List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II
R
Table:
Image
Name
Service
Rank
Place of action
Date of action
Notes

Lawson P. Ramage

Navy

Commander

USS Parche, south of Taiwan

July 31, 1944

Sunk enemy ships in gallant action.

—

Bernard J. Ray †

Army

First Lieutenant

Hurtgen Forest near Schevenhütte, Germany

November 17, 1944

—

James W. Reese †

Army

Private

Mt. Vassillio, Sicily

August 5, 1943

Sent mortars into enemy position in the line of fire so that his comrades can get across the hill. Shot down after the mortars were finally used up.

—

John N. Reese, Jr. †

Army

Private First Class

Paco Railroad Station, Manila, Philippines

February 9, 1945

Thomas J. Reeves †

Navy

Chief Radioman

USS California, Pearl Harbor

December 7, 1941

Died on the USS California.

Milton E. Ricketts †

Navy

Lieutenant

USS Yorktown, Battle of the Coral Sea

May 8, 1942

—

Paul F. Riordan †

Army

Second Lieutenant

near Cassino, Italy

February 3, 1944 – February 8, 1944

File:SSgtRubenRivers.jpg

Ruben Rivers †

Army

Staff Sergeant

toward Guebling, France

November 15, 1944 – November 19, 1944

One of seven African American soldiers who received their medals belatedly, after a 1993 study revealed discrimination that caused them to be overlooked at the time. From his citation "for extraordinary heroism" in an assault on German positions near Guebling, France: "Though severely wounded in the leg, Sergeant Rivers refused medical treatment and evacuation, took command of another tank, and advanced with his company in Guebling the next day. Repeatedly refusing evacuation, Sergeant Rivers continued to direct his tank's fire at enemy positions through the morning of 19 November 1944. At dawn, Company A's tanks began to advance towards Bougaktroff, but were stopped by enemy fire. Sergeant Rivers, joined by another tank, opened fire on the enemy tanks, covering company A as they withdrew. While doing so, Sergeant Rivers' tank was hit, killing him and wounding the crew."

Charles H. Roan †

Marine Corps

Private First Class

Peleliu, Palau Islands

September 18, 1944

—

James E. Robinson, Jr. †

Army

First Lieutenant

near Untergriesheim, Germany

April 6, 1945

Cleto L. Rodriguez

Army

Private

Paco Railroad Station, Manila, Philippines

February 9, 1945

—

Robert E. Roeder †

Army

Captain

Mt. Battaglia, Italy

September 27, 1944 – September 28, 1944

Albert H. Rooks †

Navy

Captain

USS Houston

February 4, 1942 – February 27, 1942

Commanded USS Houston during early days of war. Led during Battle of Java Sea. Killed in action while attempting to lead Houston and HMAS Perth to safety in Sunda Strait.

Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. †

Army

Brigadier General

Utah Beach, Normandy invasion

June 6, 1944

With his father, Theodore Roosevelt, became second father and son pair to both receive the Medal of Honor. Died of a heart attack before he could receive the award.

Donald K. Ross

Navy

Machinist

Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii

December 7, 1941

—

Wilburn K. Ross

Army

Private

near St. Jacques, France

October 30, 1944

Carlton R. Rouh

Marine Corps

First Lieutenant

Peleliu Island, Palau group

September 15, 1944

—

Donald E. Rudolph

Army

Technical Sergeant

Munoz, Luzon, Philippines

February 5, 1945

For destroying 8 pillboxes, a trench and a tank while under fire.

Donald J. Ruhl †

Marine Corps

Private First Class

Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands

February 19, 1945 – February 21, 1945

Alejandro R. Ruiz

Army

Private First Class

Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands

April 28, 1945

Based on the following table and the passages listed.

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Lawson Paterson Red Ramage ( 19 January 1909 - 15 April 1990 ) was a vice admiral in the United States Navy and a noted submarine commander during World War II . Ramage was decorated with the Medal of Honor and several other combat decorations during the war . He also served during the Korean War and the Vietnam War .
The United States Navy ( USN ) is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States . It is the largest and most capable navy in the world and it has been estimated that in terms of tonnage of its active battle fleet alone , it is larger than the next 13 navies combined , which includes 11 U.S. allies or partner nations . It has the highest combined battle fleet tonnage and the world 's largest aircraft carrier fleet , with eleven in service , two new carriers under construction , and five other carriers planned . With 336,978 personnel on active duty and 101,583 in the Ready Reserve , the U.S. Navy is the third largest of the U.S. military service branches in terms of personnel . It has 290 deployable combat vessels and more than 3,700 operational aircraft as of June 2019 [ update ] , making it the third-largest air force in the world , after the United States Air Force and the United States Army . The U.S. Navy traces its origins to the Continental Navy , which was established during the American Revolutionary War and was effectively disbanded as a separate entity shortly thereafter . After suffering significant loss of goods and personnel at the hands of the Barbary pirates from Algiers , the U.S. Congress passed the Naval Act of 1794 for the construction of six heavy frigates , the first ships of the U.S. Navy . The U.S. Navy played a major role in the American Civil War by blockading the Confederacy and seizing control of its rivers . It played the central role in the World War II defeat of Imperial Japan . The U.S. Navy emerged from World War II as the most powerful navy in the world . The 21st century U.S. Navy maintains a sizable global presence , deploying in strength in such areas as the Western Pacific , the Mediterranean , and the Indian Ocean . It is a blue-water navy with the ability to project force onto the littoral regions of the world , engage in forward deployments during peacetime and rapidly respond to regional crises , making it a frequent actor in U.S. foreign and military policy .
In the United States , commander is a military rank that is also sometimes used as a military billet title - the designation of someone who manages living quarters or a base - depending on the branch of service . It is also used as a rank or title in non-military organizations ; particularly in law enforcement .
The first USS Parche ( SS-384/AGSS-384 ) was a United States Navy submarine . She bore the name ( pronounced with two equal syllables : /ˌpɑːrˈtʃeɪ/ ) of a butterfly fish , Chaetodon capistratus . Parche was built by the Portsmouth Navy Yard . Her keel was laid on 9 April 1943 and was christened on 24 July , when Betty Russell smashed the traditional bottle of champagne across the bow as she slid into the water for the first time . Russell was the daughter of the U.S. District Judge Robert Lee Russell , formerly Judge Advocate General of the Navy . Parche was commissioned on 20 November 1943 with Commander Lawson P. Ramage commanding .
Taiwan ( Chinese : 臺灣 ; pinyin : Táiwān ) , [ II ] officially the Republic of China ( ROC ) , [ I ] is a state in East Asia . Neighbouring states include the People 's Republic of China ( PRC ) to the north-west , Japan to the north-east , and the Philippines to the south . The island of Taiwan has an area of 35,808 square kilometres ( 13,826 sq mi ) , with mountain ranges dominating the eastern two-thirds and plains in the western third , where its highly urbanised population is concentrated . Taipei is the capital and largest metropolitan area . Other major cities include Kaohsiung , Taichung , Tainan and Taoyuan . With 23.7 million inhabitants , Taiwan is among the most densely populated states , and is the most populous state and largest economy that is not a member of the United Nations ( UN ) . Taiwanese indigenous peoples settled the island of Taiwan around 6,000 years ago . In the 17th century , Dutch rule opened the island to mass Han immigration . After the brief Kingdom of Tungning in parts of the southern and western areas of the island , the island was annexed in 1683 by the Qing dynasty of China , and ceded to the Empire of Japan in 1895 . Following the surrender of Japan in 1945 , the Republic of China , which had overthrown and succeeded the Qing in 1911 , took control of Taiwan on behalf of the World War II Allies . The resumption of the Chinese Civil War led to the loss of the mainland to the Communist Party of China and the flight of the ROC government to Taiwan in 1949 . Although the ROC government continued to claim to be the legitimate representative of China , since 1950 its effective jurisdiction has been limited to Taiwan and numerous smaller islands .
Bernard James Ray ( June 9 , 1921 - November 17 , 1944 ) was a United States Army officer and a recipient of the United States military 's highest decoration - the Medal of Honor - for his actions in World War II during the Battle of Hurtgen Forest .
Killed in action ( KIA ) is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own combatants at the hands of hostile forces . The United States Department of Defense , for example , says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to hostile attack . KIAs include those killed by friendly fire in the midst of combat , but not from incidents such as accidental vehicle crashes , murder and other non-hostile events or terrorism . KIA can be applied both to front-line combat troops and to naval , air and support troops . Someone who is killed in action during a particular event is denoted with a † ( dagger ) beside their name to signify their death in that event or events . [ citation needed ] Further , KIA denotes a person to have been killed in action on the battlefield whereas died of wounds ( DOW ) relates to someone who survived to reach a medical treatment facility . The North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO ) also uses DWRIA , rather than DOW , for died of wounds received in action . However , historically , militaries and historians have used the former acronym . [ citation needed ] PKIA means presumed killed in action . This term is used when personnel are lost in battle , initially listed missing in action ( MIA ) , but after not being found , are later presumed to have not survived .
The United States Army ( USA ) is the land warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces . It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services , and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution . As the oldest and most senior branch of the U.S. military in order of precedence , the modern U.S. Army has its roots in the Continental Army , which was formed ( 14 June 1775 ) to fight the American Revolutionary War ( 1775-1783 ) - before the United States of America was established as a country . After the Revolutionary War , the Congress of the Confederation created the United States Army on 3 June 1784 to replace the disbanded Continental Army . The United States Army considers itself descended from the Continental Army , and considers its institutional inception to be the origin of that armed force in 1775 . As a uniformed military service , the U.S. Army is part of the Department of the Army , which is one of the three military departments of the Department of Defense . The U.S. Army is headed by a civilian senior appointed civil servant , the secretary of the Army ( SECARMY ) and by a chief military officer , the chief of staff of the Army ( CSA ) who is also a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff . It is the largest military branch , and in the fiscal year 2017 , the projected end strength for the Regular Army ( USA ) was 476,000 soldiers ; the Army National Guard ( ARNG ) had 343,000 soldiers and the U.S. Army Reserve ( USAR ) had 199,000 soldiers ; the combined-component strength of the U.S. Army was 1,018,000 soldiers . As a branch of the armed forces , the mission of the U.S. Army is to fight and win our Nation 's wars , by providing prompt , sustained land dominance , across the full range of military operations and the spectrum of conflict , in support of combatant commanders . The branch participates in conflicts worldwide and is the major ground-based offensive and defensive force of the United States .
First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces and , in some forces , an appointment . The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations ( see comparative military ranks ) , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior ( first lieutenant ) and junior ( second lieutenant ) rank . The NATO equivalent rank for land force officers is OF-1 rank . In navies , while certain rank insignia may carry the name : lieutenant , the term may also be used to relate to a particular post or duty , rather than a rank .
James William Reese ( April 16 , 1920 - August 5 , 1943 ) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military 's highest decoration - the Medal of Honor - for his actions in World War II during the Battle of Troina in the Sicily campaign .
A private is a soldier of the lowest military rank ( equivalent to NATO Rank Grades OR-1 to OR-3 depending on the force served in ) . In modern military writing , private is abridged to Pte in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth of Nations countries and to Pvt in the United States .
Sicily ( Italian : Sicilia [ siˈtʃiːlja ] ; Sicilian : Sicilia [ sɪˈʃiːlja ] ) is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 20 regions of Italy . It is one of the five Italian autonomous regions and is officially referred to as Regione Siciliana . Sicily is located in the central Mediterranean Sea , south of the Italian Peninsula , from which it is separated by the narrow Strait of Messina . Its most prominent landmark is Mount Etna , the tallest active volcano in Europe , and one of the most active in the world , currently 3,329 m ( 10,922 ft ) high . The island has a typical Mediterranean climate . The earliest archaeological evidence of human activity on the island dates from as early as 12,000 BC . By around 750 BC , Sicily had three Phoenician and a dozen Greek colonies and it was later the site of the Sicilian Wars and the Punic Wars . After the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD , Sicily was ruled during the Early Middle Ages by the Vandals , the Ostrogoths , the Byzantine Empire , and the Emirate of Sicily . The Norman conquest of southern Italy led to the creation of the Kingdom of Sicily , which was subsequently ruled by the Hohenstaufen , the Capetian House of Anjou , Spain , and the House of Habsburg . It was unified under the House of Bourbon with the Kingdom of Naples as the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies . It became part of Italy in 1860 following the Expedition of the Thousand , a revolt led by Giuseppe Garibaldi during the Italian unification , and a plebiscite . Sicily was given special status as an autonomous region on 15 May 1946 , 18 days before the Italian constitutional referendum of 1946 .
John Noah Reese Jr. ( June 13 , 1923 - February 9 , 1945 ) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military 's highest decoration - the Medal of Honor - for his actions in World War II .
Private First Class ( PFC ) is a military rank held by junior enlisted personnel in some countries ' armed forces .
Thomas James Reeves , born in Thomaston , Connecticut , December 9 , 1895 , was a US Navy radioman who became the namesake of the destroyer escort USS Reeves . Reeves was killed during the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7 , 1941 , and posthumously received the Medal of Honor .
Chief petty officer ( CPO ) is the seventh enlisted rate ( with the paygrade E-7 ) in the United States Navy and U.S. Coast Guard , just above petty officer first class and below senior chief petty officer . The grade of chief petty officer was established on 1 April 1893 for the United States Navy . The United States Congress first authorized the Coast Guard to use the promotion to chief petty officer on 18 May 1920 . Chief petty officer is also the final cadet grade in the U.S . Naval Sea Cadet Corps . Prior to 1958 , chief petty officer was the highest enlisted grade in both the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard . This changed on 20 May 1958 with the passage Pub.L . 85-422 , the Military Pay Act of 1958 , which established two new pay grades of E-8 and E-9 in all five branches of the U.S. Armed Forces . In the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard , the new E-8 paygrade was called senior chief petty officer ( SCPO ) and the new E-9 paygrade master chief petty officer ( MCPO ) , with the first selectees promoting to their respective grades in 1959 and 1960 . Prior to establishment of the E-8 and E-9 grades , chief petty officers could typically serve in uniform for 30 or more years . Shortly following establishment of the E-8 and E-9 grades , service limits currently known as high year tenure ( HYT ) were established by pay grade . Although these limits periodically flex based on Fleet manpower requirements , current HYT limits restrict chief petty officers not selected for promotion to senior chief petty officer to 24 years of service , after which they face mandatory retirement .
Radioman ( RM ) was a rating for United States Navy and United States Coast Guard enlisted personnel , specializing in communications technology .
USS California ( BB-44 ) was the second of two Tennessee-class battleships built for the United States Navy between her keel laying in October 1916 and her commissioning in August 1921 . The Tennessee class was part of the standard series of twelve battleships built in the 1910s and 1920s , and were developments of the preceding New Mexico class . They were armed with a battery of twelve 14-inch ( 360 mm ) guns in four three-gun turrets . California served as the flagship of the Battle Fleet in the Pacific Ocean for duration of her peacetime career . She spent the 1920s and 1930s participating in routine fleet training exercises , including the annual Fleet Problems , and cruises around the Americas and further abroad , such as a goodwill visit to Australia and New Zealand in 1925 . California was moored in Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 when the Japanese attacked the port , bringing the United States into World War II . The ship was moderately damaged by a pair of torpedoes and a bomb , but a fire disabled the ship 's electrical system , preventing the pumps from being used to keep the ship afloat . California slowly filled with water over the following three days and eventually sank . Her crew suffered heavy casualties in the attack and four men were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions during the attack . She was raised in April 1942 , repaired and heavily rebuilt , and returned to service in January 1944 . The ship thereafter supported the amphibious operations conducted during the Pacific War , including the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign ( though she was damaged in a collision with Tennessee and thus missed the Battle of Peleliu ) and the Philippines campaign , during which she took part in the Battle of Surigao Strait . She was hit by a kamikaze during the invasion of Lingayen Gulf in January 1945 , after repairs , joined the fleet supporting troops fighting on Okinawa during the Battle of Okinawa .
Milton Ernest Ricketts ( August 5 , 1913 - May 8 , 1942 ) was a United States Navy officer and a recipient of the United States military 's highest decoration - the Medal of Honor - for his actions in World War II . Ricketts graduated from the Baltimore City College high school and then from the U.S . Naval Academy in 1935 and subsequently served on the USS Ranger ( CV-4 ) and USS Yorktown ( CV-5 ) . On May 8 , 1942 , during the Battle of the Coral Sea , Lieutenant Ricketts was in charge of a damage control party on board the Yorktown . When a Japanese bomb exploded among his group , he successfully undertook fire-fighting measures despite having received mortal wounds . For this act , Ricketts was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor . Ricketts was buried at sea ; his name appears on the Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines .
Lieutenant [ nb 1 ] ( abbreviated Lt , LT , LT ( N ) , Lt ( N ) , Lieut and LEUT , depending on nation ) is a commissioned officer rank in many nations ' navies . It is typically the most senior of junior officer ranks . In most navies , the rank 's insignia may consist of two medium gold braid stripes , the uppermost stripe featuring an executive curl in many Commonwealth of Nations ; or three stripes of equal or unequal width . The now immediately senior rank of lieutenant commander was formerly a senior naval lieutenant rank . Many navies also use a subordinate rank of sub-lieutenant . The appointment of first lieutenant in many navies is held by a senior lieutenant . A navy lieutenant ranks higher than an army lieutenant ; the navy rank of lieutenant is a NATO OF-2 ( US grade O-3 ) and ranks with an army captain .
Paul F. Riordan ( November 8 , 1920 - February 8 , 1944 ) was a United States Army officer and a recipient of the United States military 's highest decoration - the Medal of Honor - for his actions in World War II during the Battle of Monte Cassino .
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces , comparable to NATO OF-1a rank .
Italy ( Italian : Italia [ iˈtaːlja ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Italian Republic ( Italian : Repubblica Italiana [ reˈpubblika itaˈljaːna ] ) , is a European country consisting of a peninsula delimited by the Alps and surrounded by several islands . Italy is located in south-central Europe , and it is also considered a part of Western Europe . The country covers a total area of 301,340 km2 ( 116,350 sq mi ) and shares land borders with France , Switzerland , Austria , Slovenia , and the enclaved microstates of Vatican City and San Marino . Italy has a territorial exclave in Switzerland ( Campione ) and a maritime exclave in the Tunisian Sea ( Lampedusa ) . With around 60 million inhabitants , Italy is the third-most populous member state of the European Union . The capital and largest city is Rome ; other major cities are Milan , Naples , Turin , Palermo , Genoa , Bologna , Florence and Venice . Due to its central geographic location in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean , Italy has historically been home to myriad peoples and cultures . In addition to the various ancient peoples dispersed throughout what is now modern-day Italy , the most predominant being the Indo-European Italic peoples who gave the peninsula its name , beginning from the classical era , Phoenicians and Carthaginians founded colonies mostly in insular Italy , Greeks established settlements in the so-called Magna Graecia of Southern Italy , while Etruscans and Celts inhabited central and northern Italy respectively . An Italic tribe known as the Latins formed the Roman Kingdom in the 8th century BC , which eventually became a republic with a government of the Senate and the People . The Roman Republic initially conquered and assimilated its neighbours on the Italian peninsula , eventually expanding and conquering parts of Europe , North Africa and Asia . By the first century BC , the Roman Empire emerged as the dominant power in the Mediterranean Basin and became a leading cultural , political and religious centre , inaugurating the Pax Romana , a period of more than 200 years during which Italy 's law , technology , economy , art , and literature developed . Italy remained the homeland of the Romans and the metropole of the empire , whose legacy can also be observed in the global distribution of culture , governments , Christianity and the Latin script .
Ruben Rivers ( 1921 - November 19 , 1944 ) was a United States Army staff sergeant who was killed in action while serving as a tank company platoon sergeant during World War II . In 1997 , he was awarded the Medal of Honor , the nation 's highest military decoration for valor , for his actions on November 16-19 , 1944 , near Bourgaltroff , France . Rivers ( half-Cherokee ) and six other Black Americans who served in World War II , were awarded the Medal of Honor on January 12 , 1997 . The Medal of Honor was posthumously presented to Rivers by President Bill Clinton on January 13 , 1997 during a Medals of Honor ceremony for the seven recipients at the White House in Washington , D.C . The seven recipients are the first and only Black Americans to be awarded the Medal of Honor for World War II .
Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of several countries . It is also a police rank in some police services .
France ( French : [ fʁɑ̃s ] ( listen ) ) , officially the French Republic ( French : République française , pronounced [ ʁepyblik fʁɑ̃sɛːz ] ( listen ) ) , is a country whose territory consists of metropolitan France in Western Europe and several overseas regions and territories . [ XIII ] The metropolitan area of France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea , and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean . It is bordered by Belgium , Luxembourg and Germany to the northeast , Switzerland and Italy to the east , and Andorra and Spain to the south . The overseas territories include French Guiana in South America and several islands in the Atlantic , Pacific and Indian oceans . The country 's 18 integral regions ( five of which are situated overseas ) span a combined area of 643,801 square kilometres ( 248,573 sq mi ) and a total population of 67.02 million ( as of July 2019 [ update ] ) . France is a unitary semi-presidential republic with its capital in Paris , the country 's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre . Other major urban areas include Lyon , Marseille , Toulouse , Bordeaux , Lille and Nice . France , including its overseas territories , has the most number of time zones of any country , with a total of 12 . During the Iron Age , what is now metropolitan France was inhabited by the Gauls , a Celtic people . Rome annexed the area in 51 BC , holding it until the arrival of Germanic Franks in 476 , who formed the Kingdom of Francia . The Treaty of Verdun of 843 partitioned Francia into East Francia , Middle Francia and West Francia . West Francia , which became the Kingdom of France in 987 , emerged as a major European power in the Late Middle Ages , following its victory in the Hundred Years ' War ( 1337-1453 ) .
The Medal of Honor is the United States of America 's highest and most prestigious personal military decoration that may be awarded to recognize U.S. military service members who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor . The medal is normally awarded by the President of the United States in the name of the U.S. Congress . Because the medal is presented in the name of Congress , it is often referred erroneously as the Congressional Medal of Honor . However , the official name of the current award is Medal of Honor . Within the United States Code the medal is referred to as the Medal of Honor , and less frequently as Congressional Medal of Honor . U.S. awards , including the Medal of Honor , do not have post-nominal titles , and while there is no official abbreviation , the most common abbreviations are MOH and MH . There are three versions of the medal , one each for the Army , Navy and Air Force . Personnel of the Marine Corps and Coast Guard receive the Navy version while members of the Space Force receive the Air Force version . The Medal of Honor was introduced for the Navy in 1861 , soon followed by an Army version in 1862 . The Medal of Honor is the oldest continuously issued combat decoration of the United States ' armed forces . The President typically presents the Medal at a formal ceremony intended to represent the gratitude of the U.S. people , with posthumous presentations made to the primary next of kin . According to the Medal of Honor Historical Society of the United States , there have been 3,525 Medals of Honor awarded to 3,506 individuals since the decoration 's creation , with over 40% awarded for actions during the American Civil War .
Private First Class Charles Howard Roan USMCR ( August 16 , 1923 - September 18 , 1944 ) was a United States Marine who sacrificed his life to save those of four fellow Marines in the landing on Peleliu during World War II . For his heroism , he posthumously received his nation 's highest military honor - the Medal of Honor . On July 21 , 1945 , in a simple presentation ceremony on the Armstrong County Courthouse lawn , Mrs. Lillabel Roan , of Claude , Texas , accepted the Medal of Honor posthumously awarded her son , Pfc . Charles Howard Roan , USMCR .
The United States Marine Corps ( USMC ) , also referred to as the United States Marines , is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations with the United States Navy as well as the Army and Air Force . The U.S. Marine Corps is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States . The Marine Corps has been a component of the U.S. Department of the Navy since 30 June 1834 , working closely with naval forces . The USMC operates installations on land and aboard sea-going amphibious warfare ships around the world . Additionally , several of the Marines ' tactical aviation squadrons , primarily Marine Fighter Attack squadrons , are also embedded in Navy carrier air wings and operate from the aircraft carriers . The history of the Marine Corps began when two battalions of Continental Marines were formed on 10 November 1775 in Philadelphia as a service branch of infantry troops capable of fighting both at sea and on shore . In the Pacific theater of World War II the Corps took the lead in a massive campaign of amphibious warfare , advancing from island to island . As of 2017 , the USMC has around 186,000 active duty members and some 38,500 personnel in reserve .
James E. Robinson Jr. ( July 10 , 1918 - April 6 , 1945 ) was a United States Army officer and a recipient of the United States military 's highest decoration - the Medal of Honor - for his actions in World War II . Robinson joined the Army from Waco , Texas in 1937 , and by April 6 , 1945 was serving as a first lieutenant in Battery A , 861st Field Artillery Battalion , 63rd Infantry Division . During The Battle of Buchhof and Stein am Kocher , near Untergriesheim , Germany , he led his company in an attack against German lines . Although severely wounded , he refused medical attention and continued on until the objective had been taken . He died of his wounds later that day . He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on December 11 , 1945 . Robinson , aged 26 at his death , was buried in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery , San Antonio , Texas .
Cleto L. Rodríguez ( April 26 , 1923 - December 7 , 1990 ) was an American who served in both the U.S. Army , and in the U.S. Air Force , and received the Medal of Honor for actions in Manila , Philippines during World War II .
Robert E. Roeder ( July 25 , 1917 - September 28 , 1944 ) was a captain in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during World War II , during which he was killed in action . Roeder is buried in Arlington National Cemetery . Roeder joined the army from his birthplace in 1936 .
In the United States Army ( USA ) , U.S. Marine Corps ( USMC ) , and U.S. Air Force ( USAF ) , captain ( abbreviated CPT in the USA and Capt in the USMC and USAF ) is a company grade officer rank , with the pay grade of O-3 . It ranks above first lieutenant and below major . It is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant in the Navy/Coast Guard officer rank system . The insignia for the rank consists of two silver bars , with slight stylized differences between the Army/Air Force version and the Marine Corps version .
Albert Harold Rooks ( December 29 , 1891 - March 1 , 1942 ) was a captain in the United States Navy who posthumously received the Medal of Honor during World War II .
In the United States Navy , United States Coast Guard , United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps ( USPHS ) , and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps ( NOAA Corps ) , captain is the senior-most commissioned officer rank below that of flag officer ( i.e. , admirals ) . The equivalent rank is colonel in the United States Army , Air Force , and Marine Corps . Reflecting its nautical heritage , the term captain is sometimes used as a military title by more junior officers who command a commissioned vessel of the Navy , Coast Guard , or National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ship of patrol boat size or greater . Officers below O-6 who command aviation squadrons ( typically O-5 commanders ) usually use the less formal title skipper .
Theodore Roosevelt III ( September 13 , 1887 - July 12 , 1944 ) , known as Theodore Roosevelt Jr. , [ Note 1 ] was an American government , business , and military leader . He was the eldest son of President Theodore Roosevelt and First Lady Edith Roosevelt . Roosevelt is known for his World War II service , including the directing of troops at Utah Beach during the Normandy landings , for which he received the Medal of Honor . Roosevelt was educated at private academies and Harvard University ; after his 1909 graduation from college , he began a successful career in business and investment banking . Having gained pre-World War I army experience during his attendance at a Citizens ' Military Training Camp , at the start of the war he received a reserve commission as a major . He served primarily with the 1st Division , took part in several engagements including the Battle of Cantigny , and commanded the 26th Infantry Regiment as a lieutenant colonel . After the war , Roosevelt was instrumental in the forming of the American Legion . In addition to his military and business careers , Roosevelt was active in politics and government . He served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy ( 1921-1924 ) , Governor of Puerto Rico ( 1929-1932 ) , and Governor-General of the Philippines ( 1932-1933 ) . He resumed his business endeavors in the 1930s , and was Chairman of the Board of American Express Company , and Vice-President of Doubleday Books . Roosevelt also remained active as an Army reservist , attending annual training periods at Pine Camp , and completing the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses , the Command and General Staff College , and refresher training for senior officers . He returned to active duty for World War II with the rank of colonel , and commanded the 26th Infantry Regiment .
In the United States Armed Forces , brigadier general ( BG , BGen , or Brig Gen ) is a one-star general officer with the pay grade of O-7 in the U.S. Army , U.S. Marine Corps , and U.S. Air Force . Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general . The rank of brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral ( lower half ) in the other uniformed services ( the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard , as both Armed Forces and Uniformed Services ; and the Public Health Service and National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration , as Uniformed Services ) . The NATO equivalent is OF-6 .
Utah , commonly known as Utah Beach , was the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on June 6 , 1944 ( D-Day ) , during World War II . The westernmost of the five code-named landing beaches in Normandy , Utah is on the Cotentin Peninsula , west of the mouths of the Douve and Vire rivers . Amphibious landings at Utah were undertaken by United States Army troops , with sea transport , mine sweeping , and a naval bombardment force provided by the United States Navy and Coast Guard as well as elements from the British , Dutch and other Allied navies . The objective at Utah was to secure a beachhead on the Cotentin Peninsula , the location of important port facilities at Cherbourg . The amphibious assault , primarily by the US 4th Infantry Division and 70th Tank Battalion , was supported by airborne landings of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Division . The intention was to rapidly seal off the Cotentin Peninsula , prevent the Germans from reinforcing Cherbourg , and capture the port as quickly as possible . Utah , along with Sword on the eastern flank , was added to the invasion plan in December 1943 . These changes doubled the frontage of the invasion and necessitated a month-long delay so that additional landing craft and personnel could be assembled in England . Allied forces attacking Utah faced two battalions of the 919th Grenadier Regiment , part of the 709th Static Infantry Division . While improvements to fortifications had been undertaken under the leadership of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel beginning in October 1943 , the troops assigned to defend the area were mostly poorly equipped non-German conscripts . D-Day at Utah began at 01:30 , when the first of the airborne units arrived , tasked with securing the key crossroads at Sainte-Mère-Église and controlling the causeways through the flooded farmland behind Utah so the infantry could advance inland . While some airborne objectives were quickly met , many paratroopers landed far from their drop zones and were unable to fulfill their objectives on the first day .
Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( /ˈroʊzəvɛlt/ ROH-zə-velt ; [ b ] October 27 , 1858 - January 6 , 1919 ) was an American statesman , politician , conservationist , naturalist , and writer who served as the 26th president of the United States from 1901 to 1909 . He served as the 25th vice president from March to September 1901 and as the 33rd governor of New York from 1899 to 1900 . Roosevelt emerged as a leader of the Republican Party and became a driving force for the anti-trust policy while supporting Progressive Era policies in the United States in the early 20th century . His face is depicted on Mount Rushmore alongside George Washington , Thomas Jefferson , and Abraham Lincoln . He is generally ranked in polls of historians and political scientists as one of the five best presidents . Roosevelt was a sickly child with debilitating asthma , but he overcame his health problems by embracing a strenuous lifestyle , as well as growing out of his asthma naturally in his young adult years . He integrated his exuberant personality , vast range of interests , and world-famous achievements into a cowboy persona defined by robust masculinity . He was home-schooled , and he began a lifelong naturalist avocation before attending Harvard College . His book The Naval War of 1812 ( 1882 ) established his reputation as a learned historian and as a popular writer . Upon entering politics , he became the leader of the reform faction of Republicans in New York 's state legislature . His wife and his mother both died in rapid succession , and he escaped to a cattle ranch in the Dakotas . He served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy under President William McKinley , but he resigned from that post to lead the Rough Riders during the Spanish-American War , returning a war hero .
Donald Kirby Ross ( December 8 , 1910 - May 27 , 1992 ) was an officer of the United States Navy who received the first Medal of Honor of World War II . This award was made for his actions during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 .
In the United States Armed Forces , the ranks of warrant officer ( grades W - 1 to W - 5 ; see NATO : WO1-WO5 ) are rated as officers above all non-commissioned officers , candidates , cadets , and midshipmen , but subordinate to the lowest officer grade of O - 1 ( NATO : OF - 1 ) . This application differs from the Commonwealth of Nations and other militaries , where warrant officers are the most senior of the other ranks ( NATO : OR - 8 and OR - 9 ) , equivalent to the US Armed Forces grades of E - 8 and E - 9 . Warrant officers are highly skilled , single-track specialty officers , and while the ranks are authorized by Congress , each branch of the uniformed services selects , manages , and uses warrant officers in slightly different ways . For appointment to the rank of warrant officer one ( W - 1 ) , normally a warrant is approved by the secretary of the respective service . However , appointment to this rank can come via commission by the service secretary , the department secretary , or by the President , but this is more uncommon . For the chief warrant officer ranks ( CW - 2 to CW - 5 ) , these warrant officers are commissioned by the President . Both warrant officers and chief warrant officers take the same oath as regular commissioned officers ( O - 1 to O - 10 ) . Warrant officers can and do command detachments , units , activities , vessels , aircraft , and armored vehicles , as well as lead , coach , train , and counsel subordinates . However , the warrant officer 's primary task as a leader is to serve as a technical expert , providing valuable skills , guidance , and expertise to commanders and organizations in their particular field .
USS Nevada ( BB-36 ) , the second United States Navy ship to be named after the 36th state , was the lead ship of the two Nevada-class battleships . Launched in 1914 , Nevada was a leap forward in dreadnought technology ; four of her new features would be included on almost every subsequent US battleship : triple gun turrets , [ c ] oil in place of coal for fuel , geared steam turbines for greater range , and the all or nothing armor principle . These features made Nevada , alongside its sister ship Oklahoma , the first US Navy standard-type battleships . Her only disadvantage against her continental contemporaries was her slower speed , however , her superior armor , firepower , and secondaries meant she was vastly superior . Nevada served in both World Wars . During the last few months of World War I , Nevada was based in Bantry Bay , Ireland , to protect supply convoys that were sailing to and from Great Britain . In World War II , it was one of the battleships trapped when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor . Nevada was the only battleship to get underway during the attack , making the ship the only bright spot in an otherwise dismal and depressing morning for the United States . Still , it was hit by one torpedo and at least six bombs while steaming away from Battleship Row , forcing the crew to beach the stricken ship on a coral ledge . The ship continued to flood and eventually slid off the ledge and sank to the harbor floor . Nevada was subsequently salvaged and modernized at Puget Sound Navy Yard , allowing it to serve as a convoy escort in the Atlantic and as a fire-support ship in five amphibious assaults ( the invasions of Attu , Normandy , Southern France , Iwo Jima , and Okinawa ) . At the end of World War II , the Navy decided that Nevada was too old to be retained , so they assigned it to be a target ship in the atomic experiments at Bikini Atoll in July 1946 ( Operation Crossroads ) .
Wilburn Kirby Ross ( May 12 , 1922 - May 9 , 2017 ) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military 's highest decoration - the Medal of Honor - for his actions in World War II .
Captain Carlton Robert Rouh ( May 11 , 1919 - December 8 , 1977 ) was a United States Marine who received the Medal of Honor for gallantry in risking his life to save the lives of two fellow Marines on Peleliu Island on September 15 , 1944 . First Lieutenant Rouh threw his body between his fellow Marines and an exploding grenade . During World War II , 27 Marines similarly used their bodies to cover grenades in order to save the lives of others . Four of these brave Marines survived - including Rouh and fellow Medal of Honor recipients Richard E. Bush , Richard K. Sorenson , and Jacklyn H. Lucas Rouh had earlier earned a field commission and been awarded the Silver Star medal of gallantry during the Battle of Guadalcanal for action on October 9 , 1942 .
Donald Eugene Rudolph Sr. ( February 21 , 1921 - May 25 , 2006 ) was an American soldier who received his country 's highest military honor , the Medal of Honor , in World War II .
Technical sergeant is the name of one current and two former enlisted ranks in the United States Armed Forces . [ citation needed ] Outside the United States , it is used only by the Philippine Army , Philippine Air Force and the Philippine Marine Corps .
Donald Jack Ruhl ( July 2 , 1923 - February 21 , 1945 ) was a United States Marine and a posthumous recipient of the United States military 's highest decoration , the Medal of Honor . Ruhl , a private first class , received the award for falling on a grenade to protect fellow Marines during the Battle of Iwo Jima .
Sergeant Alejandro Renteria Ruiz ( June 26 , 1923 - November 20 , 2009 ) was a United States Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor , the United States ' highest military decoration , for his actions in the Battle of Okinawa in the Ryukyu Islands during World War II .