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Tennessee Recipients

No state has a richer history with the nation’s highest award than Tennessee. 2014 will mark the 150th anniversary of Corp. Harrison Collins’ actions at the Battle of Nashville that made him Tennessee’s first Medal of Honor recipient, one of 32 officially credited to the state.The following list includes those men as well as several who, while accredited to other states, have strong ties to Tennessee and are revered here for their courage and sacrifice.

Tennessee

Gaines Lawson

Civil War
First Sergeant, Company D, 4th East Tennessee Infantry. Awarded for actions at McMinnville, TN.
October 03, 1863

George Lewis Gillespie Jr.

Civil War
First Lieutenant, Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army. For actions near Bethesda Church, VA.
May 31, 1864

Oliver Hughes

Civil War
Corporal, Company C, 12th Kentucky Infantry. For actions at Weldon Railroad, VA
June 24, 1864

John H. Ferrell

Civil War
Civilian Pilot, U.S. Navy. For actions aboard the U.S. Monitor Neosho at Bells Mills, Cumberland River, near Nashville, TN.
December 06, 1864

Harrison Collins

Civil War
Corporal, Company A, 1st Tennessee Cavalry. Awarded for actions at Richland Creek, TN (Battle of Nashville).
December 24, 1864

Daniel Dickinson Stevens

Civil War
Quartermaster on the USS Canonicus, U.S. Navy. For actions at the Second Battle of Fort Fisher, NC.
January 13, 1865

George Grant

Indian Wars
Sergeant, Company E, 18th U.S. Infantry. For actions at Fort Phil Kearny and Fort C. F. Smith, Dakota Territory.
February 28, 1867

Benoni Strivson

Indian Wars
Private, Company B, 8th U.S. Cavalry. For actions in Arizona, August to October, 1868
October 31, 1868

John Kyle

Indian Wars
Corporal, Company M, 5th U.S. Cavalry. For actions near Republican River, KS.
July 08, 1869

James Bell Dozier

Indian Wars
Civilian Scout. For actions at Holliday Creek, TX, along the Little Wichita River.
October 05, 1870

Clay Beauford

Indian Wars
First Sergeant, Company B, 5th U.S. Cavalry. Awarded for campaigns against the Apaches, 1872-73.
September 26, 1872

William W. Morris

Indian Wars
Corporal, Company H, 6th U.S. Cavalry. For actions at Upper Washita, TX, September 9-11, 1874.
September 09, 1874

George Jordan

Indian Wars
Sergeant, Company K, 9th U.S. Cavalry (Buffalo Soldiers). For actions at Fort Tularosa, NM, May 14, 1880; at Carrizo Canyon, NM, in 1881.
August 12, 1881

William Harding Carter

Indian Wars
First Lieutenant, 6th U.S. Cavalry. For actions at Cibicue, AZ, August 30, 1881
August 30, 1881

George Hobday

Indian Wars
Private, Company A, 7th U.S. Cavalry. For actions at Wounded Knee Creek, SD.
December 29, 1890

Charles P. Cantrell

Spanish-American War
Private, Company F, 10th U.S. Infantry. For actions at the Battle of San Juan Hill, Santiago, Cuba.
July 01, 1898

Allen James Greer

Philippine-American War
Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 4th U.S. Infantry. For actions near Majada, Laguna Province, Philippine Islands.
July 02, 1901

Josephus Samuel Cecil

Philippine-American War
First Lieutenant, 19th U.S. Infantry. For actions at Bud-Dajo, Jolo, Philippine Islands.
March 07, 1906

Seth Lathrop Weld

Philippine-American War
Corporal, Company L, 8th U.S. Infantry. For actions at La Paz, Leyte, Philippine Islands.
December 05, 1906

Robert Earl Bonney

Peacetime Recipient
Chief Watertender, U.S. Navy, U.S.S. Hopkins. For actions aboard U.S.S. Hopkins.
February 14, 1910

Bolden Reush Harrison

Philippine-American War
Seaman, U.S. Navy. For actions at Basilan, Philippine Islands.
September 24, 1911

Jesse Whitfield Covington

World War I
Ship's Cook Third Class, U.S. Navy. For actions at sea aboard the U.S.S. Stewart.
April 17, 1918

Joseph B. Adkinson

World War I
Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 119th Infantry, 30th Division. For actions near Bellicourt, France.
September 29, 1918

Milo Lemert

World War I
First Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company G, 119th Infantry, 30th Division. For actions near Bellicourt, France.
September 29, 1918

Edward R. Talley

World War I
Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company L, 117th Infantry, 30th Division. For actions near Ponchaux, France.
October 07, 1918

James Ernest "Buck" Karnes

World War I
Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company D, 117th Infantry, 30th Division. For actions near Estrees, France.
October 08, 1918

Calvin John Ward

World War I
Private, U.S. Army, Company D, 117th Infantry, 30th Division. For actions near Estrees, France.
October 08, 1918

Alvin Cullum York

World War I
Corporal, U.S. Army, Company G, 328th Infantry, 82d Division. For actions near Chatel-Chehery, France.
October 08, 1918

Alexander "Sandy" Bonnyman Jr.

World War II
First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserves. For actions at Japanese-held Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands.
November 23, 1943

Paul Bert Huff

World War II
Corporal, U.S. Army, 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion. For actions near Carano, Italy.
February 08, 1944

Troy McGill

World War II
Sergeant, U.S. Army, Troop G, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. For actions at Los Negros Islands, Admiralty Group.
March 04, 1944

Charles Henry Coolidge

World War II
Technical Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company M, 141st Infantry, 36th Infantry Division. For actions east of Belmont sur Buttant, France.
October 24, 1944

Vernon McGarity

World War II
Technical Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company L, 393d Infantry, 99th Infantry Division. For actions at the Battle of the Bulge near Krinkelt, Belgium.
December 16, 1944

Charles L. McGaha

World War II
Master Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company G, 35th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. For actions near Lupao, Luzon, Philippine Islands.
February 07, 1945

Raymond Henry Cooley

World War II
Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company B, 27th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. For actions near Lumboy, Luzon, Philippine Islands.
February 24, 1945

John Harlan Willis

World War II
Pharmacist's Mate First Class, U.S. Navy. For actions at Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands.
February 28, 1945

Elbert Luther Kinser

World War II
Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Company I, 3d Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division. For actions at Okinawa Shima, Japan.
May 04, 1945

Ray E. Duke

Korean War
Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, Company C, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. For actions near Mugok, Korea.
April 26, 1951

William Franklin Lyell

Korean War
Corporal, U.S. Army, Company F, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. For actions near Chup'a-ri, Korea.
August 31, 1951

Charles F. Pendleton

Korean War
Corporal. U.S. Army, Company D, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. For actions near Choo Gung-Dong, Korea.
July 17, 1953

James Alton Gardner

Vietnam War
First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 327th Infantry, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. For actions at My Canh, Vietnam.
February 07, 1966

Walter Keith Singleton

Vietnam War
Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, Company A, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, 3d Marine Division. For actions in Gio Linh District, Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam.
March 24, 1967

Don Jenkins

Vietnam War
Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company A, 2d Battalion, 39th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division. For actions at Kien Phong Province, Republic of Vietnam.
January 06, 1969

David Robert Ray

Vietnam War
Hospital Corpsman Second Class, U.S. Navy, 2d Battalion, 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein), FMF. For actions at Quang Nam Province, Republic of Vietnam.
March 19, 1969

Mitchell Stout

Vietnam War
Sergeant, U.S. Army, Battery C, 1st Battalion, 44th Artillery. For actions at Khe Gio Bridge, Republic of Vietnam.
March 12, 1970