Medal of Honor Recipients
From Los Angeles County

Michael Monsoor, U.S. Navy, posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor, 2006. Image courtesy of the U.S. Navy.

The Medal of Honor (or informally called the Congressional Medal of Honor) is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force which can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed Services of the United States. It is generally presented to its recipient or surviving family members by the President of the United States of America in the name of Congress. The 31 recipients listed here either entered military service in Los Angeles and/or their home of record/birthplace or other significant connection was in Los Angeles County.

For each recipient there is shown 1. name, 2. rank, 3. branch of service, 4. place of action, 5. date of action, and 6. (in parentheses) Los Angeles County place of enlistment/home of record/place of birth.

Indian War Campaigns (1866-1890)

A U.S. Cavalryman (not Mahers), 1890

Herbert Mahers, Private, U.S. Army, Arizona, 25 Aug 1869 (Wilmington)

World War I (1917-1918)

Oscar F. Miller,^† Major, U.S. Army, France, 28 Sep 1918 (Los Angeles)

Patrick J. Regan, Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, France, 8 Oct 1918 (Los Angeles)

World War II (1941-1945)

John William Finn, Lieutenant, U.S. Navy, Hawaii, 7 Dec 1941 (Los Angeles)

Herbert Charpoit Jones,^† Ensign, U.S. Navy, 7 Dec 1941 (Los Angeles)

James H. Doolittle, Brigadier General [then Lieutenant Colonel], U.S. Army, 9 Jun 1942 (Los Angeles)

Joe Gandara,^† Private, U.S. Army, France, 9 Jun 1944 (Los Angeles/b. Santa Monica)

Harold H. Moon, Jr.,^† Private, U.S. Army, Philippines, 21 Oct 1944 (Gardena)

Keith L. Ware, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, France, 26 Dec 1944 (Glendale)

George B. Turner, Private 1st Class, U.S. Army, France, 3 Jan 1945 (Los Angeles)

Edward A. Carter, Jr., Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Germany, 23 Mar 1945 (Los Angeles)

Sadao S. Munemori,^† Private 1st Class, U.S. Army, Italy, 5 Apr 1945 (Los Angeles)

David M. Gonzales,^† Private 1st Class, U.S. Army, Philippines, 25 Apr 1945 (Pacoima)

Korean War (1950-1954)

Eduardo Corral Gomez,^† Sergeant, U.S. Army, 3 Sep 1950 (Los Angeles)

Eugene Arnold Obregon,^† Private 1st Class, U.S. Marine Corps, 26 Sep 1950 (Los Angeles)

James I. Poynter,^† Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, 4 Nov 1950 (Downey)

Raymond Harvey, Captain, U.S. Army, 9 Mar 1951 (Pasadena)

Daniel P. Matthews,^† Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, 28 Mar 1953 (Van Nuys)

John Kelvin Koelsch,^† Lieutenant J.G., U.S. Navy, 3 Jul 1951 (Los Angeles)

Vietnam War (1956-1975)

Donald W. Evans, Jr.,^† Specialist 4, U.S. Army, 27 Jan 1967 (Covina)

James Anderson, Jr.,^† Private 1st Class, U.S. Marine Corps, 28 Feb 1967 (Los Angeles)

George Alan Ingalls,^† Specialist 4, U.S. Army, 16 Apr 1967 (Los Angeles)

Larry Leonard Maxam,^† Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, 2 Feb 1968 (Los Angeles/b. Glendale)

Joe Ronnie Hooper, Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, 21 Feb 1968 (Los Angeles)

Edward Allen DeVore, Jr.,^† Specialist 4, U.S. Army, 17 Mar 1968 (Harbor City/b. Torrance)

Anund C. Roark,^† Sergeant, U.S. Army, 16 May 1968 (Los Angeles)

Kern W. Dunagan, Major, U.S. Army, 13 May 1969 (Los Angeles)

Jimmy W. Phipps,^† Priv.1st Class, U.S. Marine Corps, 27 May 1969 (Culver City/b. Santa Monica)

Gary Lee Littrell, Sergeant 1st Class, U.S. Army, 4-8 Apr 1970 (Los Angeles)

Louis R. Rocco, Sergeant 1st Class, U.S. Army, 24 May 1970 (Los Angeles)

Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003-2011)

Michael A. Monsoor^†, Petty Officer 2nd Class, U.S. Navy, 29 Sep 2006 (Gardena/b. Long Beach)

^† Posthumous Award

Also see: Congressional Medal of Honor Society