Norwich University has a distinguished history with numerous Medal of Honor recipients among its alumni. Notable Norwich Medal of Honor Recipients:
- Willie Johnston (Class of 1870): Youngest Medal of Honor recipient, awarded as a drummer boy during the Civil War.
- Henry Clay Wood (Class of 1856): First Lieutenant in the Civil War.
- Edmund Rice (Class of 1860): Major in the Civil War.
- Thomas O. Seaver (Class of 1859): Colonel during the Civil War.
- Edward B. Williston (Class of 1856): First Lieutenant in the Civil War.
- Hiram Iddings Bearss (Class of 1898): Captain in WWI.
- James M. Burt (Class of 1939): Captain awarded for WWII.
- Edward C. Byers Jr. (Class of 2019): Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) for actions in Afghanistan.
- Thomas P. Payne (Class of 2017): Sergeant Major (Delta Force) for a hostage rescue in Iraq.
- Eric Slover (Class of ): Chief Warrant Officer 5, MH-47 Chinook pilot in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), “Night Stalkers”, Conflict/Era: Venezuela (Operation Absolute Resolve).
These recipients are honored on campus in the Medal of Honor exhibit located in Jackman Hall.
The nine Norwich University alumni who received the Medal of Honor were recognized for the following heroic actions:
Willie Johnston (Class of 1870): While serving as an 11-year-old drummer in the 3rd Vermont Infantry during the 1862 Peninsula Campaign, he was the only musician in his division to retain his instrument during a chaotic 12-mile retreat. His persistence inspired troops and led to him being the youngest recipient in U.S. history.
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willie_Johnston_(Medal_of_Honor)
Video – Distinguished Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY-h-rZ53Lo
Henry Clay Wood (Class of 1856): At the Battle of Wilson’s Creek in 1861, he held a line of “Rifle Recruits” against heavy Confederate fire even after other units retreated. Despite a head wound, he organized a successful withdrawal that protected retreating Union forces.
Congressional Medal of Honor Society info page: https://www.cmohs.org/recipients/henry-c-wood
Audio description: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAP08z0_kLA
Edmund Rice (Class of 1860): During the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg (1863), he led a countercharge against Pickett’s Division to close a critical gap in the Union line. He was severely wounded while advancing into the enemy’s front.
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Rice_(Medal_of_Honor)
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsZAyCiurlo
Thomas O. Seaver (Class of 1859): At Spotsylvania Court House in 1864, he led three regiments in a charge against fortified enemy works under intense fire, successfully occupying the position.
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_O._Seaver
Video: https://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient/recipient-3027/
Edward B. Williston (Class of 1856): During the Battle of Trevilian Station (1864), he personally moved an artillery gun onto the skirmish line to fire “double charges of canister” at point-blank range, halting an enemy charge that threatened to overrun his brigade.
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Bancroft_Williston
Audio Description: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kwHv6d-N54
Hiram I. Bearss (Class of 1898): On Samar in 1901, he led a Marine column across a river and up 200-foot volcanic cliffs using bamboo ladders. He routed a heavily defended insurgent stronghold that had been considered impregnable.
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiram_I._Bearss
Congressional Medal of Honor Society: https://www.cmohs.org/recipients/hiram-i-bearss
Hall of Valor: https://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient/recipient-1359/
James M. Burt (Class of 1939): During the Battle of Aachen in 1944, he repeatedly left his tank under heavy fire to scout enemy positions on foot, directed artillery while exposed, and even rescued wounded comrades while his own tank was being targeted.
James Burt at Norwich University:
Congressional Medal of Honor Society: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpkX__-t34I
www.TalesOfHonorPodcast.com: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2tmS4sJJcw
Award certificate: James Burt Medal of Honor award
Edward C. Byers Jr. (Class of 2019): During a 2012 hostage rescue in Afghanistan, this Navy SEAL was the second person to enter the target building. He engaged enemy guards at close range and used his body to shield an American hostage from incoming fire while simultaneously pinning another guard to the wall.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_8eeC-6y4w&t=27s
Video #2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRk3KDKP1Sw
Video #3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KY9nIbx_NA
Thomas “Patrick” Payne (Class of 2017): In a 2015 hostage rescue mission in Iraq, he sprinted across open ground under machine-gun fire to clear a burning building. He re-entered the smoke-filled, collapsing structure three times to cut locks and lead more than 70 hostages to safety.
Norwich University Stories: https://online.norwich.edu/online/norwich-experience/norwich-stories/sergeant-major-thomas-p-payne
The US Army Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq8mzrFr_0w
ABC News Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdiIttDunII
Brothers in Arms Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy2pTqvECrM
At the State of the Union address on Feb. 24, 2026 Chief Warrant Officer 5 Eric Slover, a graduate of Norwich University’s College of Graduate and Continuing Studies (CGCS), stood in the U.S. Capitol as the nation’s highest military honor — the Medal of Honor — was placed around his neck.
CW5 Slover joins a prestigious alumni community that has been honored with the Medal of Honor. President Donald Trump cited his remarkable heroism during a high-risk military operation in Venezuela which resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro, where he sustained serious wounds but continued to lead and fly his CH-47 Chinook under fire to ensure mission success.
“We are immensely proud of Chief Warrant Officer 5 Eric Slover and the extraordinary honor he received in being awarded the Medal of Honor. To have this recognition bestowed during the State of the Union underscores not only the magnitude of his courage and service, but the values he represents. As the 10th Norwich alumni to receive our nation’s highest military decoration, CW5 Slover stands in a long and distinguished line of citizen-soldiers reflecting the enduring Norwich ethos that prepares leaders to serve with honor in the most demanding moments. His actions embody the very best of Norwich — selfless service, moral courage, and leadership under the most challenging circumstances — and his example will inspire generations to come.” — LtGen John J. Broadmeadow, USMC (Ret.), 25th President of Norwich University.
CW 5 Slover, already a seasoned Army warrant officer, pursued advanced degrees through Norwich’s CGCS and earned both a Bachelor of Science in Strategic Studies and Defense Analysis — only available for those serving in special forces — and Master of Arts in Strategic Studies.
Congressional Medal of Honor: Eric Slover
Other Resources about Medal of Honor Recepients:
Congressional Medal of Honor Society
National Medal of Honor Museum
US Army Medal of Honor
U.S. Department of War Medal of Honor
The Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center
National Medal of Honor Center for Leadership
Home of Heroes Medal of Honor & Military History