List of African American Medal of Honor recipients

This is a list of African Americans awarded the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor. The Medal of Honor is bestowed "for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, in actual combat against an armed enemy force." The medal is awarded by the President of the United States on behalf of the Congress, and it is thus commonly known as the "Congressional Medal of Honor".

Of the 3,463 Medals of Honor awarded as of April 2007, 88 have been awarded to 87 different African American recipients.C. W. Hanna, "African American recipients of the Medal of Honor", 3; Note: Hanna includes Clement Dees in his count, while this list does not, because Dees' medal was rescinded.] Robert Augustus Sweeney is one of only 19 men, and the only African American, to be awarded two Medals of Honor. [cite web| title = List of Double MOH Recipients| publisher = Congressional Medal of Honor Society| url = http://www.cmohs.org/recipients/double.htm| accessdate = 2006-08-28 ]

Medal of Honor

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government and is bestowed on a member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself "…conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States…" Due to the nature of this medal, it is commonly presented posthumously. [http://www.defenselink.mil/faq/pis/med_of_honor.html Defense link Medal of Honor history] ]

Civil War

Twenty-five African Americans earned the Medal of Honor during the American Civil War, including seven sailors of the Union Navy, fifteen soldiers of the United States Colored Troops, and three soldiers of other Army units. Fourteen African American men earned the medal for actions in the Battle of Chaffin's Farm, where a division of U.S. Colored Troops saw heavy action. Another four men, all sailors, earned their medals at the Battle of Mobile Bay. William Harvey Carney was the first African American to perform an action for which a Medal of Honor was awarded, but Robert Blake was the first to actually receive the medal (Blake's was issued in 1864, Carney did not receive his until 1900). While it was common for Civil War Medals of Honor to be awarded decades after the conflict ended, Andrew Jackson Smith's medal was not awarded until 2001, 137 years after the action in which he earned it. Smith's wait, caused by a missing battle report, is the longest delay of the award for any recipient, African American or otherwise.cite book |last=Owens |first=Ron |title=Medal of Honor: Historical Facts and Figures |publisher=Turner Publishing Company |year=2004 |location= |page=23 |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=s65pmBAUmD4C |isbn=1563119951 ]

World War I

Freddie Stowers was the only African American to receive the Medal of Honor for actions in World War I. Stowers had led an assault on German trenches, continuing to lead and encourage his men even after being twice wounded. Stowers died of his wounds, and was shortly afterwards recommended for the Medal of Honor; however, this recommendation was never processed. In 1990, the Department of the Army conducted a review and the Stowers recommendation was uncovered. An investigation was launched, and based on results of the investigation the award of the Medal of Honor was approved. Stowers' Medal of Honor was presented on April 24 1991—seventy-three years after he was killed-in-action.

Vietnam War

Twenty African Americans were awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in the Vietnam War, including James Anderson, Jr., the first African American Marine to receive the medal.

Peacetime

Prior to World War II, the Medal of Honor could be awarded for actions not involving direct combat with the enemy; eight African Americans earned the medal in this way, all of them sailors. Robert Augustus Sweeney received two peacetime Medals of Honor, one of only nineteen men, and the only African American, to be awarded the medal twice. Most of the non-combat medals, including both of Sweeney's, were awarded for rescuing or attempting to rescue someone from drowning.

ee also

*List of Medal of Honor recipients
*Military history of African Americans

Notes

References

*cite book|last=Hanna|first=Charles W.|title=African American recipients of the Medal of Honor: a biographical dictionary, Civil War through Vietnam War|publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers|year=2002|location=Jefferson, North Carolina|id=ISBN 0-7864-1355-7
*cite web
accessdate=2008-07-25
url = http://www.history.army.mil/moh.html
title = U.S. Army Center of Military History Medal of Honor Citations Archive
work =
publisher= Army Medal of Honor website
date = July 16, 2007
**cite web
accessdate=2008-07-25
url = http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/mohb.html
title = U.S. Army Center of Military History Medal of Honor Citations Archive
work = World War II African American Medal of Honor Recipients
publisher= Army Medal of Honor website
date = July 16, 2007

External links

* [http://www.blackhistorydaily.com/black_history/Military/ BlackHistoryDaily.com - African Americans in the military]
* [http://371regiment.homestead.com 371st Regiment Monument]