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

Last Updated:  9 July 2012

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.

Red Bold - Denotes that the person is still alive.

 

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