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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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List Of Medal Of Honor Recipients Educated At The United States Naval Academy

The United States Naval Academy is an undergraduate college in Annapolis, Maryland with the mission of educating and commissioning officers for the United States Navy and Marine Corps. The Academy is often referred to as Annapolis, while sports media refer to the Academy as "Navy" and the students as "Midshipmen"; this usage is officially endorsed. During the latter half of the 19th century and the first decades of the 20th, the United States Naval Academy was the primary source of U.S. Navy and Marine Corps officers, with the Class of 1881 being the first to provide officers to the Marine Corps. Graduates of the Academy are also given the option of entering the United States Army or United States Air Force. Most Midshipmen are admitted through the congressional appointment system. The curriculum emphasizes various fields of engineering.

This list is drawn from alumni of the Naval Academy who are recipients of the Medal of Honor (MOH), the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. The Academy was founded in 1845 and graduated its first class in 1846. The first alumnus to graduate and go on to receive the Medal of Honor was Harry L. Hawthorne (class of 1882). The most recent alumnus to receive the Medal of Honor was James Stockdale (class of 1947). Two alumni, Orion P. Howe (class of 1870) and Henry Lakin Simpson (class of 1882), received the Medal of Honor before being appointed to the Academy.

At the Naval Academy, in Bancroft Hall, twenty-one rooms are dedicated to each Academy graduate Medal of Honor recipient since the start of World War II.

In addition to the 73 Medal of Honor recipients who are alumni of the Academy, over 990 noted scholars from a variety of academic fields are Academy graduates, including 56 Rhodes Scholars and 34 Marshall Scholars. Additional notable graduates include 1 President of the United States and 2 Nobel Prize recipients.

Medal of Honor recipients

"Class year" refers to the alumni's class year, which usually is the same year they graduated. However, in times of war, classes often graduate early. For example, the Class of 1943 actually graduated in 1942.

Spanish–American War

Name Class year Notability References
Richmond Pearson Hobson 1889 Rear Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for attempting to block a channel during the Spanish–American War, where he was taken prisoner; Representative from Alabama (1907–1915)

Veracruz

Name Class year Notability References
Frank Friday Fletcher 1875 Rear Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for commanding landing operations during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914; the Fletcher-class destroyer was named after him; uncle of Frank Jack Fletcher
William R. Rush 1877 Captain; recipient of the Medal of Honor for commanding landing operations during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914
Harry M. P. Huse 1878 Vice-Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for leadership in shortening the conflict during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914
Edwin Anderson, Jr. 1882 Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for leadership as commanding officer of USS New Hampshire, and while leading ground units during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914
Herman Osman Stickney 1888 Rear Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions as gun captain on board USS Prairie during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914
William Kelly Harrison 1889 Recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914
Albertus W. Catlin 1890 Brigadier General, USMC; recipient of the Medal of Honor for bravery in ground combat operations during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914
William A. Moffett 1890 Rear Admiral; pioneer of Naval aviation; first Chief of the Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics, Moffett Federal Airfield named after him; recipient of the Medal of Honor for night operations aboard USS Chester during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914
Wendell Cushing Neville 1890 Major General, USMC; recipient of the Medal of Honor for leadership during ground combat during the landings at United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914; Commandant of the Marine Corps (1929–1930)
Rufus Zenas Johnston 1895 Rear Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914
Allen Buchanan 1899 Commander; recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914
Guy W. S. Castle 1901 Commander; pioneer of submarine service as commanding officer of USS Plunger and USS Porpoise; recipient of the Medal of Honor for leadership during the landings at Veracruz in April 1914
James Patrick Lannon 1902 Rear Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914
Adolphus Staton 1902 Rear Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914
Julius Curtis Townsend 1902 Rear Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914
Richard Wainwright 1902 Commander; recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions in ground combat during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914; sailed with the Great White Fleet (1907–1909)
Frederick V. McNair, Jr. 1903 Captain; recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions in occupying the city during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914; son of Admiral Frederick V. McNair, Sr. (class of 1857); grandfather of tennis champion Frederick V. McNair, IV
Frank Jack Fletcher 1906 Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for saving hundreds of refugees during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914; operational commander at the pivotal Battles of Coral Sea and of Midway in World War II; nephew of Admiral Frank Friday Fletcher
Charles Conway Hartigan 1906 Rear Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914
George McCall Courts 1907 Commander; recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914
Jonas H. Ingram 1907 Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions in handling an artillery and machine gun battalion during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914; Navy Cross recipient for actions during World War I; commander, United States Atlantic Fleet during World War II; football player and head football coach at the Academy
Theodore S. Wilkinson 1909 Vice-Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914; veteran of World War I and World War II; director of Office of Naval Intelligence when Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941
Oscar C. Badger II 1911 Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914; veteran of World War I and World War II; commanding officer of USS North Carolina
Paul Frederick Foster 1911 Vice Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914
George M. Lowry 1911 Rear Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for ground actions during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914; veteran of World War II
Hugh Carroll Frazer 1912 Commander; recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914
Edward Orrick McDonnell 1912 Vice Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for bravery while manning a signal station during the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914
Frank Friday Fletcher
Albertus Catlin
William Moffett
Wendell Neville
Frank Jack Fletcher
Jonas Ingram
Oscar Badger

World War I

Name Class year Notability References
Willis W. Bradley 1907 Captain; Governor of Guam (1929–1931); Representative from California (1947–1949); Medal of Honor recipient for actions during an ammunition explosion on board USS Pittsburgh in 1917
Edouard Izac 1915 Representative from California (1937–1947); World War I Medal of Honor recipient; held as a prisoner of war on board a German submarine and in Germany, but escaped

World War II

Name Class year Notability References
Isaac C. Kidd 1906 Rear Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions on the bridge of USS Arizona during the Attack on Pearl Harbor
Franklin Van Valkenburgh 1909 Captain; recipient of the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions during the attack on Pearl Harbor as the last captain of USS Arizona
Mervyn S. Bennion 1910 Captain; recipient of the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions during the attack on Pearl Harbor while commanding, and saving from destruction, USS West Virginia
Daniel J. Callaghan 1911 Rear Admiral; posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor for bravery and leadership in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on November 13, 1942; classmate Norman Scott was his second-in-command and he also perished that night and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor
Norman Scott 1911 Rear Admiral; posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor for bravery and leadership in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on November 13, 1942; was second-in-command to classmate Daniel Callaghan who also perished that night and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor
Albert H. Rooks 1914 Captain; posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor for bravery and leadership in the south Pacific during a series of actions as a commanding officer of USS Houston in February 1942 against Japanese air and sea forces
Cassin Young 1916 Captain; recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions as a commanding officer of USS Vestal during the attack on Pearl Harbor; posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for actions during the Battle of Cape Esperance and Naval Battle of Guadalcanal
Samuel G. Fuqua 1923 Rear Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions during the attack on USS Arizona where he directed damage control and rescue of personnel, as senior surviving officer he directed abandoning of the ship and left with the last boatload
John P. Cromwell 1924 Captain; posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions while commander of a submarine group and on board USS Sculpin near Truk island he went down with the submarine when the crew had to abandon it
Herbert Emery Schonland 1925 Rear Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions as damage control officer of USS San Francisco during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal
Howard W. Gilmore 1926 Commander; posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions during January–February 1943 while commanding officer of USS Growler; while surfaced and on deck he ordered his submarine to dive while he remained on deck
Bruce Van Voorhis 1929 Lieutenant Commander; posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions in the Solomon Islands he flew a 700-mile unescorted bombing/reconnaissance mission
Harold W. Bauer 1930 Lieutenant Colonel, USMC; posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions in the Solomon Islands for shooting down 11 enemy planes
Samuel David Dealey 1930 Commander; posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions as a commanding officer of USS Harder; recipient of four Navy Crosses
Richard Antrim 1931 Rear Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for heroism as a prisoner of war; Navy Cross recipient
Ernest E. Evans 1931 Commander; posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor for heroism while commanding officer of USS Johnston during the Battle off Samar; Navy Cross recipient
Lawson P. Ramage 1931 Vice Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for heroism while commanding officer of USS Parche; recipient of two Navy Crosses
Bruce McCandless 1932 Rear Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for his heroism on board USS San Francisco during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal; father of Bruce McCandless II, astronaut, class of 1958
John D. Bulkeley 1933 Vice Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for combat actions from December 1941 – April 1942 while commanding Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Three, which rescued General of the Army Douglas MacArthur
David McCampbell 1933 Captain; recipient of the Medal of Honor for aerial combat during World War II; became the Navy's all-time fighter ace with 34 aerial victories
George Fleming Davis 1934 Commander; posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor for combat while commanding officer of USS Walke during the landings at Lingayen Gulf, Philippines
Richard O'Kane 1934 Rear Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for submarine combat during World War II on board USS Tang, also served on board USS Wahoo, participated in more successful attacks on Japanese shipping than any other fighting submarine officer during World War II
Eugene Bennett Fluckey 1935 Rear Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor and four Navy Crosses for submarine combat during World War II; commander of USS Barb, which won the Presidential Unit Citation for its eighth through eleventh patrols and the Navy Unit Commendation for the twelfth patrol
John James Powers 1935 Lieutenant; posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor for aerial combat as a dive bomber pilot during the Battle of the Coral Sea
Milton Ernest Ricketts 1935 Lieutenant; posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions while in charge of a damage control party on board USS Yorktown during the Battle of the Coral Sea
Edward "Butch" O'Hare 1937 Lieutenant Commander; recipient of the Medal of Honor for aerial combat during World War II; US Navy's first ace of the war; O'Hare International Airport in Chicago named after him
George L. Street III 1937 Captain; recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions as a commanding officer of USS Tirante in Cheju Island harbor
Richard Miles McCool 1945 Captain; recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions while serving on board a Landing Craft Support during the Battle of Okinawa
Isaac Kidd
Norman Scott
Harold Bauer
Lawson Ramage
John Bulkeley
David McCampbell in his fighter plane
Richard O'Kane
Eugene Fluckey
Butch O'Hare in his F4F Wildcat fighter plane
Richard McCool (l)

Korea

Name Class year Notability References
Thomas J. Hudner, Jr. 1947 Captain; fighter pilot; crash-landed his plane at Chosin Reservoir attempting to save downed squadron mate Jesse L. Brown, who was the first African-American United States Naval aviator
Baldomero Lopez 1948 1st Lieutenant; Marine Corps infantry platoon leader; posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions during the landings at Inchon
Robert D. Reem 1948 2nd Lieutenant; Marine Corps infantry platoon leader; Medal of Honor recipient for actions at Chinhung-ni, North Korea
Baldomero Lopez scaling the seawall at Inchon

Vietnam

Name Class year Notability References
James Stockdale 1947 Vice Admiral; Naval aviator & prisoner of war (POW); Medal of Honor recipient for actions as a POW; one of the most highly decorated officers in the history of the United States Navy; Vice-presidential candidate (Reform Party, 1992 United States presidential election)

Other recipients

Name Class year Notability References
Orion P. Howe 1870 Recipient of the Medal of Honor as a 14-year-old drummer boy during the American Civil War; later appointed to the Academy
Harry L. Hawthorne 1882 Colonel, United States Army; MOH for his actions at Wounded Knee
Henry Lakin Simpson 1882 Recipient of the Medal of Honor for rescuing a man overboard; later appointed to the Academy
Claud A. Jones 1907 Rear Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism during the destruction of USS Tennessee during a 1916 hurricane
William M. Corry, Jr. 1910 Recipient of the Medal of Honor, posthumously, for his attempts in 1920 to rescue the pilot of a burning plane in which he had been a passenger; Corry Station Naval Technical Training Center and three destroyers have been named in his honor
Walter Atlee Edwards 1910 Lieutenant Commander; Medal of Honor recipient for saving 482 people from a burning transport in the Sea of Marmara, Turkey in 1922
Richard E. Byrd 1912 Rear Admiral; Arctic and Antarctic explorer; Medal of Honor recipient for aerial and Arctic explorations; assistant to Officer In Charge, Navy Recruiting Bureau
Robert Webster Cary 1914 Rear Admiral; recipient of the Medal of Honor for his bravery during a boiler explosion on board USS California in 1915; veteran of World War I and World War II; Navy Cross recipient; recipient of five Legions of Merit
Thomas J. Ryan 1921 Rear Admiral; Medal of Honor recipient for actions during the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake in Yokohama, Japan; World War II destroyer flotilla commander
Henry Clay Drexler 1924 Ensign; posthumous Medal of Honor recipient for actions following a gun turret explosion on board USS Trenton in 1924
Carlton B. Hutchins 1926 Lieutenant; posthumous Medal of Honor recipient for actions following a mid-air collision with another Consolidated PBY Catalina seaplane where his piloting allowed the rest of his crew to parachute to safety
William Corry
Richard Byrd

See also