March 25th - National Medal of Honor Day

The United States Congress has designated March 25th of each year as National Medal of Honor Day, a day dedicated to Medal of Honor recipients (Public Law 101-564). 

Conceived in the State of Washington, this holiday should be one of our most revered. Unfortunately, all too many Americans are not even aware of its existence.

The nation’s highest award for valor and courage in combat, the Medal of Honor, is awarded to those who never sought heroism, yet whose actions define it.

By law, only U.S. service members who distinguish themselves "through conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty" can receive the medal.

The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the highest military decoration of the United States Armed Forces and is awarded to recognize American Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, Guardians and Coast Guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor.

 Recipients distinguish themselves conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity, risking loss of life above and beyond the call of duty. The act of valor must occur in combat during 1 of 3 circumstances:

• While engaged in action against an enemy of the United States
• While engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing force
• While serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United Sates is not a belligerent party.

Established and first awarded during the American Civil War, in March 1863 to six members of Andrews' Raiders; including Army Private Jacob Parrott, who went behind enemy lines and hijacked a train, destroying bridges, rail and telegraph lines to destroy the route between Chattanooga and Atlanta. When captured, Parrott was severely beaten.

During the 2026 State of the Union address, President Donald J. Trump announced Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Eric Slover and retired Navy Capt. Elmer Royce Williams were both medal recipients. 

Slover, still on active duty, received the medal for actions in Venezuela, while Williams — now 100 years old — received the medal for actions during the Korean War in 1952. 

In early January, Trump announced the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, following a successful overnight joint U.S. military mission in Venezuela's capital of Caracas. 

Both Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores de Maduro, were captured by U.S. military forces during that raid, and the two are facing criminal court proceedings tied to a 2020 indictment from the Justice Department on multiple federal charges, including narco-terrorism and drug trafficking. 

Slover was part of the military effort to capture then Venezuelan leader, Nicolás Maduro, in a successful overnight joint U.S. military mission in Venezuela's capital of Caracas. 

Slover planned a mission and was the flight lead in the cockpit of the first helicopter, steered the Chinook under the cover of night into Maduro's heavily protected military fortress. While preparing to land, enemy machine guns fired from every angle, and Slover was hit in the leg and hip. Despite those injuries, went on to deliver commandos to the drop zone, where the mission could be carried out. 

During the State of the Union address, Army Lt. Gen. Jonathan Braga, commander of the Joint Special Operations Command, put the medal around Slover's neck.

In the same evening, nearly 75 years in the making, retired Navy Capt. Royce Williams was also awarded the Medal of Honor. Williams served during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He received the Medal of Honor for his combat actions in Korea. "In the skies over Korea in 1952, Royce was in the dogfight of a lifetime,” Trump stated during his speech. “His squadron was ambushed by seven Soviet fighter planes. And despite being massively outnumbered and outgunned, [Williams] led the takedown of four enemy jets and almost destroyed the others — vanquishing his adversaries while taking 263 bullets to his own plane and being seriously hurt." For over 50 years, the president said, that mission had been kept secret — Williams didn’t even tell his wife. 

 

Facts and Figures

Number of Medal of Honor Recipients: 3533

Number of Living Medal of Honor Recipients: 64