They have been presented annually since 1978, culminating each December in a gala celebrating five honorees in the Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington, D.C. While the awards are primarily given to individuals, they have occasionally been given to couples or musical groups, as well as to one Broadway musical and one television show. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is related to, but distinct from, the Medal of Freedom, an earlier award issued between 1945 and 1963 to honor US civilian contributions to World War II. At the age of 25, athlete and activist Simone Biles is the youngest person to receive this award as of 2022. Presidential Medal of Freedom, the foremost U.S. civilian decoration, awarded to those who have made ‘an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.’. Recipients are selected by the U.S. president. Of the 3,507 Medals of Honor awarded by the United States, some 2,018 have gone to Irish-Americans, according to research cited by Patrick McDermot of Irish Veterans Post 2, created in Tampa in Throughout U.S. history, 19 total troops have received two Medals of Honor, according to the Defense Department. The graphic novel centered on Custer marks the third of four that AUSA plans to Living Recipients Recent Presentations Unknown Soldiers Double Recipients Fallen in Service Recipients Black / African American Recipients Asian / Pacific Islander Recipients Hispanic / Latino Recipients Native / American Indian Recipients Jewish Recipients Related Recipients Chaplain Recipients Medics / Corpsmen Recipients Submariner Recipients Senators Who Received the Medal of Honor Date Awarded Senate Service; Jul 21, 1861: Adelbert Ames (R-MS) Mar 29, 1899: 1870–1874: Dec 13, 1862 Ellis Island Medal of Honor for his work as a successful developer in New York City. (1986) President's Medal by the Freedom Foundation for his support of youth programs (1995) Muhammad Ali Entrepreneur Award (2007) Unicorn Children's Foundation Shining Star Award (2008) Palm Tree Award by the Palm Beach Police Foundation (2010) How many Medals of Honor have been awarded for each military service branch? Army: 2,452 Navy: 749 Marine Corps: 300 Air Force: 19 Coast Guard: 1. But even so, two Medals of Honor and more than 3,300 dead since 9/11 is a ratio of one for about every 1,600 deaths in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, far lower than the one Medal of Honor for qysiES.