Pacific War Archives - National Medal of Honor Museum

F4F Wildcat Aces and the Medal of Honor

During the opening chapters of World War II in the Pacific Theater, Navy and Marine Corps aviators were thrust into some of the most perilous and challenging air actions in American history. Flying the Grumman F4F Wildcat fighter, eight different American fighter aces would go on to earn the Medal of Honor – our nation’s highest decoration for military combat. No other fixed-wing, single-engined aircraft has more Medal of Honor actions associated with it than the Wildcat.

United States Submarines and the Medal of Honor

Throughout our nation’s history, eight different submariners have earned the Medal of Honor. Seven of the eight recipients were commanders of attack submarines in the

CDR Lawson Ramage, USS Parche (SS-384)

In the early years of World War II, Lawson “Red” Ramage served aboard USS Grenadine (SS-210) and commanded the USS Trout (SS-202). While aboard Trout, Ramage had damaged the Japanese light-carrier Taiyo in

CDR Samuel Dealey, USS Harder (SS-257)

By the time of USS Harder’s (SS-257) fifth and most famous war patrol, CDR. Samuel Dealey had already established himself as one of the Navy’s top submarine

CDR Eugene Fluckey, USS Barb (SS-220)

After completing a patrol aboard the USS Barb (SS-220) as its executive officer, Eugene Fluckey took command of the submarine in April of 1944. Considered to be