The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the

United States Armed Forces The United States Armed Forces are the Military, military forces of the United States. U.S. United States Code, federal law names six armed forces: the United States Army, Army, United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps, United States Navy, Na ...

' third-highest

military decoration Military awards and decorations are distinctions given as a mark of honor for military heroism, meritorious or outstanding service or achievement. A decoration is often a medal consisting of a ribbon and a medallion. Civil decorations award ...

for

valor Valor, valour, or valorous may mean: * Courage, a similar meaning * Virtue ethics, roughly "courage in defense of a noble cause" Entertainment * Valor Kand, a member of the band Christian Death * ''Valor'' (TV series), an American drama series ...

in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States.

History

The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the successor award to the

Citation Star The Citation Star was a Department of War personal valor decoration issued as a ribbon device which was first established by the United States Congress on July 9, 1918 (Bulletin No. 43, War Dept. 1918). When awarded, a silver star was placed o ...

which was established by an

Act of Congress An act of Congress is a statute enacted by the United States Congress. Acts may apply only to individual entities (called Public and private bills, private laws), or to the general public (Public and private bills, public laws). For a Bill (law) ...

on 9 July 1918, during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. On 19 July 1932, the

Secretary of War The secretary of war was a member of the U.S. president's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War", had been appointed to serve the Congress of the ...

approved the conversion of the Citation Star to the SSM with the original Citation Star incorporated into the center of the medal. Authorization for the Silver Star Medal was placed into law by an Act of Congress for the

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest displacement, at 4.5 million tons in 2021. It has the world's largest aircraft ...

on 7 August 1942, and an Act of Congress for the

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

on 15 December 1942. The current statutory authorization for the medal is

Title 10 of the United States Code Title 10 of the United States Code outlines the role of United States Armed Forces. It provides the legal basis for the roles, missions and organization of each of the services as well as the United States Department of Defense. Each of the fi ...

, for the U.S. Army, for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps, and for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force. The U.S. Army awards the medal as the "Silver Star". The U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard award the medal as the "Silver Star Medal". Since 21 December 2016, the

Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD, or DOD) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government charged with coordinating and supervising the six U.S. armed services: the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force, ...

(DoD) refers to the decoration as the "Silver Star Medal".

Award criteria

The Silver Star Medal is awarded for gallantry, so long as the action does not justify the award of one of the next higher valor awards: the Distinguished Service Cross, the

Navy Cross The Navy Cross is the United States Naval Service's second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is equivalent to the Army ...

, the Air Force Cross, or the

Coast Guard Cross The Coast Guard Cross (CGC) is the United States Coast Guard's second highest Awards and decorations of the United States military, military decoration for coast guardsmen who distinguish themselves extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed en ...

. The gallantry displayed must have taken place while in action against an enemy of the United States, while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force, or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. The Silver Star Medal is awarded for singular acts of valor or heroism over a brief period, such as one or two days of a battle. Air Force pilots and combat systems officers and Navy/Marine Corps naval aviators and flight officers flying fighter aircraft, are often considered eligible to receive the Silver Star upon becoming an

ace An ace is a playing card, die or domino with a single pip. In the standard French deck, an ace has a single suit symbol (a heart, diamond, spade, or a club) located in the middle of the card, sometimes large and decorated, especially in the ...

(i.e., having five or more confirmed aerial kills), which entails the pilot and, in multi-seat fighters, the weapons system officer or radar intercept officer, intentionally and successfully risking his life multiple times under combat conditions and emerging victorious. However, during the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...

, the last conflict to produce U.S. fighter aces: an Air Force pilot and two navigators/weapon systems officers (who were later retrained as Air Force pilots), a naval aviator and a naval flight officer/radar intercept officer who had achieved this distinction, were eventually awarded the Air Force Cross and Navy Cross, respectively, in addition to SSMs previously awarded for earlier aerial kills. ;Unit award equivalent * Air Force –

Gallant Unit Citation The Gallant Unit Citation (GUC), a United States Air Force and United States Space Force unit award, was approved in March 2004 and is awarded to any Air Force or Space Force unit which distinguishes itself by extraordinary heroism while engaged i ...

* Army –

Valorous Unit Award The Valorous Unit Award (VUA) is the second highest United States Army unit decoration which may be bestowed upon an Army unit after the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC). The VUA is awarded by the United States Army to units of the United State ...

* Coast Guard –

Coast Guard Unit Commendation The Coast Guard Unit Commendation is the highest peacetime unit award that may be awarded to military commands of the United States Coast Guard. The decoration was first created in 1963 and is presented to members of any Coast Guard unit that di ...

* Navy-Marine Corps –

Navy Unit Commendation The Navy Unit Commendation (NUC) is a United States Navy and United States Coast Guard unit award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944. History Navy A navy, naval force, military m ...

Appearance

The Silver Star Medal is a gold

five-pointed star A five-pointed star (☆), geometrically an equilateral concave decagon, is a common ideogram in modern culture. Comparatively rare in classical heraldry, it was notably introduced for the flag of the United States in the Flag Act of 1777 and si ...

, in circumscribing diameter with a

laurel wreath A laurel wreath is a symbol of triumph, a wreath (attire), wreath made of connected branches and leaves of the bay laurel (), an aromatic broadleaf evergreen. It was also later made from spineless butcher's broom (''Ruscus hypoglossum'') or cher ...

encircling rays from the center and a diameter silver star superimposed in the center. The pendant is suspended from a rectangular shaped metal loop with rounded corners. The reverse has the inscription ''FOR GALLANTRY IN ACTION''. The ribbon is wide and consists of the following stripes: Old Glory red (center stripe); proceeding outward in pairs white; ultramarine blue; white; and ultramarine blue. ;Ribbon devices Second and subsequent awards of the Silver Star Medal are denoted by bronze or silver

oak leaf cluster An oak leaf cluster is a ribbon device to denote preceding decorations and awards consisting of a miniature bronze or silver twig of four oak leaves with three acorns on the stem. It is authorized by the United States Armed Forces for a spec ...

s in the

Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...

and

Air Force An air force in the broadest sense is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army aviati ...

and by gold or silver inch stars in the

Navy A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...

Marine Corps Marines (or naval infantry) are military personnel generally trained to operate on both land and sea, with a particular focus on amphibious warfare. Historically, the main tasks undertaken by marines have included raiding ashore (often in supp ...

, and

Coast Guard A coast guard or coastguard is a Maritime Security Regimes, maritime security organization of a particular country. The term embraces wide range of responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with cust ...

Recipients

The Department of Defense does not keep extensive records for the Silver Star Medal. Independent groups estimate that between 100,000 and 150,000 SSMs have been awarded since the decoration was established.

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

David Hackworth who was awarded ten SSMs while serving in the Army during the Korean War and Vietnam War, is likely to be the person awarded the most SSMs.

General of the Army Army general or General of the army is the highest ranked general officer in many countries that use the French Revolutionary System. Army general is normally the highest rank used in peacetime. In countries that adopt the general officer fou ...

Douglas MacArthur Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American general who served as a top commander during World War II and the Korean War, achieving the rank of General of the Army (United States), General of the Army. He served with dis ...

was awarded seven SSMs for his service in France in

from February to November 1918 as a colonel and then brigadier general. Donald H. Russell, a civilian

Vought F4U Corsair The Vought F4U Corsair is an American fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Designed and initially manufactured by Vought, Chance Vought, the Corsair was soon in great demand; additional production con ...

technical support engineer attached to a

fighter wing, received the SSM for his actions aboard after the carrier was attacked by a Japanese

dive bomber A dive bomber is a bomber aircraft that dives directly at its targets in order to provide greater accuracy for the bomb it drops. Diving towards the target simplifies the bomb's trajectory and allows the pilot to keep visual contact througho ...

in March 1945. In the fall of 1944, President Roosevelt's close adviser

Harry Hopkins Harold Lloyd Hopkins (August 17, 1890 – January 29, 1946) was an American statesman, public administrator, and presidential advisor. A trusted deputy to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Hopkins directed New Deal relief programs before ser ...

, the U.S. Ambassador in Moscow

W. Averell Harriman William Averell Harriman (November 15, 1891July 26, 1986) was an American politician, businessman, and diplomat. He was a founder of Harriman & Co. which merged with the older Brown Brothers to form the Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. investment ...

and a military attaché presented the SSM to

Soviet Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of Peop ...

artillery officer Alexei Voloshin, who was the first to cross the Dnieper with his battery and was one of four junior Red Army officers who received the award.

Female recipients

Three Army nurses that served in World War I were cited in 1919 and 1920 with Citation Stars for gallantry in attending to the wounded while under artillery fire in July 1918. In 2007, it was discovered that they had never been awarded their Citation Stars. The three nurses (Army nurses served without rank until 1920) were awarded the Silver Star Medal posthumously: * Jane Rignel – Mobile Hospital No. 2, 42nd Division, for gallantry in "giving aid to the wounded under heavy fire" in France on 15 July 1918 * Linnie Leckrone – Shock Team No. 134, Field Hospital No. 127, 32nd Division, for gallantry while "attending to the wounded during an artillery bombardment" in France on 29 July 1918 * Irene Robar – Shock Team No. 134, Field Hospital No. 127, 32nd Division, for gallantry while "attending to the wounded during an artillery bombardment" in France on 29 July 1918 An unknown number of servicewomen received the award in World War II. Four Army nurses serving in Italy during the war—

First Lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a se ...

Mary Roberts, Second Lieutenant

Elaine Roe Second Lieutenant Elaine A. Roe was an officer in the United States Army during World War II. She was awarded the Silver Star for her actions during Operation Shingle The Battle of Anzio was a battle of the Italian Campaign (World War II), It ...

, Second Lieutenant Rita Virginia Rourke, and Second Lieutenant Ellen Ainsworth (posthumous)—became the first women recipients of the Silver Star, all cited for their bravery in evacuating the 33rd Field Hospital at

Anzio Anzio (, also ; ) is a town and ''comune'' on region of Italy, about south of Rome. Well known for its seaside resorts, it is a fishing port and a departure point for ferries and hydroplanes to the Pontine Islands of Ponza, Palmarola, and Ve ...

on 10 February 1944. Later that same year, Corporal Maggie Leones, a Filipino who later immigrated to the United States, received the medal for

clandestine Clandestine may refer to: * Secrecy, the practice of hiding information from certain individuals or groups, perhaps while sharing it with other individuals * Clandestine operation, a secret intelligence or military activity Music and entertainmen ...

activities on

Luzon Luzon ( , ) is the largest and most populous List of islands in the Philippines, island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the List of islands of the Philippines, Philippine archipelago, it is the economic and political ce ...

; , she is the only female Asian to receive a Silver Star. The next known servicewomen to receive the Silver Star were Army National Guard

Sergeant Sergeant (Sgt) is a Military rank, rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage f ...

Leigh Ann Hester Leigh Ann Hester (born January 12, 1982) is a United States Army National Guard soldier. While assigned to the 617th Military Police Company, a Kentucky Army National Guard unit out of Richmond, Kentucky, Hester received the Silver Star for he ...

in 2005, for gallantry during an insurgent ambush on a convoy in

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

and Army

Specialist A specialist is someone who is an expert in, or devoted to, some specific branch of study or research. Specialist may also refer to: Occupations * Specialist (rank), military rank ** Specialist (Singapore) * Specialist officer, military rank in ...

Monica Lin Brown in March 2008, for extraordinary heroism as a

combat medic A combat medic is responsible for providing emergency medicine, emergency medical treatment at a point of wounding in a combat or training environment, as well as primary care and health protection and evacuation from a point of injury or illnes ...

in the

War in Afghanistan War in Afghanistan, Afghan war, or Afghan civil war may refer to: *Conquest of Afghanistan by Alexander the Great (330 BC – 327 BC), the conquest of Afghanistan by the Macedonian Empire * Muslim conquests of Afghanistan, a series of campaigns in ...

. On November 12, 2024, Capt Lacie “Sonic” Hester,

494th Fighter Squadron The 494th Fighter Squadron (494th FS), nicknamed ''the Panthers'', is part of the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom, where they operate the McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle. Mission The 494th FS is a combat-ready McDonnell ...

, became the first woman airman awarded the Silver Star for her role in the shootdown of more than 80 Iranian drones launched at Israeli cities.

Notable recipients

* Joseph H. Albers * John R. Alison * Darr H. Alkire * Leslie "Bull" Allen * Royal B. Allison *

Terry de la Mesa Allen Sr. Major General Terry de la Mesa Allen Sr. (April 1, 1888 – September 12, 1969) was a senior United States Army officer who fought in both World War I and World War II. Allen was a decorated World War I veteran, where he commanded an infantry ba ...

* Samuel E. Anderson * Bernard L. Austin *

Lloyd Austin Lloyd James Austin III (born August 8, 1953) is a retired United States Army four-star General (United States), general who served as the 28th United States Secretary of Defense, United States secretary of defense from 2021 to 2025. Before ...

William Brantley Aycock William Brantley Aycock (October 24, 1915 – June 20, 2015) was an American educator who served as chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 1957 until 1964 and was the retired Kenan Professor of Law at the UNC School o ...

Peter Badcoe Peter John Badcoe, (11 January 1934 – 7 April 1967) was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in battle that could be awarded at that time to a member of the Australian armed forces. Badcoe, born P ...

(two awards) * John Bahnsen (five awards) *

Vernon Baker Vernon Joseph Baker (December 17, 1919 – July 13, 2010) was a United States Army first lieutenant who was an infantry company platoon leader during World War II and a paratrooper during the Korean War. In 1997, he was awarded the Medal of Honor ...

* Robert H. Barrow *

Olinto Barsanti Olinto Mark Barsanti (November 11, 1917 – May 2, 1973) was commander of the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968, commanding during the Tet Offensive and during subsequent operations around Bien Hoa and Huế. He commanded the ...

César Basa César Fernando María Tianko Basa (21 June 1915 – 12 December 1941) was a Filipino military pilot who fought in World War II. He was one of the pioneer fighter pilots of the Philippine Army Air Corps, the forerunner of the Philippine Air Fo ...

* Harry F. Bauer * Walter C. Beckham(four awards) *

Charles Alvin Beckwith Charles Alvin Beckwith (22 January 1929 – 13 June 1994) was a career Special Forces (United States Army), United States Army Special Forces officer best remembered for creating Delta Force, the premier counter terrorism, counterterrorism ...

David Bellavia David Gregory Bellavia (born November 10, 1975) is a former United States Army soldier who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Second Battle of Fallujah. Bellavia has also received the Bronze Star Medal, two Army Commendation ...

(Upgraded to the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

in 2019) *

Rafael Celestino Benítez Rear Admiral Rafael Celestino Benítez (March 9, 1917 – March 6, 1999) was a highly decorated American submarine commander who led the rescue effort of the crew members of the during the Cold War. After retiring from the navy, he was Pan Ameri ...

* Frank Bladin *

Everett Ernest Blakely Everett Ernest Blakely (July 1, 1919 – September 21, 2004) was a career officer of the United States Air Force. He was a highly decorated Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, B-17 pilot with the "Bloody Hundredth" Bombardment Group of the ...

Albert Blithe Albert Blithe (June 25, 1923 – December 17, 1967) was an American career soldier who served as a private first class with Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, in the 101st Airborne Division during World War II. He ...

* Larry "Scrappy" Blumer * Royal L. Bolling *

Richard Bong Richard Ira "Dick" Bong (September 24, 1920 – August 6, 1945) was a United States Army Air Forces major and Medal of Honor recipient in World War II. He was one of the most decorated American fighter pilots and the country's top flying ace ...

Paul Boesch Paul Max Boesch (October 2, 1912March 7, 1989) was an American professional wrestler and promoter, most famous for his work as an announcer and promoter for Houston Wrestling. He also spent several stints working with the Universal Wrestling Fe ...

* Bruce Godfrey Brackett *

Omar Bradley Omar Nelson Bradley (12 February 1893 – 8 April 1981) was a senior Officer (armed forces), officer of the United States Army during and after World War II, rising to the rank of General of the Army (United States), General of the Army. He wa ...

Roland L. Bragg Roland Leon Bragg (June 11, 1923 – January 12, 1999) was an American United States Army, Army paratrooper during World War II. Bragg was awarded the Silver Star, the United States Army's third-highest military decoration for valor in comba ...

Neville Brand Lawrence Neville Brand (August 13, 1920 – April 16, 1992) was an American soldier and actor. He was known for playing villainous or antagonistic character roles in Westerns, crime dramas, and ''films noir'', and was nominated for a BAFTA A ...

* Maurice L. Britt * Monica Lin Brown *

Hubert Buchanan Hubert E. Buchanan (born April 24, 1941) is a former United States Air Force captain and fighter pilot in the Vietnam War who was shot down, captured, and spent 2,362 days as a prisoner of war in Hanoi and surrounding areas. He was one of the firs ...

* Phil H. Bucklew *

Arleigh Burke Arleigh Albert Burke (October 19, 1901 – January 1, 1996) was an Admiral (United States), admiral of the United States Navy who distinguished himself during World War II and the Korean War, and who served as Chief of Naval Operations during th ...

* Jess Cain *

Modesto Cartagena Sergeant First Class Modesto Cartagena de Jesús (July 21, 1921 – March 2, 2010) was a member of the United States Army who served in the 65th Infantry Regiment, a military regiment consisting of Puerto Rican enlisted soldiers and officers fr ...

Alwyn Cashe Alwyn Crendall Cashe (July 13, 1970 – November 8, 2005) was a United States Army senior non-commissioned officer who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism in Iraq. On November 10, 2020, the United States Congress voted to upg ...

(Upgraded to the Medal of Honor in 2021) *

Johnny Checketts John Milne Checketts, (20 February 1912 – 21 April 2006) was a New Zealand flying ace of the Second World War, who was credited with the destruction of enemy aircraft, three probably destroyed and 11 damaged. Born in Invercargill, Checketts ...

* Llewellyn Chilson (three awards) * David Christian (two awards) *

Nestor Chylak Nestor George Chylak Jr. (; May 11, 1922 – February 17, 1982) was an American umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the American League from 1954 to 1978. He umpired in three ALCS (1969, 1972, 1973), serving as crew chief in 1969 and ...

Wesley Clark Wesley Kanne Clark (born Wesley J. Kanne, 23 December 1944) is a retired United States Army officer. He graduated as valedictorian of the class of 1966 at United States Military Academy, West Point and was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to the U ...

Max Cleland Joseph Maxwell Cleland (August 24, 1942 – November 9, 2021) was an American politician from Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he was a disabled United States Army, U.S. Army vete ...

Lynn Compton Lynn Davis "Buck" Compton (December 31, 1921 – February 25, 2012) was an American jurist, law enforcement officer, and United States Army officer during World War II, serving as a paratrooper in "Easy Company" of the 506th Infantry Regi ...

* Garlin Murl Conner (four awards) * John Thomas Corley (eight awards) * Alan "Ace" Cozzalio (two awards) * Louis Cukela * William J. Cullerton *

Roy M. Davenport Rear admiral (United States), Rear Admiral Roy Milton Davenport (June 18, 1909 – December 24, 1987) was an American officer in the United States Navy. He is the first sailor to be awarded five Navy Crosses, the United States military's second hig ...

Juan César Cordero Dávila Major General Juan César Cordero Dávila (June 7, 1904 – July 20, 1965), was the commanding officer of the 65th Infantry Regiment during the Korean War, rising to become one of the highest ranking ethnic officers in the United States Army ...

* Benjamin O. Davis Jr. * Ray Davis * Oliver W. Dillard * James H. Doolittle *

Wayne A. Downing Wayne Allan Downing (10 May 1940 – 18 July 2007) was a four-star United States Army general born in Peoria, Illinois. He graduated from the United States Military Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1962 and held a Master of Busines ...

(two awards) * Hugh A. Drum * Jesus S. Duran (upgraded to the Medal of Honor, 2014) *

Charles Durning Charles Edward Durning (February 28, 1923 – December 24, 2012) was an American actor who appeared in over 200 movies, television shows and plays.Schudel, Matt (December 26, 2012) "''In real life and on the screen, he played countless role ...

* Graves B. Erskine *

Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Douglas Elton Fairbanks Jr. (December 9, 1909 – May 7, 2000) was an American actor, producer, and decorated naval officer of World War II. He is best-known for starring in such films as '' The Prisoner of Zenda'' (1937), '' Gunga Din'' (1939), ...

Joseph A. Farinholt Joseph Alfred Farinholt (July 17, 1922 – June 11, 2002) is thought to be the only enlisted man in the history of the U.S. military to receive four awards of the Silver Star, the United States third highest decoration for valor in combat. Servi ...

Geoffrey Cheney Ferris Geoffrey Cheney Ferris (April 8, 1918 – May 7, 1943) was a United States Army soldier during World War II who received the Distinguished Service Cross (United States), Distinguished Service Cross for his actions as a Forward Observer during O ...

* Bernard Fisher * Wayne Fisk * Martin H. Foery *

Ronald Fogleman Ronald Robert Fogleman (born January 27, 1942) is a retired United States Air Force General (United States), general who served as the 15th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, Chief of Staff of the Air Force from 1994 to 1997 and as Com ...

John W. Foss John William Foss (13 February 1933 – 25 April 2020) was a United States Army general, and commander of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command. Military career Foss was born in Hutchinson, Minnesota, on 13 February 1933. He beg ...

(two awards) *

Mayhew Foster Mayhew Y. "Bo" Foster (October 9, 1911 – March 21, 2011) was an American soldier who flew captured Nazi war criminal Hermann Göring from Austria to Germany for interrogation by the 7th Army. For his actions in World War II, Foster was aw ...

* Guy Gabaldon (upgraded to the Navy Cross, 1960) * Francis Gambacorta * James M. Gavin * Hobart R. Gay * Jerauld R. Gentry * John J. Gilligan * Luigi Giorgi (Italian serviceman) * Mathew L. Golsteyn * John W. Goode *

David E. Grange Jr. David Ellsworth Grange Jr. (April 9, 1925 – September 11, 2022) was a lieutenant general in the United States Army. Early life Grange was born on April 9, 1925, in Richmond Hill, New York, New York City, and grew up in Lake Ronkonkoma, New Y ...

(three awards) * David L. Grange (three awards) * Charles H. Green (Cdr, 3rd Bn, RAR) *

John Campbell Greenway John Campbell Greenway (July 6, 1872 – January 19, 1926) was an American businessman and senior officer of the U.S. Army Reserve who served with Colonel Theodore Roosevelt in the Spanish–American War and commanded infantry in World War I. ...

William Guarnere William J. Guarnere Sr. (April 28, 1923 – March 8, 2014) was a United States Army paratrooper who fought in World War II as a non-commissioned officer with Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, in the 101st Airborne Div ...

Ed Guthman Edwin O. Guthman (August 11, 1919 – August 31, 2008) was an American journalist and university professor. While at the ''Seattle Times'', he won the paper's first Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting in 1950. Guthman was third on Richard Nixon ...

Horatio B. Hackett Col. Horatio Balch Hackett, Jr. (May 8, 1880 – September 8, 1941) was a leading American architect and construction executive, a college football player and official, a decorated combat veteran of World War I, and Assistant Administrator of t ...

* David Hackworth (ten awards) * Hugh William Hadley *

Alexander Haig Alexander Meigs Haig Jr. (; 2 December 192420 February 2010) was United States Secretary of State under President Ronald Reagan and White House chief of staff under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. Prior to and in between these cabine ...

Andrew Haldane Andrew Allison Haldane (August 22, 1917 – October 12, 1944) was an officer in the United States Marine Corps who served in the Pacific theatre during World War II. He was killed in action during the Battle of Peleliu. Early life Haldane was b ...

(two awards) * Robert Halperin * Iceal Hambleton * James C. Harding * John Harllee *

Tom Harmon Thomas Dudley Harmon (September 28, 1919 – March 15, 1990), nicknamed "Old 98", was an American football player, military pilot, actor, and sports broadcaster. Harmon played college football as a halfback for the Michigan Wolverines from ...

* Raymond Harvey *

Carlos Hathcock Carlos Norman Hathcock II (May 20, 1942 – February 22, 1999) was a United States Marine Corps (USMC) sniper with a service record of 93 confirmed kills. Hathcock's record and the extraordinary details of the missions he undertook made him a l ...

* Vern Haugland (first civilian award) *

Sterling Hayden Sterling Walter Hayden (born Sterling Relyea Walter; March 26, 1916 – May 23, 1986) was an American actor, author, sailor, and Marine. A leading man for most of his career, he specialized in Westerns and film noir throughout the 1950s, in film ...

* Leo D. Hermle (three awards) * Diego E. Hernández *

Clifford B. Hicks Clifford B. Hicks (August 10, 1920 – September 29, 2010) was an American writer and magazine editor, best known for his children's books chronicling the adventures of Alvin Fernald. Biography Hicks was born in Marshalltown, Iowa in 1920."Hicks, ...

* Thomas Taro Higa * David Lee "Tex" Hill *

Tony Hillerman Anthony Grove Hillerman (May 27, 1925 – October 26, 2008) was an American author of detective novels and nonfiction works, best known for his mystery novels featuring Navajo Nation Police officers Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee. Several of his w ...

* Samuel M Hogan * Lucius Roy Holbrook * Gordon Pai'ea Chung-Hoon * Joe R. Hooper (two awards) * Robert L. Howard *

Clifton James George Clifton James (May 29, 1920 – April 15, 2017) was an American actor known for roles as a prison floorwalker in '' Cool Hand Luke'' (1967), Sheriff J.W. Pepper alongside Roger Moore in the James Bond films '' Live and Let Die'' ...

Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg Jean (Jean Benoît Guillaume Robert Antoine Louis Marie Adolphe Marc d'Aviano; 5 January 1921 – 23 April 2019) was the Grand Duke of Luxembourg from 1964 until his abdication in 2000. He was the first Grand Duke of Luxembourg of French agnati ...

Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), also known as LBJ, was the 36th president of the United States, serving from 1963 to 1969. He became president after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, under whom he had served a ...

* Phil Johnson *

Sam Johnson Samuel Robert Johnson (October 11, 1930 – May 27, 2020) was an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for in Congress from 1991 to 2019. He was a member of the Republican Party. In October and November 2015, he was the act ...

(two awards) * James L. Jones * James Taggart Kerr (two awards) *

John Kerry John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician, and diplomat who served as the 68th United States secretary of state from 2013 to 2017 in the Presidency of Barack Obama#Administration, administration of Barac ...

Jonny Kim Jonathan Yong "Jonny" Kim (born 5 February 1984) is an American astronaut with NASA, physician, United States Navy, U.S. Navy officer, flight surgeon, naval aviator, and former United States Navy SEALs, Navy SEAL. Born in Los Angeles to South ...

* Robert Kingston (two awards) *

Joseph Kittinger Joseph William Kittinger II (July 27, 1928 – December 9, 2022) was an officer in the United States Air Force (USAF) who served from 1950 to 1978, and earned Command Pilot status before retiring with the rank of colonel. He held the world rec ...

(two awards) * Charles C. Krulak *

Chris Kyle Christopher Scott Kyle (April 8, 1974 – February 2, 2013) was a United States Navy SEAL sniper. He served four tours in the Iraq War and was awarded several commendations for acts of heroism and meritorious service in combat. He had 160 confi ...

Henry Louis Larsen Lieutenant General Henry Louis Larsen (December 10, 1890 – October 2, 1962) was a United States Marine Corps officer, the second Military Governor of Guam following its recapture from the Empire of Japan, and the first post-World War II Gover ...

(three awards) *

Ben Lear Benjamin Lear (12 May 1879 – 1 November 1966) was a United States Army general who served in the Spanish–American War, Philippine Insurrection, World War I and World War II. He also competed at the 1912 Summer Olympics. Early career ...

John C. H. Lee John Clifford Hodges Lee (1 August 1887 – 30 August 1958) was a career US Army engineer, who rose to the rank of lieutenant general (United States), lieutenant general and commanded the Communications Zone (ComZ) in the European Theater of Oper ...

* Kurt Chew-Een Lee * Homer Litzenberg *

Elliott Loughlin Charles Elliott Loughlin (February 19, 1910 – October 31, 1989) was an officer of the United States Navy, where he reached the rank of Rear Admiral. He is best known for his court-martial following the controversial sinking of the Japanese ...

(two awards) *

(seven awards) *

Victor Maghakian Captain Victor "Transport" Maghakian (; December 30, 1915 – August 17, 1977) was an Armenian-American member of the United States Marine Corps during World War II. As a gunnery sergeant, he led his platoon through some of the bloodiest fightin ...

(two awards) * Fred K. Mahaffey (three awards) *

Peyton C. March General Peyton Conway March (December 27, 1864April 13, 1955) was a senior officer of the United States Army. He served in the Philippines, on the Mexican border, and World War I. March was the ninth Chief of Staff from 1918 to 1921, accomplishi ...

Richard Marcinko Richard Marcinko (November 21, 1940 – December 25, 2021) was a United States Navy SEALs, U.S. Navy SEAL Commander (United States), commander and Vietnam War veteran. He was the first commanding officer of United States Naval Special Warfare D ...

George Marshall George Catlett Marshall Jr. (31 December 1880 – 16 October 1959) was an American army officer and statesman. He rose through the United States Army to become Chief of Staff of the United States Army, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army under pres ...

* Richard Marshall *

Barry McCaffrey Barry Richard McCaffrey (born 17 November 1942) is a retired United States Army general and current news commentator, professor and business consultant who served in President Bill Clinton's Cabinet as the Director of the Office of National Dru ...

(two awards) *

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American statesman and United States Navy, naval officer who represented the Arizona, state of Arizona in United States Congress, Congress for over 35 years, first as ...

* Rob Roy McGregor (three awards) * Herbert Raymond "H.R." McMaster *

Sid McMath Sidney Sanders McMath (June 14, 1912October 4, 2003) was a United States Marine Corps, U.S. marine, attorney and the 34th List of governors of Arkansas, governor of Arkansas from 1949 to 1953. In defiance of his state's political establishment, ...

* John McNulty (two awards) * William A. McNulty * William K. MacNulty * Merrill A. McPeak * Charles B. McVay III *

Richard J. Meadows Richard James Meadows (June 16, 1931 – July 29, 1995) was a United States Army Special Forces officer who saw combat in Korea and Vietnam. He was a key figure in the Operation Eagle Claw in 1980, the rescue operation for the hostages of the Iran ...

(two awards) * Ray Melikian (three awards) *

Robert Mellard Robert Burnett Mellard (13 May 1919 – 19 September 1976) was an American soldier who fought in World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam War, serving in the United States Army from 1938 to 1959. He fought at the Battle of Monte Cassino and was ...

(two awards) *

Charles L. Melson Charles Leroy Melson (25 May 1904 – 14 September 1981) was a vice admiral of the United States Navy. His career included service in World War II, the Korean War, and the Cold War, command of the United States First Fleet and of the United Stat ...

* Daniel J. Miller * Michael A. Monsoor * Cliff Montgomery *

Audie Murphy Audie Leon Murphy (20 June 1925 – 28 May 1971) was an American soldier, actor, and songwriter. He was widely celebrated as the most decorated American combat soldier of World War II, and has been described as the most highly decorated enli ...

(two awards) * Michael P. Murphy (upgraded to MOH) * Raymond Murray (four awards) * Bismarck Myrick *

Oliver North Oliver Laurence North (born October 7, 1943) is an American political commentator, television host, military historian, author, and retired United States Marine Corps lieutenant colonel. A veteran of the Vietnam War, North was a National Sec ...

Henry Ringling North Henry Ringling North (November 12, 1909 – October 2, 1993) was an American businessman, as a circus proprietor who was the vice president, treasurer, director and operations chief, while his brother, John Ringling North, was the president and ...

* Levi Oakes * Mike O'Callaghan * Eric T. Olson * Jorge Otero Barreto (two awards) *

Mohamed Oufkir General Mohamed Oufkir (; 16 August 1920 − 16 August 1972) was a Moroccan senior military officer who held many important governmental posts like the minister of interior and minister of defense. Throughout the 60s, he rose to become the reg ...

* Roy Earl Parrish * Moultrie Patten *

George S. Patton George Smith Patton Jr. (11 November 1885 – 21 December 1945) was a general in the United States Army who commanded the Seventh Army in the Mediterranean Theater of World War II, then the Third Army in France and Germany after the Alli ...

George Patton IV George Smith Patton IV (December 24, 1923 – June 27, 2004) was a major general in the United States Army and the son of World War II General George S. Patton Jr. He served in the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Career Patton was educate ...

Keith Payne Keith Payne, (born 30 August 1933) is a retired Australian soldier and a recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest decoration for gallantry "in the presence of the enemy" awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces. ...

Endicott Peabody Endicott Howard Peabody (February 15, 1920 – December 2, 1997) was an American politician from Massachusetts. A Democrat, he served a single two-year term as the 62nd Governor of Massachusetts, from 1963 to 1965. His tenure is probably ...

John J. Pershing General of the Armies John Joseph Pershing (September 13, 1860 – July 15, 1948), nicknamed "Black Jack", was an American army general, educator, and founder of the Pershing Rifles. He served as the commander of the American Expeditionary For ...

* Basil L. Plumley (two awards) * Pascal Poolaw (four awards) * Nick Popaditch *

Milton C. Portmann Milton Claudius Portmann (October 20, 1888 – August 14, 1967) was an American professional American football, football player in the Ohio League, an attorney, and United States Army officer veteran of World War I. Milton was born in Jackson, Mi ...

* Charles E. Potter *

Geronimo Pratt Elmer Gerard "Geronimo" Pratt (September 13, 1947–June 2, 2011), also known as Geronimo Ji-Jaga and Geronimo Ji-Jaga Pratt, was a decorated military veteran and a high-ranking member of the Black Panther Party in the United States in the late 19 ...

Tommy Prince Thomas George Prince, MM (October 25, 1915 – November 25, 1977) was an Indigenous Canadian war hero and the most decorated soldier in the First Special Service Force or Devil's Brigade, an elite American-Canadian commando unit, during World War ...

Francis Gary Powers Francis Gary Powers (August 17, 1929August 1, 1977) was an American pilot who served as a United States Air Force officer and a CIA employee. Powers is best known for his involvement in the 1960 U-2 incident, when he was shot down while fly ...

* Ralph Puckett (two awards) *

Chesty Puller Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller (June 26, 1898 – October 11, 1971) was a United States Marine Corps officer. Beginning his career fighting Guerrilla warfare, guerillas in Haiti and Nicaragua as part of the Banana Wars, he later served with distin ...

* Lewis Burwell Puller Jr. * Agustín Ramos Calero * William Wilson Quinn * Edward F. Rector * Stephen C. Reich * Rick Rescorla * Robert B. Rheault * Karl W. Richter *

Matthew Ridgway Matthew Bunker Ridgway (3 March 1895 – 26 July 1993) was a senior officer in the United States Army, who served as Supreme Allied Commander Europe (1952–1953) and the 19th Chief of Staff of the United States Army (1953–1955). Although he ...

(two awards) *

Antonio Rodríguez Balinas Brigadier General Antonio Rodríguez Balinas (February 28, 1928 – September 21, 2011) was the first commander of the Office of the First U.S. Army Deputy Command. Early years Rodríguez Balinas was born and raised in the town of Adjuntas, Puert ...

* Pedro Rodriguez (two awards) * Robert Rosenthal *

Barney Ross Barney Ross (born Dov-Ber "Beryl" David Rosofsky; December 23, 1909 – January 17, 1967) was an American professional boxer. Ross became a world champion in three weight divisions and was a decorated veteran of World War II. In his time, he ...

* James N. Rowe *

Dick Rutan Richard Glenn Rutan (July 1, 1938 – May 3, 2024) was an American military aviator and officer, as well as a record-breaking test pilot who in 1986 piloted the Voyager aircraft on the first non-stop, non-refueled around-the-world flight with ...

Alfredo M. Santos Alfredo Manapat Santos (July 13, 1905 – February 7, 1990) was Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in 1962 to 1965, making him the first four-star general of the Philippines' armed forces. Early life Santos was born in Santa C ...

* Paul Saunders * Harold Schrier * Leonard T. Schroeder Jr. * Robert L. Scott * Nate Self *

Arthur D. Simons Arthur D. "Bull" Simons (June 28, 1918 – May 21, 1979) was a United States Army Special Forces colonel best known for leading the Sơn Tây raid, an attempted rescue of U.S. prisoners of war during the Vietnam War from a North Vietnamese p ...

Rodger W. Simpson Rodger Whitten Simpson (June 4, 1898 – December 10, 1964) was a Rear admiral (United States), rear admiral of the United States Navy, who distinguished himself during World War II. The frigate was named in his honor. Biography Simpson attended ...

* H. Norman Schwarzkopf *

Ben Schwartzwalder Floyd Burdette Schwartzwalder (June 2, 1909 – April 28, 1993) was a football coach at Syracuse University, where he trained future National Football League (NFL) stars such as Jim Brown, Larry Csonka, Floyd Little and Ernie Davis, the first ...

Sidney Shachnow Sidney Shachnow ( – ) was a Jewish American Holocaust survivor who attained the rank of Major general (United States), major general in United States Army. He retired in 1994, after almost 40 years of active service. Biography Surviving the ...

* Charles Bradford Smith *

Frederick W. Smith Frederick Wallace Smith (born August 11, 1944) is an American business magnate and investor. He is the founder and chairman of FedEx Corporation, the world's largest transportation company. Smith stepped down as CEO in June 2022 and was succeed ...

* Oliver Prince Smith * Ronald Speirs * Michael G. Stahl (two awards) *

Brian Stann Brian Michael Stann (born September 24, 1980) is an American former mixed martial artist and U.S. Marine who competed in the middleweight and light Heavyweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He also competed in the light h ...

James Stockdale James Bond Stockdale (December 23, 1923 – July 5, 2005) was a United States Navy Vice admiral (United States), vice admiral and United States naval aviator, aviator who was awarded the Medal of Honor in the Vietnam War, during which he was a pr ...

(four awards) *

George L. Street III George Levick Street III (July 27, 1913 – February 26, 2000) was a submariner in the United States Navy. He received the Medal of Honor during World War II. Early life and career Street was born in Richmond, Virginia. He joined the Naval Reser ...

* Samuel D. Sturgis Jr. *

Richard K. Sutherland Lieutenant General Richard Kerens Sutherland (27 November 1893 – 25 June 1966) was a United States Army officer during World War II. He served as General of the Army Douglas MacArthur's Chief of Staff in the South West Pacific Area during the ...

* Thomas Tigue *

Richard Tilghman Richard Albert Tilghman (March 8, 1920 – February 23, 2017) was a politician who served as a Republican member of the Pennsylvania State Senate for the 17th district from 1969 to 2001. He also served in the Pennsylvania House of Representat ...

Pat Tillman Patrick Daniel Tillman Jr. (November6, 1976– April22, 2004) was an American professional American football, football player for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL) who left his sports career and enlisted in the United ...

* Michel Thomas *

Floyd James Thompson Floyd James "Jim" Thompson (July 8, 1933 – July 16, 2002) was a United States Army colonel. He was one of the longest-held American prisoners of war, spending nearly nine years in captivity in the forests and mountains of South Vietnam, Laos, a ...

* William F. Train II *

Matt Urban Matt Louis Urban (August 25, 1919 – March 4, 1995) was a United States Army lieutenant colonel and one of the most decorated American soldiers of World War II. Urban performed valiantly in combat on many occasions despite being wounded in ...

(two awards) *

James Van Fleet General (United States), General James Alward Van Fleet (19 March 1892 – 23 September 1992) was a United States Army officer who served during World War I, World War II and the Korean War. Van Fleet was a native of New Jersey, who was raised i ...

(three awards) *

Paul K. Van Riper Paul K. Van Riper (born July 5, 1938) is a retired United States Marine lieutenant general. Van Riper was a combat veteran—twice receiving the Silver Star Medal for his heroic actions during the Vietnam War. At the time of his retirement, Va ...

(two awards) *

Humbert Roque Versace Captain (United States), Captain Humbert Roque "Rocky" Versace (July 2, 1937 – September 26, 1965) was a United States Army officer of Puerto Rican American, Puerto Rican–Italian people, Italian descent who was posthumously awarded the United ...

* Nicolas Walsh (two awards) * John T. Walton * Rawleigh Warner Jr. *

Billy Waugh William Dawson Waugh (December 1, 1929 – April 4, 2023) was an American soldier and paramilitary operations officer whose career in clandestine operations with both the U.S. Army's Special Forces and the Central Intelligence Agency's Special ...

Jim Webb James Henry Webb Jr. (born February 9, 1946) is an American politician and author. He has served as a United States senator from Virginia, Secretary of the Navy, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, Counsel for the United States ...

Haskell Wexler Haskell Wexler (February 6, 1922 – December 27, 2015) was an American filmmaker, cinematographer, and documentarian. He won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography twice, in 1966 for ''Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' and 1976 for ''Bou ...

* Kevin Wheatley *

Joshua Wheeler Joshua Lloyd Wheeler (November 22, 1975 – October 22, 2015) was a United States Army soldier who was killed in Iraq during Operation Inherent Resolve. He was a master sergeant assigned to the elite Delta Force, and was the first American service ...

Charles Willeford Charles Ray Willeford III (January 2, 1919 – March 27, 1988) was an American writer. An author of fiction, poetry, autobiography and literary criticism, Willeford wrote a series of novels featuring hardboiled detective fiction, detective Hoke ...

* James E. Williams (two awards) * Royce Williams * Jocko Willink * Theodore H. Winters Jr. (three awards) *

Jerauld Wright Admiral (United States), Admiral Jerauld Wright (June 4, 1898 – April 27, 1995) was an officer in the United States Navy. He served as the Commander-in-Chief of the United States Joint Forces Command, United States Atlantic Command (CINCLAN ...

Tahsin Yazıcı Tahsin Yazıcı () (1892 in Monastir – February 11, 1971 in Ankara) was an Ottoman Army officer and later a Turkish Army general and politician. Biography He was born to his father Ali Bey and his mother Ganimet Hanım in Monastir, Ottoma ...

Chuck Yeager Brigadier general (United States), Brigadier General Charles Elwood Yeager ( , February 13, 1923December 7, 2020) was a United States Air Force officer, flying ace, and record-setting test pilot who in October 1947 became the first pilot in his ...

(two awards) * Elton Younger * Albert C. Zapanta * Douglas A. Zembiec

References

External links

Silver Star database at MilitaryTimes.com
(Archive.org, not searchable)
''Military Times'' Hall of Valor
(Searchable)
Awards and Decorations Air Force Personnel Center
{{Authority control Awards established in 1932 Courage awards Military awards and decorations of the United States Awards and decorations of the United States Air Force Awards and decorations of the United States Army Awards and decorations of the United States Coast Guard Awards and decorations of the United States Marine Corps Awards and decorations of the United States Navy Awards and decorations of the United States Space Force 1932 establishments in the United States

History

Award criteria

Appearance

Recipients

Female recipients

Notable recipients

See also

References

External links