List of post - Vietnam Medal of Honor recipients The Medal of Honor was created during the American Civil War and is the highest military decoration presented by the United States government to a member of its armed forces . The recipients must have distinguished themselves at the risk of their own life above and beyond the call of duty in action against an enemy of the United States . Since the April 1975 end of American presence in Vietnam , the United States military has been involved in a number of conflicts and peacekeeping activities , including actions in the invasion of Grenada , Lebanese Civil War , invasion of Panama , the Yugoslav Wars , the Somali Civil War and elsewhere . Following the September 11 attacks , the United States entered into a War on Terror against militant Islamists , the War in Afghanistan and the Iraq War . The Medal of Honor has been awarded to 20 US servicemen for actions since Vietnam . Just eight were presented to living recipients . The first post - Vietnam Medal of Honor recipients were two Delta Force sniper s who defended a downed helicopter pilot in the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia ; the medals were awarded posthumously . Recipients . Somalia . The Battle of Mogadishu ( also referred to as the " Battle of the Black Sea " ) or for Somalis " Ma - alinti Rangers " ( “ The Day of the Rangers ” ) was a battle that was part of Operation Gothic Serpent that was fought on October 3 and 4 , 1993 , in Mogadishu , Somalia , by forces of the United States supported by UNOSOM II against Somali militia fighters loyal to warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid . The battle is also referred to as the First Battle of Mogadishu to distinguish it from the Second Battle of Mogadishu in 2006 . The Medals were awarded to two Delta Force operators who volunteered to attempt to save the pilot of one of the downed UH - 60 Black Hawk helicopters , despite facing hundreds , possibly thousands of rebels around the crash site . Afghanistan . The War in Afghanistan , which began on October 7 , 2001 , was launched by the United States , the United Kingdom , and NATO allies in response to the September 11 , 2001 attacks . It was the beginning of the War on Terrorism . The stated purpose of the invasion was to capture Osama bin Laden , destroy al - Qaeda , and remove the Taliban regime which had provided support and safe harbor to al - Qaeda . Since 2001 , twelve American service members have received the Medal of Honor for actions in Afghanistan , three of them posthumously . Since 2001 , 14 American service members have received the Medal of Honor for actions in Afghanistan , three of them posthumously . For his actions August 2012 , retired serviceman Florent Groberg will become the 13th recipient of the Medal of Honor and the 10th living recipient . The ceremony will take place November 12 , 2015 at the White House . Iraq War . The Iraq War , also known as the Second Gulf War , Operation Iraqi Freedom ( " US " ) , Operation TELIC ( " UK " ) or the occupation of Iraq , was a conflict which began on March 20 , 2003 with the United States - led invasion of Iraq by a multinational coalition composed of U . S . and U . K . troops supported by smaller contingents from Australia , Poland , and other nations . Four service members have posthumously received the Medal of Honor for actions in Iraq : two from the Army , one from the Marine Corps and one from the Navy .