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Since World War I Puerto Ricans and people of Puerto Rican descent have participated in every conflict in which the United States has been involved as members of the United States Armed Forces. The following nine Puerto Ricans, including those of Puerto Rican descent, have made the ultimate sacrifice and were posthumously awarded the nation's highest military decoration - the Medal of Honor. The Medal of Honor is bestowed "for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, in actual combat against an armed enemy force." The medal is awarded by the President of the United States on behalf of the Congress.

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Félix Modesto Conde Falcón was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the Medal of Honor. Born in Juncos, Puerto Rico, he joined the United States Army in April 1963 in Chicago, Illinois. He was killed during combat operations in Ap Tan Hoa, South Vietnam, on April 4, 1969. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama in a March 18, 2014 ceremony in the White House. The award comes through the Defense Authorization Act which called for a review of Jewish American and Hispanic American veterans from World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War to ensure that no prejudice was shown to those deserving the Medal of Honor.

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Fernando Luis García was a United States Marine Corps private first class who was killed in action during the Korean War and posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism above and beyond the call of duty on September 5, 1952 during the Battle of Bunker Hill (1952). He was the first of nine Puerto Rican servicemen to be awarded the Medal of Honor and is the only Puerto Rican Marine to be awarded the medal.

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Carlos James Lozada was a member of the United States Army who was one of nine Puerto Ricans who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for their actions in combat.

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Master Sergeant Juan E. Negrón was a member of the United States Army who served in the 65th Infantry Regiment during the Korean War. He was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross for his actions during combat in the Chinese Spring Offensive at Kalma-Eri, North Korea, on April 28, 1951, which was posthumously upgraded to the Medal of Honor in 2014.

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Private Demensio Rivera was a United States Army veteran of the Korean War who was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross; the award was upgraded in 2014, decades after his death, to the Medal of Honor.

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Captain Eurípides Rubio was a United States Army officer and one of nine Puerto Ricans who were posthumously awarded the United States' highest military decoration for valor, the Medal of Honor, for actions on November 8, 1966, during the Vietnam War. Rubio was a member of the United States Army, Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, Republic of Vietnam.

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Héctor Santiago-Colón is one of nine Puerto Ricans who have been posthumously presented with the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration awarded by the United States. His actions on June 28, 1968 during the Vietnam War saved the lives of his comrades.

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Miguel Armando "Nando" Vera was a United States Army soldier who was killed in the Korean War and a posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Old Baldy.

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Captain Humbert Roque "Rocky" Versace was a United States Army officer of Puerto Rican-Italian descent who was posthumously awarded the United States' highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his heroic actions while a prisoner of war (POW) during the Vietnam War.