FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii –
March 25, 2025, marks the 34th iteration of National Medal of Honor Day. This National Day of Remembrance has been celebrated since 1991, when President George Herbert Walker Bush signed Public Law 101-564 on November 15, 1990, which was passed by the 101st United States Congress.
The Medal of Honor Day is recognized on March 25 of each year to commemorate the 23 Soldiers who participated in the Great Locomotive Chase across Northern Georgia during the American Civil War; each of them received Medals of Honor for their valiant actions.
Congress first authorized the award of the Medal of Honor on February 13, 1861. Since then, the Medal has undergone numerous legislative, design and presentation changes while still retaining what makes it truly special—its status as the United States' highest award for military valor in combat. To date there have been a total of 3,549 Medals of Honor awarded, 19 of them to double recipients.
Listed below are the numbers of Medal of Honor recipients during wars and conflicts here in the Pacific.
Eighty-six Medals of Honor were awarded for valiant actions during the Philippine-American War; 70 of them were awarded to Army Soldiers.
During the China Relief Expedition (otherwise known as the Boxer Rebellion), 59 servicemen were awarded a Medal of Honor for their actions; 4 of them were Army Soldiers.
During World War II, 473 total men from all armed services were awarded the Medal of Honor for their valorous actions during that global conflict. Three Hundred and thirty-two of those recipients were Army, and of that total, 86 earned the award in the Pacific Theater of Operations. Pacific Army awards represent 28% of total Army Medals of Honor awarded. Since the Air Force was not yet created as a separate service organization, the total Army numbers cited include Army Air Corps, Army Air Service, and Army Air Reserve personnel.
A total of 147 persons earned the Medal of Honor during the Korean War, and 93 of them were Army.
A total of 264 persons earned the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War, 175 of them Army officers and Soldiers. Army personnel represent 66% of all Medals of Honor awarded during the conflict.
Overall, 1141 persons were presented with the Medal of Honor in the six wars and conflicts noted above. Of that number, 704 (61%) were Army personnel, and among that population, 432 (60%) were awarded Medals of Honor for actions in the Indo-Pacific Region.
Please take this opportunity to reflect about some of the sacrifices and efforts these heroes, who went above and beyond expectations in accomplishing their mission.
An excellent educational website for MoH information is found at the Congressional Medal of Honor Society (CMOHS.org), an organization Congressionally chartered to provide details regarding Medal of Honor actions and recipients. It also contains educational materials related to the Medal of Honor. A good resource to learn more about the sacrifices of these heroes.