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Marines of Honor (A look at the Corps and the Medal of Honor)

Features, On Target  //  July 10th, 2012  //  By Marine Corps News

On July 10, 1863, Cpl. John F. Mackie became the first Marine to receive the Medal of Honor. The Medal of Honor, which is the highest U.S. military award for bravery, has been awarded 298 times to 296 Marines from the Civil War to present day.

The medal has been awarded to Marines like Pfc. Albert E. Schwab, who used his flame thrower to demolish a hostile gun position in World War II and continued his one-man assault to destroy two Japanese gun positions before his death. Another Marine, 1st Lt. Ernest C. Williams, rushed a fortress gate in the Dominican Republic in 1916 with only eight men. With eight of his party wounded, he pressed on, threw himself against the door just as the Dominicans were closing it and forced an entry. He and his men disposed of the guards and within a few minutes had gained control of the fort and the one hundred prisoners confined there.

The most recent Medal of Honor went to Sgt. Dakota Meyer for his actions in Afghanistan in 2009. Join us as we look back on the other Marines who, over the past 149 years, have bravely fought in the pursuit of freedom and justice. Click on the image for a closer look.

Statistics gathered from the Marine Corps Training and Education Command.

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  • jeffrey m lange

    I was @ PI when Lt Col Livingston was there too. plt3028 may – july 1982.
    Also after returning from Okinawa on Oct 23rd 1983 (Beirut Bombing) I went to Camp Lejeune and Col Livingston was our CG at 2nd Mar Div.
    Cpl Lange, J.M.
    Bravo Co
    2nd Combat Eng. Bat.
    ’83 – ’85

  • Mike Lewis

    Good class; MajorJim Capers should have got it as well

  • michael

    this is about marines…….not navy people. You arguement is invaild.
    atleast for this page.

  • Mike McCarron

    I am honored to have served with Col Harvey C. “Barney” Barnum who won the Medal for his actions in Ky Phu in Quang Tin Province, Republic of Vietnam, 18 December 1965. He was a great CO.

  • http://www.facebook.com/ashley.gusko Ashley Gusko

    I know this is about marines and the Medal of honor , But we still have to remember the mighty Chesty Puller , the bad ass who had 5 Navy Crosses from combat , Some of the things that marine did were worthy of the MOH Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell “Chesty” Puller (June 26, 1898 – October 11, 1971) was an officer in the United States Marine Corps. Lt. Gen. Puller is one of the most decorated U.S. Marines if not the most decorated U.S. Marine in Marine Corps history. He the only Marine to be awarded five Navy Crosses.
    During his career, he fought guerrillas in Haiti and Nicaragua, and participated in some of the bloodiest battles of World War II and the Korean War. Puller retired from the Marine Corps in 1955, spending the rest of his life in Virginia.

  • Jerm

    I am a Marine, and think former and current Marines are awesome. But I don’t think Marines have won all but 2 of the medals given.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Raymond-Kegley/1272743233 Raymond Kegley

    OORAH on the Corpsmen

  • http://www.facebook.com/claude.davis.792 Claude Davis

    In the middle of a firefight, I took shrapnel wounds to the face. I could hear it sizzling and burning, but really did not feel pain. I kept firing (m-60). In what seemed like an instant, a corpsman was there. I was angry, because we were taking fire and he was going from hole to hole, checking on us. As he held me down, the pain hit. Sure wish I could thank him now. C1/3 3rd. Mar Div 1968-1969

  • http://www.facebook.com/charles.hudson.75 Charles Hudson

    Colonel Wesley L. Fox, USMC (ret) is a man among men and a Marine among Marines.  I served as his senior corpsman during Operation Dewey Canyon (Jan-Mar ’69) and watched him during the action on 22FEB69 for which he was awarded the MOH.  If you are not in touch with him he is readily accessible to all Marines and corpsmen past and present.  He has written four books, the first of which (and my favorite) is titled, “Marine Rifleman” (Forty-Three Years in the Corps). 

  • Oifvrod

    Semper Fi brother , SgtMaj Kellogg was the Group SgtMaj for BSSG 1 when I was at KBay from 85 to 88.  I went to NCO school with some guys from 1/3 and he was the guest speaker for our mess night. 

  • Debi

    Makes me cry. Makes me grateful.
    Marine Mom

     

  • “Skidmore”

    I have met a man who earned the MOH, although he was a Ranger, it was an honor to shake his hand….Makes you proud to call yourself a poolie…knowing that they started that way.

  • Martin0802

    Yea, Col Fox was a class act and was the CO of OCS when I went through.  I’ve been meaning to read his book. 

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