. Over 13 days, he spearheaded combat patrols, maintained constant contact with the enemy, and led an audacious attack on a fortified position. Despite being mortally wounded, he ensured his men were strategically positioned before accepting medical aid.

Before his military service, Sgt. Alvin York was known in his hometown of Pall Mall, Tennessee, for his skills as a marksman, honed through hunting to support his family. Despite initial reservations due to his religious beliefs, he served in the U.S. Army during WWI and was instrumental in capturing 132 German soldiers in October 1918. At one point, he faced and took down a group of five Germans and was left unscathed. After the war, York used his fame and funds from a movie about his life to educate youth in his home community.

On May 2, 1968, while Staff Sgt. Roy P. Benavidez was in Loc Ninh, Vietnam, a 12-man special forces team requested extraction after meeting heavy resistance, but the helicopters also met heavy fire and returned to base. Benavidez boarded a returning aircraft to assist in the extraction. Despite being wounded repeatedly, he facilitated the extraction of the team, secured classified documents, provided medical aid, and coordinated air strikes. His actions resulted in the safe return of eight men.

On hill 617 near Biffontaine, France in October 1944, Pvt. George T. Sakato led a successful charge against enemy strongpoints under heavy enemy fire, inspiring his platoon with his courage and relentless tactics. He personally, using a P-38 pistol and an enemy rifle, neutralized multiple German strong points, dispatching 12 enemies, wounding two, and capturing four, as he aided his platoon in taking numerous prisoners. His actions turned a potential defeat into a victory.

While leading the USS. Parche on July 31, 1944, Submarine Cmdr. Lawson Paterson Ramage executed a daring pre-dawn assault on a heavily guarded Japanese convoy. He penetrated the convoy’s defenses, inflicted severe damage on several vessels, and caused chaos amid the enemy’s ranks. Despite facing intense enemy fire, he skillfully navigated his submarine clear of a potential collision with an incoming transport, all while managing to land decisive hits on it. This relentless 46-minute encounter concluded with the Parche and its crew victorious and unscathed while sinking four ships.

Pvt. 1st Class Desmond Thomas Doss, a devout Seventh-Day Adventist, was a conscientious objector who refused to carry a rifle. During the 1st Battalion’s attack on a 400-foot escarpment, Doss, a company aidman, stayed amid heavy artillery and gunfire to help injured soldiers, even when others retreated. He at one point rescued 75 injured men by lowering them from the escarpment. His actions were captured in the film “Hacksaw Ridge.”

On May 2, 1945, during the conflict with Japanese forces on Okinawa Jima, Hospital Apprentice 1st Class Robert Eugene Bush tended to the wounded amid enemy machine guns, mortar, and artillery fire. During a fierce counterattack, despite losing an eye and being seriously wounded, he managed to hold off the enemy, taking down six combatants and safeguarding a wounded marine officer. Ignoring his own critical condition, he prioritized others’ care over his own.

On Feb. 23, 1945, demolition sergeant Cpl. Hershel Woodrow Williams served with the 21st Marines, 3d Marine Division, on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands. Volunteering his services, he worked for four hours under high enemy fire to clear a path for the infantry through concrete pillboxes, mines, and volcanic sands. He repeatedly returned to his lines to prepare demolition charges and service flamethrowers, which he used to take out enemy positions. This effort contributed significantly to his company reaching its objective.

Also known as the “Ace of Aces,” Maj. Richard Ira Bong was a top American fighter pilot during WWII, credited with downing 40 enemy aircraft. His remarkable achievement marks him as one of the most successful pilots of his time. In 1944, he was awarded the Medal of Honor by Gen. Douglas MacArthur, a fellow medal recipient whose medal is also attributed to Wisconsin.

On April 5 and 6, 1945, First Lt. Vernon J. Baker led his platoon towards Castle Aghinolfi, a German stronghold. He neutralized two observation post occupants and a machine gun crew, forcing a concealed dugout’s occupants to surrender. Amidst heavy enemy fire, he covered the withdrawal of injured soldiers and eliminated three machine gun positions, an observation post, and a dugout. Baker led a battalion advance through enemy territory the following night. His actions accounted for nine dispatched enemy soldiers and the dismantling of significant enemy positions.