Actor Johnny Wactor (“General Hospital” fame) has been announced as a posthumous 2026 “Medal of Honor” Recipient. Markos Papadatos has the scoop.
On the “National Medal of Honor Day,” which falls on March 25, 2026, Medal of Honor Recipients will recognize extraordinary Americans whose actions embody the values of courage, sacrifice, and service that define the nation’s highest military award for valor in combat.
The Congressional Medal of Honor Society —the Congressionally-chartered organization comprised of the 64 living Medal of Honor Recipients—will present its annual Citizen Honors Awards at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C.
Five individuals and one nonprofit organization will be honored for demonstrating the core values associated with the Medal of Honor – courage, sacrifice, and selfless service – through extraordinary acts of heroism and service within their communities.
The Citizen Honors Awards are a cornerstone of the Society’s mission to inspire future generations and demonstrate that the values represented by the Medal of Honor are relevant to all Americans.
The event, emceed by Kagan Dunlap, will feature a powerful moment as Medal of Honor Recipients place a Citizen Honors medallion around the necks of each honoreer, echoing the tradition through which Recipients themselves were presented the Medal of Honor.
This year’s honorees are recognized for extraordinary acts of courage and service – from protecting classmates during a violent incident at a school and rescuing strangers from dangerous waters to shielding others from armed attackers and dedicating decades to feeding families and supporting veterans and underserved youth.
A distinguished panel assembled by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society carefully reviewed nominations from across the nation. A second panel—composed exclusively of Medal of Honor Recipients—then selected five individuals and one organization whose actions exemplify the Medal’s ideals.
Johnny Wactor has been recognized as a 2026 ‘Single Act of Heroism’ Honoree
Johnny Wactor hailed from Summerville, South Carolina. He was known for his acting work in the ABC soap opera “General Hospital,” where he played Brando Corbin.
In the early morning hours of May 25, 2024, in downtown Los Angeles, Johnny Wactor made the ultimate sacrifice to protect his coworker from armed thieves.
When confronted with a violent threat, Johnny instinctively placed himself between danger and another person, shielding her with his own body. His courageous act saved her life and reflects his lifelong commitment to protecting others, even at the cost of his own.
National Medal of Honor Day was established by Congress in 1991 to foster public appreciation and recognition of Medal of Honor Recipients. March 25 was selected to commemorate the date in 1863 when the first Medals of Honor were presented to six members of Andrews’ Raiders during the Civil War.
