Maine’s Medal of Honor Heroes: A Remarkable History

I don't have to tell you how incredible Mainers are. This state has some of the most genuine, honest, courageous, and selfless people in the entire country.

So, it should come as no surprise to learn that this wonderful state is one of the leaders in folks receiving the highest military award there is, the Medal of Honor.

In fact, according to World Population Review, 66 members of the military from Maine have been awarded or posthumously awarded this incredible honor. Considering how rare the award is and how small this state is, that is quite an incredible number.

Maine's Medal of Honor list includes a few of the country's greatest soldiers. The most famous is probably Joshua Chamberlain, who received his for his incredible courage and leadership while charging the enemy and holding strong at Gettysburg in July 2,1863, during the American Civil War.

Another is Charles Loring Jr., a pilot who fought in the Korean War. Loring was on a bombing mission when his plane took damage from enemy fire. Instead of turning back to base, Loring preceded on the mission and sacrificed himself to take out an entire enemy battery position. Loring would posthumously receive the military's highest medal, along with Loring Air Force Base being named in his honor.

While some of these soldiers are well-known, I'm sure you've never heard of the majority of these, and that's okay. These heroes were never in it for glory. They just want to make sure they have the backs of their brothers and sisters.

The 66 honorees make Maine the 14th highest in the nation. What's even more impressive is the fact that Maine has the second highest rate of recipients per 100,000 people. The state has a 4.71 rate, and is only behind Vermont, which comes in with a 7.71 rate. You can see the entire list here.

Thank you to all who served and continue to serve this incredible country and state we get to call home.