Medal of Honor Recipient Articles

Medal of Honor: James K. Okubo – World War II – October 28–29 & November 4, 1944

Across three brutal days in the Vosges Mountains, an Army medic repeatedly crawled through gunfire, crossed minefields, and faced grenades to save wounded comrades—heroism that became legend within the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.

MOH

Medal of Honor: Barney F. Hajiro – World War II – October 19, 22 & 29, 1944

Across three separate engagements in eastern France, one infantryman repeatedly braved open fire, ambushed a superior enemy force, and charged a deadly hillside alone, actions that broke German strongpoints and enabled his company to seize its objectives.

MOH

Medal of Honor: Robert S. Kennemore – Korean War – November 27–28, 1950

In a nighttime enemy breakthrough near Yudam-ni, one Marine leader rallied shattered defenses, held against overwhelming odds, and sacrificed himself to save his men — stepping onto a live grenade to absorb the blast.

MOH

Medal of Honor: Hector A. Cafferata Jr. – Korean War – November 28, 1950

Alone on a frozen Korean hillside, one Marine held an entire regimental attack at bay — fighting with rifle and grenades, hurling back a live enemy explosive with his bare hands, and refusing to quit until he fell to a sniper’s bullet.

MOH

Medal of Honor: William E. Barber – Korean War – November 28 to December 2, 1950

Surrounded, outnumbered, and fighting in subzero cold, one Marine captain held a frozen mountain pass the entire 1st Marine Division depended on — refusing to withdraw and directing the battle even as he was carried along the line on a stretcher.

MOH

Medal of Honor: Don C. Faith Jr. – Korean War – November 27 to December 1, 1950

For five days in the frozen hell of Chosin, a battalion commander led from the front, scouting routes under fire, pushing men across an ice-covered lake, rallying broken units, and personally attacking enemy roadblocks. Wounded, exhausted, and surrounded

MOH

Medal of Honor: Reginald B. Desiderio – Korean War – November 27, 1950

Wounded again and again as enemy forces broke through in the dark, one company commander refused evacuation, rallied his soldiers, and personally counterattacked with rifle, carbine, and grenades — fighting to his last breath to save his men.