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Marine Corps History
May 16, 2017 Grunt.com Admin

Marine Corps History

155 years ago today, Cpl. John Mackie became the first Marine to be awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Drewry’s Bluff. While enemy cannons tore through the deck of his ship, Cpl. Mackie continued to fearlessly maintain musket fire while also filling the positions of his fallen and wounded allies.

  • 297 Marines have earned the Medal of Honor.
  • Pfc. Jacklyn H. Lucas, youngest Marine to receive the Medal of Honor at 17 years old.
  • Maj. Gen. Alexander A. Vandegrift, oldest Marine to receive the Medal of Honor at 55 years old.
  • 44% of Marines who earned the Medal of Honor received it posthumously.
  • Maj. Gen. Smedley Butler and Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly earned the Medal of Honor twice.
  • 44% of Marines who earned the Medal of Honor received it posthumously.
  • Maj. Gen. Smedley Butler and Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly earned the Medal of Honor twice.

Do you know what war or conflict had the highest number of Marine Medal of Honor recipients?

Filed in: Marine Corps Stories
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Comments

Gary Ross - June 9, 2020

I seem to recall from my boot camp days (MCRDSD, 1967, Platoon 1093), USMC History, Customs & Traditions class: mention was made of an enlisted Marine with last name of Kelly was receipt (not winner) of 2 Medal’s of Honor. Anyone else recall hearing of this?? How about some of our senior SNCO’s weighing in on this??

Nate Bocchino - June 9, 2020

GUADALCANAL Marines were left on their own.All of these battles were tough and lives lost.It came down to reinforcements or replacements. Replacements had 10 weeks of boot camp.No ITR,were taught how to fire their weapons on the fantail of the transport ship they were on!. They really weren’t Marines yet and thrown into battle. Gen Howling Smith held back 3 seasoned regiments .He would not commit and they would have ended these battles sooner with less casualties.

Tony Woconish - June 9, 2020

I read in a Military Histoy Book, that there was a THIRD Marine who qualified for his second MOH. But, by that time the rules had changed…”a person could only have one MOH” I am sorry, I do not remember the book or the Marines name. Has anyone out there heard of this Marine who did not get his 2nd MOH ?

Jim Blett - June 9, 2020

I’m not sure if this applies to the Marine Corps alone, but the Civil War saw the greatest number of MoH awards overall. Otherwise I would agree on Tarawa.

Kevin M. Keener Sgt. 1977-86 - June 9, 2020

According to DoD’s Valor website which only lists those names by their DD214s awards, the top 4 are: #1 WWII (83 Marines); #2 Viet-Nam (55 Marines); #3 Korean War 1950-1953 (41 Marines) and #4 The Boxer Rebellion (33 Marines)

Larry Whittington - June 9, 2020

Harris, Johnson, and Hernandez…he said war or conflict, not battle!

Don Johnson - June 9, 2020

I thought that also, but maybe Hernandez is right.

Sgt. J.J. Hernandez - June 9, 2020

Tarawa

Al Harris - April 15, 2020

Iwo Jima

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