Medal of Honor Recipients in the 113^th Congress: A Fact Sheet

March 13, 2015 (R43939)

This fact sheet lists names of recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest award for valor, awarded during the 113^th Congress.

Previous congressional use of the information contained in this fact sheet has included examinations of legislative measures that have waived or accelerated timeline reviews for potential Medal of Honor recipients. The material has been used in speeches, including Memorial and Veterans Day holiday observations.

Each name is linked to the citation published by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. Each general order is linked to the official citation published by the Army Decorations and Awards Branch. The authorizing legislation is also linked to the "section" that is germane to the Medal of Honor. For service members who served in the Global War on Terror, recommendations were awarded without the need for authorizing legislation.

This fact sheet will be updated following each subsequent Congress in which the Medal of Honor is awarded.

Table 1. Civil War

Name	Date of Issue	Place of Birth	General Orders	Authorizing Legislation
First Lieutenant Alonzo H. Cushing	11/6/2014	WI	not yet published	P.L. 113-66, Title V, Section 569

Source: Table compiled by the Congressional Research Service (CRS).

Note: Posthumously awarded.

Table 2. World War II

Name	Date of Issue	Place of Birth	General Orders	Authorizing Legislation
Private Pedro Cano	3/18/2014	Mexico	2014-20	P.L. 107-107, Title V, Section 552
Private Joe Gandara	3/18/2014	CA	2014-22	P.L. 107-107, Title V, Section 552
Private First Class Salvador J. Lara	3/18/2014	Not available	2014-32	P.L. 107-107, Title V, Section 552
Private First Class William F. Leonard	3/18/2014	NJ	2014-34	P.L. 107-107, Title V, Section 552
Staff Sergeant Manuel V. Mendoza	3/18/2014	AZ	2014-35	P.L. 107-107, Title V, Section 552
Sergeant Alfred B. Nietzel	3/18/2014	NY	2014-38	P.L. 107-107, Title V, Section 552
First Lieutenant Donald K. Schwab	3/18/2014	NE	2014-42	P.L. 107-107, Title V, Section 552

Source: Table compiled by CRS.

Note: Posthumously awarded.

Table 3. Korea 1950-1953

Name	Date of Issue	Place of Birth	General Orders	Authorizing Legislation
Corporal Joe R. Baldonado	3/18/2014	CO	2014-24	P.L. 107-107, Title V, Section 552
Corporal Victor H. Espinoza	3/18/2014	TX	2014-28	P.L. 107-107, Title V, Section 552
Sergeant Eduardo C. Gomez	3/18/2014	CA	2014-30	P.L. 107-107, Title V, Section 552
Chaplain (Captain) Emil J. Kapaun	4/11/2013	KS	2013-13	P.L. 112-81, Title V, Section 594
Private First Class Leonard M. Kravitz	3/18/2014	NY	2014-33	P.L. 107-107, Title V, Section 552
Sergeant Juan E. Negron	3/18/2014	Puerto Rico	2014-37	P.L. 107-107, Title V, Section 552
Master Sergeant Mike C. Pena	3/18/2014	TX	2014-39	P.L. 107-107, Title V, Section 552
Private Demensio Rivera	3/18/2014	Puerto Rico	2014-40	P.L. 107-107, Title V, Section 552
Private Miguel A. Vera	3/18/2014	Puerto Rico	2014-43	P.L. 107-107, Title V, Section 552
Sergeant Jack Weinstein	3/18/2014	MO	2014-31	P.L. 107-107, Title V, Section 552

Source: Compiled by CRS.

Note: Posthumously awarded.

Table 4. Vietnam 1956-1973

Name	Date of Issue	Home of Record or Birthplace	General Orders	Authorizing Legislation
Sergeant First Class Bennie G. Adkins	9/15/2014	AL	2014-70	P.L. 113-66, Title V, Section 567
Specialist Four Leonard L. Alvarado ^a	3/18/2014	CA	2014-23	P.L. 107-107, Title V, Section 552
Staff Sergeant Felix M. Condé-Falcon^a	3/18/2014	Puerto Rico	2014-25	P.L. 107-107, Title V, Section 552
Specialist Four Ardie R. Copas ^a	3/18/2014	FL	2014-26	P.L. 107-107, Title V, Section 552
Specialist Four Jesus S. Duran ^a	3/18/2014	Mexico	2014-27	P.L. 107-107, Title V, Section 552
Specialist Four Santiago J. Erevia	3/18/2014	TX	2014-21	P.L. 107-107, Title V, Section 552
Sergeant Candelario Garcia ^a	3/18/2014	TX	2014-29	P.L. 107-107, Title V, Section 552
Staff Sergeant Melvin Morris	3/18/2014	OK	2014-36	P.L. 107-107, Title V, Section 552
Sergeant First Class Jose Rodela	3/18/2014	TX	2014-41	P.L. 107-107, Title V, Section 552
Specialist Fourth Class Donald P. Sloat ^a	9/15/2014	OK	2014-69	P.L. 113-66, Title V, Section 567(2)

Source: Compiled by CRS.

a. Posthumously awarded.

Table 5. Global War on Terror 2001-2014

Name	Date of Issue	Home of Record or Birthplace	General Orders
Lance Corporal William Kyle Carpenter	6/19/2014	MS	not yet published
Specialist Ty M. Carter	8/26/2013	WA	2013-72
Sergeant Ryan M. Pitts	7/21/2014	NH	2014-68
Staff Sergeant Clinton L. Romesha	2/11/2013	CA	2013-04
Captain William D. Swenson	10/15/2013	Not available	2013-89
Specialist Kyle J. White	05/13/2014	WA	2014-50