Twenty Medal of Honor recipients visited Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) on March 25, 2026, for the annual Medal of Honor Day ceremony, each with the blue-ribboned Medal of Honor draped around his neck. The Medal of Honor is the United States’ highest military award for valor for an individual serving in the armed services in action against an enemy.
Medal of Honor Day recognizes the date that the first medals were awarded in 1863, during the Civil War. Each year, Medal of Honor recipients commemorate this day—and their fellow service members who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation—by attending an Armed Forces Full Honors Wreath Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Following this year’s ceremony, two Medal of Honor recipients, Marine Corps Col. Harvey “Barney” Barnum and Navy Capt. Elmer Williams, reflected on their service and what Medal of Honor Day means to them.
During the Vietnam War, Barnum earned his Medal of Honor on Dec. 18, 1965. As a lieutenant, he took over a company after the commander was mortally wounded. Despite heavy enemy fire, he strapped a radio onto his back, assumed command and rallied his fellow Marines. He later reorganized the unit, replacing key personnel who had been wounded or killed, and led an attack on the entrenched enemy — constantly exposing himself to fire to identify targets. After the company cleared the area, Barnum called in helicopters to evacuate the wounded and dead. The action lasted about eight hours. Describing his service, Barnum said, “You don’t think about your own safety. You just continue to do what you're supposed to be doing.”
Williams, a Navy fighter pilot, earned his Medal of Honor during the Korean War. On Nov. 18, 1952, he engaged in a dogfight against seven enemy MiG fighter jets, shooting down three and severely damaging a fourth. Aircraft carrier crewmen counted 263 bullet holes in his F95 Panther jet, which was deemed unsalvageable. “I spent the whole 35 minutes aiming, shooting, dodging, ducking, trying to keep track of where the enemy was and spoiling his aim,” he recalled.
In talking about their heroic actions, both Barnum and Williams expressed humility. Barnum had been with his unit for only four days when he was plunged into battle. “I saw men do phenomenal things, but since I did not know their names, I couldn't write them up for an award. So, their heroism went unnoticed,” he said. For Williams, the action that earned him the Medal of Honor was just “the job,” he said. “I was just doing what they taught me to do.”
As the United States commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, this year’s Medal of Honor Day ceremony underscored that American freedom has been forged, and continues to be defended, through service and sacrifice.
For Barnum, Medal of Honor Day offered an opportunity to “stop and reflect on all those who have earned the medal since the Civil War.” For Williams, who received the award during President Donald J. Trump’s State of the Union address just a month earlier, on Feb. 24, 2026, attending his first Medal of Honor Day at Arlington National Cemetery felt especially poignant. As the final resting place of those who fought for this nation from the Revolutionary War through the present—including more than 400 Medal of Honor recipients--the cemetery is “a tribute to those who served and paid the ultimate sacrifice,” Williams said. “We owe it to them to have a place of honor to rededicate ourselves.”
► Explore our Education Program materials to learn more about the Medal of Honor and recipients at Arlington National Cemetery.