On July 10, 1863, Cpl. John F. Mackie became the first Marine to receive the Medal of Honor.
The Medal of Honor, which is the highest U.S. military award for
bravery, has been awarded 298 times to 296 Marines from the Civil War to
present day.
The medal has been awarded to Marines like Pfc. Albert E. Schwab, who
used his flame thrower to demolish a hostile gun position in World War
II and continued his one-man assault to destroy two Japanese gun
positions before his death. Another Marine, 1st Lt. Ernest C. Williams,
rushed a fortress gate in the Dominican Republic in 1916 with only eight
men. With eight of his party wounded, he pressed on, threw himself
against the door just as the Dominicans were closing it and forced an
entry. He and his men disposed of the guards and within a few minutes
had gained control of the fort and the one hundred prisoners confined
there.
The most recent Medal of Honor went to Sgt. Dakota Meyer
for his actions in Afghanistan in 2009. Join us as we look back on the
other Marines who, over the past 149 years, have bravely fought in the
pursuit of freedom and justice.
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