Do you know who the most highly decorated service members are for different wars?

2014-08-27T09:11:27-04:00

I find some of these older men and women simply amazing.

I will start it off with who I believe to be the most highly decorated for Vietnam.

1LT Robert Lewis Howard: 1 MOH (nominated for 3 different ones), 2 Distinguished Service Cross, 1 Silver Star, 4 Legion of Merit, 4 Bronze Stars (one for valor), 8 Purple Hearts, 3 Meritorious Service Medals, 4 Air Medals (one for valor), Joint service commendation medal, 7 Army commendation medals (one for Valor), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement medal.

Those are just a list of his personal awards, he also received 11 Foreign awards, 4 unit Awards, also a number of special skills badges to include, Long tab, Short tab, CIB, EIB, Aircrew badge, AA badge, master parachutist badge, Pathfinder badge.

These are the kind of service members that I admire and enjoy reading about. So when you ask yourself the question of, "Who would I like to get knowledge from" these are the type of people I think about.

Let's get some other input from different Wars and the heroes that fought in them.

Response by MSG Wade Huffman made Aug 27 at 2014 9:31 AM

2014-08-27T09:31:11-04:00

I'll throw in in from the Civil War. The most decorated from the Union Army was CPT Thomas Ward Custer, Brevet Lieutenant Colonel, also the younger brother of George Armstrong Custer.
He was twice awarded the Medal of Honor, the first during the Battle of Namozine Church, April 3, 1865, and the second in the Battle of Sayler's Creek. Both were for actions involving the capture of Confederate Regimental Flags.
He died with his brother at Little Bighorn in the Montana Territory on June 25, 1876 at the age of 31 and is buried at Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Aug 27 at 2014 4:59 PM

2014-08-27T16:59:14-04:00

I like it when the VFW magazine comes to the front door. It frequently has breakdowns of this exact same topic. Sometimes it even goes as far as to break down the details of specific units during different campaigns. Good reading and great thread 1SG Private RallyPoint Member

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 28 at 2014 2:04 PM

2014-08-28T14:04:52-04:00

I will go with my Grandfather. He served from 20 years retiring in 1973. He was an Army Aviator and did 6 tours in Vietnam accumulating 136 Air Medals.

Response by SGT James Elphick made Aug 28 at 2014 3:11 PM

2014-08-28T15:11:58-04:00

You can't forget the Marines from the early 1900's during incidents like the Boxer Rebellion and the Banana Wars. To that end we have GySgt Dan Daly and Maj. Gen. Smedley Butler who both earned 2 MOH's during that time.

Response by SGT James Elphick made Aug 28 at 2014 3:24 PM

2014-08-28T15:24:00-04:00

From what I can find for WWI it seems there are 2 possibilites, depends how you look at it.

1. Alvin York - MOH, DSC, and various awards from European nations
2. Nelson Holderman - MOH, Silver Star, PH x2, and various awards from European nations. He also had a Silver Star from the Mexican Campaign prior to WWI