Paris D. Davis was the most recent recipient of the Medal of Honor for his service in the Vietnam War with the 5th Special Forces Group. He joins an elite few within the American armed forces who went above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy. (Here are the most decorated war heroes in American history.)
Of the over 3,500 Medals of Honor awarded, 1,523 were given for service in the Civil War, the most of any war, 472 were given for service in World War II, and 426 for service in the Indian Campaigns (1869 to 1890). A total of 619 were given posthumously, and there are 65 living Medal of Honor recipients. Nineteen members of the military have been awarded two medals for actions in different wars.
To identify the states with the most Medal of Honor recipients, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. States are ranked by the total number of Medal of Honor recipients who entered the armed services in the state. All information is from the society.
The number of recipients by state largely correlates with population size and when the state was admitted to the Union. For instance, Massachusetts is ranked third on the list with 265 Medal of Honor recipients. In terms of population, Massachusetts ranks around 15 of all states, but it was the sixth state admitted to the Union. On the other hand, California, the most populous state, ranks sixth with 138 Medal of Honor recipients. The state was admitted to the Union more than half a century after Massachusetts.
Leading the count is New York state — one of the original 13 colonies and one of the most populous states also historically.
The Medal of Honor was not awarded in the time of the Revolutionary War when the Union began. It was first introduced by the Navy in 1861, the Army in 1862, and the Air Force in 1965 (the Air Force was not a separate branch of the service until 1947). And here is every medal and ribbon the U.S. military awards, ranked.
Here is a look at the states with the most Medal of Honor recipients.
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50. Alaska
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 0
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: N/A
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: N/A
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49. Nevada
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 2
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Indian Campaigns (1 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (1 recipients)
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48. South Dakota
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 3
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (2 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (2 recipients)
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47. Wyoming
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 3
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (2 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (3 recipients)
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46. Hawaii
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 7
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Vietnam War (5 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (7 recipients)
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45. Utah
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 5
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (4 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Navy (3 recipients)
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44. Montana
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 8
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (5 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (7 recipients)
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43. New Mexico
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 9
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (3 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (8 recipients)
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42. Idaho
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 10
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Korean War (4 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (6 recipients)
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41. Arkansas
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 11
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (7 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (7 recipients)
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40. Delaware
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 13
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (9 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (11 recipients)
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39. Oregon
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 13
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Vietnam War (4 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (10 recipients)
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38. Arizona
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 14
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Vietnam War (9 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (9 recipients)
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37. North Dakota
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 17
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Philippine Insurrection (9 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (14 recipients)
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36. Mississippi
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 18
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (6 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (12 recipients)
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35. Nebraska
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 20
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (4 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (10 recipients)
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34. North Carolina
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 20
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (7 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (14 recipients)
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33. Alabama
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 21
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (8 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (13 recipients)
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31. Georgia
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 22
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Vietnam War (9 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (11 recipients)
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32. Oklahoma
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 22
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (13 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (17 recipients)
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30. Colorado
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 23
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (10 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (14 recipients)
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29. Florida
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 23
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Vietnam War (9 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (11 recipients)
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28. Louisiana
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 24
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Vietnam War (7 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (13 recipients)
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27. Kansas
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 28
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Indian Campaigns (9 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (23 recipients)
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26. Rhode Island
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 31
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (22 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (22 recipients)
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25. Washington
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 31
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (13 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (17 recipients)
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24. South Carolina
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 32
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War I (8 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (19 recipients)
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23. Tennessee
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 32
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (7 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (26 recipients)
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22. New Hampshire
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 36
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (30 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (25 recipients)
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21. Kentucky
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 43
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Indian Campaigns (14 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (35 recipients)
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20. West Virginia
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 45
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (26 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (39 recipients)
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19. Minnesota
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 46
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (16 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (33 recipients)
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18. Vermont
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 47
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (43 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (43 recipients)
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17. Virginia
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 50
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (10 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (24 recipients)
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16. Wisconsin
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 50
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (17 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (38 recipients)
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15. Iowa
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 54
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (30 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (45 recipients)
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14. Connecticut
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 56
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (36 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (38 recipients)
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13. Maine
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 66
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (48 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (40 recipients)
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12. Indiana
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 74
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (45 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (61 recipients)
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11. Texas
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 76
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: World War II (32 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (50 recipients)
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10. Missouri
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 78
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Indian Campaigns (26 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (63 recipients)
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9. Maryland
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 83
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (41 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (49 recipients)
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8. New Jersey
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 94
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (35 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (60 recipients)
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7. Michigan
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 109
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (62 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (94 recipients)
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6. California
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 138
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Indian Campaigns (29 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (89 recipients)
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5. Illinois
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 207
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (112 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (159 recipients)
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4. Ohio
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 254
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (153 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (218 recipients)
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3. Massachusetts
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 265
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (132 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (140 recipients)
2. Pennsylvania
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 380
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (212 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (272 recipients)
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1. New York
> Medal of honor recipients who enlisted in state: 672
> Conflict with the most recipients from state: Civil War (383 recipients)
> Service branch with the most recipients from state: U.S. Army (409 recipients)
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