Trump awards Medal of Honor to pilot shot four times capturing Maduro

President Donald Trump announced the Medal of Honor for Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Eric Slover at the conclusion of his State of the Union address, recognizing the helicopter pilot for actions during a January raid in Venezuela that captured President Nicolás Maduro.

Lieutenant General Jonathan Braga, the commanding general of Joint Special Operations Command, placed the medal around Slover’s neck in the House gallery as Trump looked on, with the president adding there would be a separate White House presentation.

Why Was Slover Awarded the Medal of Honor?

Trump said Slover, who appeared with a walker and remains on active duty, served as flight lead of the first CH-47 Chinook that descended on what he described as a “heavily protected military fortress” where Maduro was located.

Slover’s recognition tied the nation’s highest military decoration to a sensitive joint operation in Caracas that U.S. officials said led to the capture of Venezuela’s leader and brought renewed attention to the risks U.S. service members faced during the mission.

The president said that as Slover prepared to land, enemy machine-gun fire struck him in the leg and hip, wounding him severely while he continued to deliver commandos to the drop zone.

The January operation followed months of covert planning and briefly cut power in Caracas as troops moved to detain Maduro and bring him to the United States to face drug trafficking charges connected to a prior federal indictment.

Along with Slover, other service members involved in the mission will receive medals at a private White House ceremony, Trump said.

In the same address, the president announced a Medal of Honor for retired Navy Captain E. Royce Williams, whose Korean War air combat was previously recognized with a Navy Cross and included what Trump described as a legendary 1952 dogfight against Soviet jets.

What Did Donald Trump Say About Eric Slover?

“While preparing to land, enemy machine guns fired from every angle, and Eric was hit very badly in the leg and hip—one bullet after another,” the president said. “He absorbed four agonizing shots, shredding his leg into numerous pieces.” 

“Delivering the many commandos who would capture and detain Maduro was the only thing Eric was thinking about,” Trump added.

He continued: “Eric maneuvered his helicopter with all of those lives and souls to face the enemy and let his gunners eliminate the threat and turn the helicopter around so the gunners could take care of business, saving the lives of his fellow warriors from what could have been a catastrophic crash, deep in enemy territory.” 

“The success of the entire mission and the lives of his fellow warriors hinged on Eric’s ability to take searing pain,” Trump said. 

What Is the Medal of Honor?

The Medal of Honor is the United States’ highest military decoration, awarded to service members who perform acts of exceptional bravery that go far beyond the call of duty.

Created during the Civil War, it recognizes individuals who risk their lives in situations of extraordinary danger, often to protect others or change the course of a mission.

The medal is presented in the name of the U.S. Congress, typically by the president, and is awarded only after an intensive review process that verifies the extraordinary nature of the actions involved.

There are three versions—Army, Navy (also for the Marines and Coast Guard), and Air and Space Forces—each with its own design.

Fewer than 4,000 Medals of Honor have been issued, making it one of the rarest and most revered distinctions in American military history.

List of Recent Medal of Honor Recipients

Despite its rarity, thousands of Medals of Honor have been issued since the Civil War. Here are some of the most recent recipients of the United States’ highest military decoration.

1. William Simon Harris (January 16, 2025)
2. James W. McIntyre (January 16, 2025)
3. Bruno R. Orig (January 3, 2025)
4. Wataru Nakamura (January 3, 2025)
5. Fred B. McGee (January 3, 2025)
6. Charles R. Johnson (January 3, 2025)
7. Richard E. Cavazos (January 3, 2025)
8. Hugh R. Nelson Jr. (January 3, 2025)
9. Kenneth J. David (January 3, 2025)
10. Philip G. Shadrach (July 3, 2024)
11. George D. Wilson (July 3, 2024)
12. Larry L. Taylor (September 5, 2023)
13. Paris D. Davis (March 3, 2023)
14. John J. Duffy (July 5, 2022)
15. Dennis Fujii (July 5, 2022)
16. Dwight W. Birdwell (July 5, 2022)
17. Edward Kaneshiro (July 5, 2022)
18. Christopher A. Celiz (December 16, 2021)
19. Earl D. Plumlee (December 16, 2021)
20. Alwyn C. Cashe (December 16, 2021)
21. Ralph Puckett Jr. (May 21, 2021)
22. Thomas P. Payne (September 11, 2020)
23. Matthew Williams (October 30, 2019)
24. David G. Bellavia (June 25, 2019)
25. Travis W. Atkins (March 27, 2019)
26. Ronald J. Shurer II (October 1, 2018)
27. John A. Chapman (August 22, 2018)
28. Garlin M. Conner (June 26, 2018)
29. Gary M. Rose (October 23, 2017)
30. James McCloughan (July 31, 2017)
31. Charles Kettles (July 18, 2016)
32. Edward C. Byers Jr. (February 29, 2016)
33. Florent Groberg (November 12, 2015)
34. Henry Johnson (June 2, 2015)
35. William Shemin (June 2, 2015)
36. Alonzo Cushing (November 6, 2014)
37. Bennie Adkins (September 15, 2014)
38. Donald Sloat (September 15, 2014)
39. Ryan Pitts (July 21, 2014)
40. Kyle White (May 13, 2014)
41. Kyle Carpenter (June 19, 2014)
42. William Swenson (October 15, 2013)
43. Ty Carter (August 26, 2013)
44. Emil Kapaun (April 11, 2013)
45. Clinton Romesha (February 11, 2013)
46. Leslie Sabo Jr. (May 16, 2012)
47. Leroy Petry (July 12, 2011)
48. Salvatore Giunta (November 16, 2010)
49. Robert Miller (October 6, 2010)
50. Jared Monti (September 17, 2009)
51. Ross McGinnis (June 2, 2008)
52. Michael Monsoor (April 8, 2008)

In 2014, President Barack Obama awarded an additional 24 medals during the Valor 24 ceremony to Army veterans who had served in World War II, the Vietnam War and the Korean War:

1. Pedro Cano
2. Joe Gandara
3. Salvador J. Lara
4. William F. Leonard
5. Manuel V. Mendoza
6. Alfred B. Nietzel
7. Donald K. Schwab
8. Joe R. Baldonado
9. Victor H. Espinoza
10. Eduardo Corral Gomez
11. Leonard M. Kravitz
12. Juan E. Negron
13. Mike C. Pena
14. Demensio Rivera
15. Miguel A. Vera
16. Jack Weinstein
17. Leonard L. Alvarado
18. Felix M. Conde-Falcon
19. Ardie R. Copas
20. Jesus S. Duran
21. Santiago J. Erevia
22. Candelario Garcia
23. Melvin Morris
24. Jose Rodela

Who Is Captain E. Royce Williams?

Williams, the retired Navy captain, received a Medal of Honor for actions in North Korea that are hailed as among the greatest feats in U.S. aviation history. In one dogfight over North Korea, Williams engaged with seven Soviet pilots for over half an hour, shooting down at least four of them before escaping and landing his F9F-5 Panther jet.

Details of Williams’ exploits in the dogfight were kept secret to avoid inflaming tensions with the Soviet Union, and his bravery was not recognized at the time.