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

Last Updated:  27 March 2014

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