Top 50 Most Highly Decorated U.S. Military Personnel of All Time

Last Updated:  21 June 2009

On this page I have used my Medal Points System to list the Top 50 Most Highly Decorated U.S. Mlitary Personnel in American History. This includes all military branches and all time periods. Although I believe the list to be inclusive of all Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines, it is still a work in progress. As I research new personnel, it is possible I will find someone new that will make the top 50 list. My master list I work from includes over 1,000 military personnel. There are two lists: the first list requires that the person has to have been awarded the Medal of Honor; the second list simply totals up the person's points, no matter what their highest decoration is.

If the person's name is underlined, it will link to their tribute on this web site when you click on it.

 

Top 50 With Medal of Honor:                                                             Top 50 by points, regardless of highest decoration:

1. GA Douglas MacArthur, USA	1. GA Douglas MacArthur, USA
2. Col Edward V. Rickenbacker, USAAS	2. Col David H. Hackworth, USA
3. VADM John D. Bulkeley, USN	3. Col Edward V. Rickenbacker, USAAS
4. CDR Samuel D. Dealey, USN	4. BG John T. Corley, USA
5. SgtMaj Daniel J. Daly, USMC	5. VADM John D. Bulkeley, USN
6. Col Robert L. Howard, USA	6. CDR Samuel D. Dealey, USN
7. RADM Richard H. O'Kane, USN	7. SgtMaj Daniel J. Daly, USMC
8. Maj Thomas B. McGuire, Jr., USAAF	8. Col James H. Kasler, USAF
9. VADM James B. Stockdale, USN	9. LtGen Lewis B. Puller, USMC
10. Maj Gen Smedley D. Butler, USMC	10. Gen John C. Meyer, USAF
11. VADM Joel T. Boone, USN	11. Col David C. Schilling, USAF
12. Maj Richard I. Bong, USAAF	12. Col Robert L. Howard, USA
13. RADM Eugene B. Fluckey, USN	13. Gen James A. Van Fleet, USA
14. Gen Raymond G. Davis, USMC	14. RADM Richard H. O'Kane, USN
15. Col George E. Day, USAF	15. Gen William E. DePuy, USA
16. Col George A. Davis, USAF	16. Col Francis S. Gabreski, USAF
17. PO1 James E. Williams, USN	17. Maj Thomas B. McGuire, Jr., USAAF
18. Col Leo K. Thorsness, USAF	18. VADM James B. Stockdale, USN
19. VADM Lawson P. Ramage, USN	19. Col James C. Harding, USAF
20. LTC Raymond Harvey, USA	20. MajGen Smedley D. Butler, USMC
21. MajGen James L. Day, USMC	21. VADM Joel T. Boone, USN
22. LCDR John C. McCloy, USN	22. Maj Gen Frank O. Hunter, USAAF
23. Col Gordon Johnston, USA	23. Gen John R. Deane, Jr., USA
24. Capt Joe R. Hooper, USA	24. Col Ralph S. Parr, Jr., USAF
25. Maj Gen Merritt A. Edson, USMC	25. RADM Roy M. Davenport, USN
26. BGen Herman H. Hanneken, USMC	26. Maj Richard I. Bong, USAAF
27. Maj Audie L. Murphy, USA	27. RADM James B. Linder, USN
28. Col Lloyd L. Burke, USA	28. Gen Barry R. McCaffrey, USA
29. Col Lewis L. Millett, USA	29. Maj Gen Robert M. White, USAF
30. CAPT David McCampbell, USN	30. RADM Eugene B. Fluckey, USN
31. Col James E. Swett, USMC	31. Gen Raymond G. Davis, USMC
32. CPL John H. Pruitt, USMC	32. Col Theodore W. Guy, USAF
33. Maj Louis Cukela, USMC	33. Gen Creighton W. Abrams, Jr., USA
34. RADM Richard E. Byrd, USN	34. Brig Gen R. Stephen Ritchie, USAF
35. LTC Matt L. Urban, USA	35. Col George E. Day, USAF
36. MG Patrick H. Brady, USA	36. Col George A. Davis, USAF
37. MG William F. Dean, USA	37. Col William T. Whisner, USAF
38. Gen James H. Doolittle, USAF	38. Lt Gen John P. Flynn, USAF
39. Col Neel E. Kearby, USAAF	39. Brig Gen Robin Olds, USAF
40. MajGen Wendell C. Neville, USMC	40. Gen H. Norman Schwarzkopf, USA
41. ADM Jonas H. Ingram, USN	41. PO1 James E. Williams, USN
42. 2d Lt Frank Luke, Jr., USAAS	42. ADM Bernard A. Clarey, USN
43. Sgt Matej Kocak, USMC	43. Col Leo K. Thorsness, USAF
44. Gen Leon W. Johnson, USAF	44. Col Donald J.M. Blakeslee, USAF
45. 1stLt Henry L. Hulbert, USMC	45. VADM Lawson P. Ramage, USN
46. MG William J. Donovan, USA	46. Maj Gen Frederick C. Blesse, USAF
47. CDR Howard W. Gilmore, USN	47. Gen Lemuel C. Sheperd, Jr., USMC
48. LtCol Kenneth A. Walsh, USMC	48. Lt Gen Jay T. Robbins, USAF
49. MG Frank D. Baldwin, USA	49. Gen Wayne A. Downing, USA
50. CM John L.M. Cooper, USN	50. Brig Gen Robinson Risner, USAF