38 Of The Most Decorated Servicemen In American History

On land, at sea, and in the air, America’s military men and women have proved themselves heroes. But some service people stand out from the rest. Brave beyond belief, they are exceptional even by the high standards of our armed forces – and they received the medals to prove it. These are the thrilling stories of the men who became some of the most decorated in U.S. military history.

Sergeant First Class Edward A. Carter Jr.

Edward Allen Carter Jr. started his career young – very young. When he was just 15, he had his first taste of military experience, joining the Chinese Army in its fight against the invading Japanese. And when his age was revealed and he was forced to leave the service, that didn’t put him off. Instead, he went to Spain in 1936 and joined the Republican forces fighting the civil war there.

Slaying the enemy

Naturally, Carter joined the U.S. Army after WWII broke out. And he proved his mettle when fighting with the 56th Armored Infantry Battalion. The tank he was riding on was hit, and of the three men he was with, two died and one was badly wounded. The American soldier didn’t take that lying down. Although he was shot five times, he still managed to kill six of the eight Germans who’d attacked him. He even took the remaining two prisoner. Despite that brave act, he only won a Distinguished Service Cross. But this injustice against the African-American soldier was finally corrected in 1997, when he was posthumously awarded a Medal of Honor.

Master Sergeant Joshua Wheeler

A 19-year-old Joshua Wheeler clearly saw the U.S. Army in his future. So, he undertook basic training at Georgia’s Fort Benning and ultimately joined the 75th Ranger Regiment. And there was no desk duty for the young soldier. He served on three tours of duty in both Iraq and Afghanistan with the Rangers.

Fighting ISIS

Then Wheeler was assigned as a special operations soldier. He was a team leader with Delta Force and served in 11 frontline missions in the Middle East. The courageous master sergeant even fought ISIS forces in Iraq. Then, in October 2015, he went above and beyond. Wheeler took part in an operation at an ISIS prison that succeeded in releasing 70 hostages. And while that assault sadly led to him being killed in action, his final act of bravery earned him a Purple Heart, a Silver Star, and the Medal of Patriotism.