All five branches of the United States military issue a number of medals and decorations to servicemembers to recognize various accomplishments, achievements, and service rendered. Military-Ranks.org maintains a full list of all national decorations awarded by the military.
On this page, awards are in displayed in the Order of Precedence. This is the relative importance of decorations as they relate to each other, and determines the order in which they are displayed on a service ribbon rack. You can also use the links above to view lists of decorations sorted by class, type, or military branch.
This list of highest military decorations is an index to articles that describe the highest military decoration awarded by each country in the world.
Argentina | Cross to the Heroic Valour in Combat | 18 | Last awarded in 1982 | ||
Australia | The Victoria Cross for Australia | 16 January 2009[1] | 5 | Replaced The Victoria Cross | |
Austria | The Military Merit Decoration | ||||
Bangladesh | Bir Sreshtho | 15 December 1973 | 7 | ||
Brazil | Order of Military Merit | 1934 | 820 | ||
Bulgaria | Order of Bravery | 1 January 1880 | Date established. | ||
Canada | The Victoria Cross of Canada | 2 February 1993 | 0 | Date established. Replaced The Victoria Cross | |
China | Order of August First | 12 June 2017 | 10 | ||
Colombia | Order of San Mateo | ||||
Denmark | The Valour Cross | 18 November 2011[2] | 1 | ||
Estonia | The Cross of Liberty | 24 February 1919 | 3,156 | None has been awarded since 1925 | |
France | The Legion of Honour | 15 July 1804 | Conferred in five classes for military or civilian merit. | ||
Germany | The Cross of Honour for Valour | 6 July 2009 | 28 | ||
Greece | Medal for Gallantry Cross of Valour |
1974 1913 |
The Medal for Gallantry formally replaced the Cross of Valour as the top military award in 1974, but it has never been conferred. | ||
Hungary | Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary | 1764-1918, 1938–1946, 2011- | |||
India | Param Vir Chakra | 3 November 1947 | 21 | ||
Israel | Medal of Valor | 19 January 1948 | 40[3] | Replacement for the Hero of Israel. None has been awarded since 1975.[3] | |
Italy | Gold Medal of Military Valour | 21 May 1793 | |||
Luxembourg | Military Medal | 3 August 1945[4] | |||
Malaysia | Grand Knight of Valour | 29 July 1960 | 30 | The Grand Knight of Valour (Malay: Darjah Kebesaran Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa)[5][6][7] is the highest federal award which can be presented in Malaysia. It was created on 29 July 1960 and was gazetted on 11 August 1960. The award is the highest ranking in the list of the Malaysian Federal Ranking of Awards, and is ranked higher than the Order of the Royal Family of Malaysia (D.K.M.) awarded to Malaysian Royalty.| | |
Myanmar | Aung San Thiriya, 1st Class | 1948 | 6 | ||
Netherlands | Military William Order | 30 April 1815 | 5,875 | ||
New Zealand | The Victoria Cross for New Zealand | 26 July 2007[8] | 1 | Replaced The Victoria Cross. | |
North Korea | Soldier's Medal of Honour (first class) | July 1950 | [9][10] | ||
Norway | The War Cross with Sword | 28 November 1941 | 285 | A new sword is awarded each time a person, who already has the War Cross, distinguishes him- or herself in battle.[11] | |
Pakistan | Nishan-e-Haider (Left) Hilal-e-Kashmir (Right) | 16 March 1957 | 11 | On 30 November 1995, the Government of Pakistan initiated the gazette notification to declare its Hilal-e-Kashmir equivalent to Nishan-e-Haider.
All awards have been made posthumously. | |
Poland | Order of Virtuti Militari | 22 June 1792 | Conferred in five classes. A wartime-only award. | ||
Portugal | Order of the Tower and Sword | 1459 | The Order of the Tower and Sword, as awarded by the Portuguese government today, comes in six classes | ||
Romania | Order of Michael the Brave | Instated 26 September 1916 Disbanded 1948 Reinstated 23 July 2000 |
2,184 | None has been awarded since 1944. | |
Russia | Hero of the Russian Federation | Honorific title for service to the Russian state and nation, usually connected with a heroic feat of valor; precedes all other Russian military and civil orders and medals. | |||
Russia | Order of St. George | Highest military decoration of the Russian Federation. | |||
Spain | Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand | 1 January 1812 | 336 | ||
Somalia | Order of the Somali Star | 12 February 1961 | Highest distinction award for military gallantry of Somalia. | ||
Thailand | Order of Rama | 22 July 1918 | Date established. Conferred in six classes for military merit. | ||
United Kingdom | The Victoria Cross | 26 June 1857[12] | 1357[nb 1] 1354[nb 2] |
||
United States | Medal of Honor | 26 March 1863 | 3468[nb 1][13] 3449[nb 2] |
Different types from each of the branches of the US military.
In the image, from left to right: The Army, the Coast Guard/Navy/Marine Corps, and the Air Force. | |
Vietnam | The Military Exploit Order | 15 May 1947 | Individuals who have recorded outstanding and brave exploits in combat, combat service, training, force building, consolidation of the all-people defense and people's security, or have sacrificed their lives heroically, setting bright examples in the whole country. | ||
Zimbabwe | The Gold Cross of Zimbabwe | 3 | Replaced the Grand Cross of Valour |
Notes
- ^ a b Total medals awarded.
- ^ a b Total recipients of the medal.
References
- ^ "Australian SAS soldier Mark Donaldson awarded Victoria Cross". The Australian. News Limited. 16 January 2009. Archived from the original on 5 March 2009. Retrieved 7 August 2009.
- ^ "Dronningen overrækker nyt Tapperhedskors til hjemvendt soldat". Forsvaret.dk. Archived from the original on 2012-01-21. Retrieved 2013-07-15.
- ^ a b Shoval, Lilach. "'Heroes' from Independence War mostly gone, but not forgotten". israelhayom.com. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
- ^ "Actualités - Lëtzebuerger Arméi" (in French). Army.lu. Archived from the original on 2012-04-26. Retrieved 2011-12-31.
- ^ Shanmugam, Narendran Indi (31 July 2010). "Grand Knight of Valour". Philatelynews.com. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
- ^ "Grand Knight of Valour". Pos.com.my. 31 July 2010. Archived from the original on 15 August 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
- ^ "Stamp Gallery 2010". Pos.com.my. Retrieved 2018-08-24.
- ^ "Willie Apiata receives his VC". The New Zealand Herald. 26 July 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-03.
- ^ Vreeland, Nena (1976). Area Handbook for North Korea. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 327.
- ^ Weiser, Martin (8 January 2016). "Chests Full of Brass: A DPRK Political History in Orders, Medals, Prizes, and Titles". Sino-NK. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
- ^ "Direktiv for bruk og bæring av dekorasjoner, ordener og medaljer i Forsvaret Archived 2013-09-25 at the Wayback Machine". Forsvaret.no. Retrieved 2013-08-16
- ^ Herold, Stephen. "The First Presentation of the Victoria Cross". www.antiquesatoz.com. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
- ^ "Medal of Honor Statistics". Retrieved 15 July 2013.
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