In the most recent wars that the United States has been engaged in, the war in Iraq (which began in 2003 and is continuous), and the war in Afghanistan (which began in 2001 and is ongoing), there have only been six and 18, respectively. In World War II (the US was involved from 1941 until 1945), there were 472 recipients, but in the Vietnam War (which lasted from 1955 until 1975), there were only 261. During World War I, which lasted from 1914 until 1918, there were only 126 people who received the Medal of Honor. For example, over 1500 soldiers and other military personnel (such as nurses and chaplains) earned the Medal of Honor during the Civil War. The Medal of Honor is a very rare reward for someone to receive, and it seems to be becoming rarer and rarer. There is not much correlation between the Medal of Honor and the state in which someone lives.
