May 26, 2025

Posthumous Medal of Honor Recipients

Medals of Honor for Army, Navy, Air Force

Honoring the Fallen: The Most Recent Posthumous Medal of Honor Recipients

The Medal of Honor, America’s highest military award, is a symbol of unimaginable courage, sacrifice, and selflessness. While every Medal of Honor recipient has demonstrated exceptional valor, those who receive it posthumously elevate the meaning of that sacrifice to its most solemn form. Their stories remind us that freedom comes at a cost — and some pay the ultimate price without ever seeking recognition.

In recent years, the United States has continued to honor fallen heroes from wars both recent and long past. These posthumous awards, often delivered to grieving families decades after the events took place, serve as a testament that valor is timeless, and a grateful nation never forgets its warriors.

This blog takes a deep dive into the most recent posthumous recipients of the Medal of Honor, covering a range of conflicts — from the Civil War to the Global War on Terror — and the incredible stories of courage that earned these heroes the nation’s highest military distinction.

A Medal of Honor — Long Overdue

In July 2024, two Union soldiers were finally recognized for their bravery during the American Civil War. Privates Philip G. Shadrach and George D. Wilson were part of a daring raid known as the Great Locomotive Chase. This was not a battlefield firefight but rather a high-risk sabotage mission behind enemy lines in 1862. The men, part of Andrews’ Raiders, were captured and executed by Confederate forces after attempting to steal a train and disrupt Southern supply lines.

They died as spies, without the protections afforded to prisoners of war. For over 160 years, their acts of bravery went unrecognized, but in a White House ceremony held on July 3, 2024, their names were finally added to the hallowed roster of Medal of Honor recipients. Their families accepted the medals on their behalf, bringing long-overdue recognition to a mission that captured the imagination of the American public even in its time.

Korean War Heroes: Valor That Took 70 Years to Acknowledge

The Korean War is often referred to as “The Forgotten War.” Yet the bravery of those who fought in its frozen mountains and dense forests has never been in doubt. On January 3, 2025, the nation paused once again to honor five soldiers who had demonstrated extraordinary heroism during this brutal conflict — all posthumously.

Private Bruno R. Orig

Under withering enemy fire near Chipyong-ni in 1951, Private Orig repeatedly exposed himself to danger to evacuate wounded comrades. According to fellow soldiers, he made multiple trips through machine gun fire, dragging the injured to safety until he was fatally struck. His actions likely saved numerous lives, and the award delivered to his family was a solemn acknowledgment of courage beyond imagination.

Private First Class Wataru Nakamura

Born to Japanese-American parents and subjected to discrimination during WWII, Nakamura still enlisted to serve the country that once interned his family. On May 18, 1951, while under heavy fire near P’ungch’on-ni, Korea, Nakamura refused to retreat, crawling through open terrain to repair communications lines vital to the unit’s survival. He was mortally wounded during his final repair attempt. His posthumous Medal of Honor not only recognized his battlefield courage but also symbolized redemption and loyalty in the face of adversity.

Corporal Fred B. McGee

During a nighttime assault near Tang-Wan-Ni in June 1952, McGee took position atop a ridge and laid down suppressive fire to cover his unit’s withdrawal. Refusing to abandon his post, he continued firing even after being wounded. By the time reinforcements arrived, McGee had succumbed to his injuries — his weapon still in his hands.

Private First Class Charles R. Johnson

In June 1953, Johnson’s unit was defending Outpost Harry from waves of enemy assaults. When others fell, Johnson held the flank alone, repelling the enemy with rifle fire, grenades, and eventually hand-to-hand combat. His final radio transmission simply read, “Still holding.” He was found among dozens of enemy casualties, his position never breached.

General Richard E. Cavazos

Already recognized with multiple valor awards during his lifetime, General Cavazos was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously in 2025 for his actions as a young officer in Korea. He led assaults under intense fire, rescued multiple wounded men, and refused evacuation despite being injured himself. He went on to become the first Hispanic four-star general in the U.S. Army. His Medal of Honor caps a legacy built on leadership, valor, and trailblazing service.

Vietnam: A War Remembered Through Its Heroes

Despite the controversy surrounding the Vietnam War, the courage of American troops remains unquestioned. Two recent posthumous awards shed light on the selfless acts of soldiers who gave everything.

Captain Hugh R. Nelson Jr.

Shot down during a helicopter rescue mission near Mộc Hóa in 1966, Captain Nelson remained at the crash site to protect his crew. With flames engulfing the aircraft and enemy forces closing in, he drew fire to himself, allowing others to escape. His remains were recovered decades later and identified through DNA testing. The Medal of Honor, presented to his family in 2025, serves as a powerful reminder of his sacrifice and the importance of bringing every soldier home.

Specialist 4 Kenneth J. David

On May 7, 1970, near Fire Support Base Maureen, David exposed himself to heavy enemy fire multiple times to draw attention away from his pinned-down unit. Even after being wounded, he continued to engage the enemy until he was mortally struck. His actions disrupted the enemy’s advance and saved lives. Though his name was nearly lost to time, decades of advocacy by fellow soldiers and historians brought his story into the light.

The Philippine–American War: Honoring Acts Forgotten by Time

The Philippine–American War, often overlooked in American military history, saw two of its soldiers finally recognized in 2025 — over 120 years after their acts of heroism.

Privates William Simon Harris and James W. McIntyre

Serving in 1899, both men engaged in hand-to-hand combat to rescue captured comrades during an ambush. Despite severe wounds, they refused to retreat. Their medals were originally authorized in 1906 but inexplicably never awarded. Through renewed military archival reviews, their names resurfaced, and their families finally accepted the medals in a Pentagon ceremony.

Modern-Era Heroism: Iraq and Afghanistan

While many recent Medal of Honor recipients from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts have been recognized during their lifetimes, some of the most moving awards have gone to those who never returned.

Sergeant First Class Alwyn C. Cashe (Awarded 2021, Confirmed Legacy in 2022–2024)

Although not awarded in the most recent batch, SFC Cashe's posthumous Medal of Honor in 2021 triggered renewed calls to revisit other overlooked heroes. His story — running back into a burning vehicle multiple times to save fellow soldiers while fully engulfed in flames — set a precedent. His memory remains front and center in military communities and has reinvigorated a national conversation on race, valor, and bureaucratic oversight.

Newer candidates for the Medal of Honor from Afghanistan and Iraq continue to be reviewed by the Pentagon. Families wait in quiet agony, knowing their loved ones' actions deserve the nation’s highest honor.

Why Posthumous Awards Still Matter

For some, it may seem odd to award a medal decades after the fact. The recipient is no longer alive. The battlefields are quiet. The war may be long over. But these awards are not simply for the soldier — they’re for the family, the unit, the military, and the nation.

They validate the memories of survivors who carried guilt and pain. They close a loop of silence and delay. They serve as public recognition that these sacrifices weren’t in vain, that someone noticed, that history records them not just as names on a stone wall — but as heroes of flesh and blood.

Posthumous Medal of Honor ceremonies often involve military bands, flag-folding rituals, tearful families, and quiet dignity. They are not grand political affairs. They are sacred acts of remembrance.

A Nation That Remembers

Every generation produces heroes, and not every hero lives to hear the applause. Some die quietly, on forgotten battlefields. Others are lost in the bureaucracy of time. But the Medal of Honor brings their stories back to life.

Whether it’s a Civil War raider executed behind enemy lines, a Korean War private holding the line alone, or a Vietnam helicopter pilot shielding his crew from fire — these are names America will not forget.

And so, long after the last shot is fired, the last letter home is read, and the last footstep echoes through a battlefield — the Medal of Honor ensures that bravery, no matter how long ago, is never lost.

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