Often called the Congressional Medal of Honor, it is the nation's highest military award for “uncommon valor” by men and women in the armed forces. It is given for actions that are above and beyond the call of duty in combat against an armed enemy. The medal was first awarded by the army on March 25, 1863. More than 3,400 men have been awarded the medal, as well as one woman, Dr. Mary Walker, a surgeon in the Civil War.

Recipients of the medal are awarded $400 per month for life, a right to burial at Arlington National Cemetery, admission for them or their children to a service academy (if they qualify and quotas permit), and free travel on government aircraft to almost anywhere in the world, on a space-available basis.

War/Conflict	Total1	Army	Navy	Marines	Coast Guard	Air Force	Civilian
Civil War	1,522	1,196	305	17	—	—	4
Noncombat, 1865–1870	13	1	12	—	—	—	—
Indian Wars (1861–1898)	426	422	—	—	—	—	4
Korea (1871)	15	—	9	6	—	—	—
Noncombat, 1871–1899	106	—	104	2	—	—	—
Spanish-American War	110	31	64	15	—	—	—
Samoa	4	—	1	3	—	—	—
Philippines	80	69	5	6	—	—	—
China	59	4	22	33	—	—	—
Noncombat, 1901–1910	49	1	46	2	—	—	—
Philippines (1911)	6	1	5	—	—	—	—
Mexican Campaign (1914)	56	1	46	9	—	—	—
Haiti (1915)	6	—	—	6	—	—	—
Noncombat, 1915–1916	8	—	8	—	—	—	—
Dominican Republic	3	—	—	3	—	—	—
World War I	119	90	21	8	—	—	—
Haiti (1919–1920)	2	—	—	2	—	—	—
Nicaragua (1927–1933)	2	—	—	2	—	—	—
Noncombat, 1920–1940	17	1	15	1	—	—	—
World War II	463	323	57	82	1	—	—
Korean War	131	82	7	42	—	—	—
Vietnam War	242	156	16	57	—	13	—
Somalia (1993)	2	2	—	—	—	—	—
Unknown Soldiers	9	9	—	—	—	—	—
Total	3,450	2,389	743	296	1	13	8