Who was the 1st Medal of Honor recipient?

Jacob Parrott
Jacob Parrott was a U.S. soldier who participated in the legendary Civil War mission popularly known as the Great Locomotive Race. His bravery as a member of the Union crew that stole a Confederate train led to recognition as the nation’s first Medal of Honor recipient.

When was the first Medal of Honor awarded?

March 25, 1863
The first Medal of Honor was awarded to Army Pvt. Jacob Parrot, and five others, on March 25, 1863, for their service in the Civil War. To date, there have been 3,473 Medals of Honor awarded.

Where was the first Medal of Honor given?

Private Jacob Parrott, a U.S. Army volunteer from Ohio, became the first actual Medal of Honor recipient, awarded for his volunteering for and participation in a raid on a Confederate train in Big Shanty, Georgia, on April 12, 1862, during the American Civil War.

Who was the first black man to receive the Medal of Honor?

Sergeant William Carney
The first African American to earn the Medal of Honor was Sergeant William Carney, a flag-bearer in Company C of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry. Though Carney was part of the 18 July 1863 assault on Fort Wagner, a Confederate stronghold in South Carolina, he would not receive the medal until 1900.

Which ethnic group has won the most Medal of Honor?

Of the 3,464 Medals of Honor awarded as of September 17, 2009, an estimated 2,021 (58%) have been awarded to Irish-American recipients, more than twice the number awarded any other ethnic group; 257 Irish-born Americans have received the Medal of Honor which represents more than half of foreign-born MOH recipients.

Who has won the most Medal of Honor?

Native born Irish have won 257 Medals of Honor, while Irish Americans have won an astounding 2,018 (more than twice the number awarded any other ethnic group). And this is out of 3,464 Medals of Honor total being awarded.

What is the highest Medal of Honor an American receive?

Since the American Revolution, Congress has commissioned gold medals as its highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions. Each medal honors a particular individual, institution, or event.

Who has refused the Medal of Honor?

Former President Harry S. Truman blocked an effort by the House of Representatives to award him the Presidential Medal of Honor in 1971. President Truman famously said he would rather get the Medal of Honor, a military honor, than be president.

Who was the only president to receive the Medal of Honor?

President Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States of America, is the only US President to be awarded the Medal of Honor. It was posthumously awarded to him on …16 January 2001 by President William Jefferson “Bill” Clinton, 42nd President of the United States of America.