Cross for Military Valour | |
---|---|
Type | Bravery award (four class decoration) Four degrees: Cross for Military Valour with Bronze Palm Cross for Military Valour with Gold Star Cross for Military Valour with Silver Star Cross for Military Valour with Bronze Star |
Awarded for | Valour or gallantry in combat |
Presented by | France |
Eligibility | Members of the French Armed Forces |
Status | Active |
Established | April 11, 1956 |
First awarded | 1956 |
Precedence | |
Next (higher) | Croix de guerre des TOE |
Next (lower) | Médaille de la Gendarmerie nationale |
Related | Croix du combattant |
The Cross for Military Valour (French : Croix de la Valeur Militaire) is a military decoration of France. It recognizes an individual bestowed a Mention in Dispatches earned for showing valour in presence of an enemy, in theatres of operations which are not subject to the award of the Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures (Cross of War for Foreign Theatres of Operations). The Cross for Military Valour is usually awarded for security or peacekeeping operations, always outside the French territory.
It was established in 1956 to reward soldiers, sailors, and airmen serving in Algeria who had committed acts of valour or gallantry in combat. Algeria was a department of France at the time, so it was not considered a declared war but peacekeeping operations on French soil. Therefore, the War Cross for foreign operational theatres, which had been awarded for valiant service in Indochina, was not considered appropriate. Médaille de la Valeur Militaire was created on 11 April 1956 with a four-grade system of distinctions. [1] To put it on the same level as the Croix de guerre, the Medal was replaced by a Cross on 12 October 1956. [2]
The Cross was used extensively to reward soldiers for valour in every French military operations since 1956, except the Gulf War and the Kosovo War, when Overseas War Crosses were awarded in place of Crosses for Military Valour :
The grades of the Cross are insignia of a mention in dispatches, which can be of one of five levels matching the valour displayed by the recipient while in presence of an enemy. They are each named after a historical formation of the French military.
Insignia | Level | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Air Force ( Armée de l'Air ) | Army ( Armée de Terre ) | Gendarmerie Nationale | Navy ( Marine nationale ) | |||
Surface units | Aviation units | Submarines | ||||
Bronze Palm (Five bronze palms can be substituted by a single silver palm) | Air Force (armée aérienne) | Army (armée) | Gendarmerie | Navy (marine nationale) | ||
Silver-Gilt Star | Air Corps (corps aérien) | Corps (corps d'armée) | Task Force (force maritime) | |||
Silver Star | Air Division (division aérienne) | Division | Squadron (escadre) | Flotilla | ||
Bronze Star | Air Brigade (brigade aérienne) | Brigade | Division (division de bâtiments) | Air group (groupe aérien) | Submarine squad (escadrille de sous-marins) | |
Bronze Star | Air Wing (escadre aérienne) | Regiment | Navy Unit (unité de la marine) |
The 1956 Cross was meant principally for soldiers, but a provision was made for civilians participating in a peacekeeping operation. On 2 December 2005 this provision was amended in order to reward only civilian employees of the Ministry of Defence on official missions overseas. [10] Originally, the cross was not awarded to members of foreign militaries or governments. This restriction was lifted on 9 November 2011 for acts of valour or performed valiant service while on joint operations with French forces. [11] Collective awards can be made to military units, both French and foreign, since 2011. [12] When a unit has decorated twice with the Cross at its highest level, the fourragère can be worn on uniforms.
The four first grades of the Cross can be awarded by Chef d'état-major des Armées (Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff), but the Cross with Palm decoration is only awarded by the Ministre de la Défense (Minister of Defence).
Medal: suspended from a ribbon is a 36 mm bronze cross, with an effigy of the Republic crowned with a wreath, with the edge embossed: "REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE". On the reverse is the inscription: "Croix de la Valeur militaire".
Ribbon: a red bar with three vertical white bands: a centered 7 mm band, with a smaller 2 mm band on each end.
The 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment is the only airborne regiment of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. It is one of the four infantry regiments of the 11th Parachute Brigade and part of the spearhead of the French rapid reaction force.
The 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment is one of two combat engineer regiments of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. The regiment provides the combat engineering component of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade.
The 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment is one of two combat engineer regiments of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. The regiment provides the combat engineering component of the 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade. Stationed, since its creation in 1999, on the former site of the French Strategic Nuclear Missiles at Saint Christol, Vaucluse, southern France.
The 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment is the only cavalry regiment of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. It is one of two armoured cavalry regiments of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade.
The 6th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment is an airborne infantry unit of the French Army.
The Régiment d'infanterie chars de marine RICM in French, is a light cavalry regiment of the French Army, successor to the Régiment d'infanterie coloniale du Maroc RICM.
Paul Marie Félix Jacques René Arnaud de Foïard was a général of the French Army who served primarily in the French Foreign Legion taking part in World War II and the conflicts of Indochina and Algeria.
Bruno Dary is a Général d'armée of the French Army and commandant of the Foreign Legion.
The 1st Spahi Regiment is an armored regiment of the modern French Army, previously called the 1st Moroccan Spahi Regiment. It was established in 1914 as a mounted cavalry unit recruited primarily from indigenous Moroccan horsemen. The regiment saw service in the First World War, and in the Second World War as part of the Forces Françaises Libres, as well as post-war service in the French-Indochina War and elsewhere. The modern regiment continues the traditions of all former Spahi regiments in the French Army of Africa.
Benoît Puga is a general in the French Army and the Grand Chancellor of the National Order of the Legion of Honour and the National Order of Merit.
Philippe Louis Edmé Marie François Erulin was a senior officer in the French Army. He came from a family of renowned officers and military traditions.
The 1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment is the oldest and among the most decorated Airborne forces regiments of the French Army. Established in the French Army in 1943 and formerly part of the French Air Force since 1937, the chasseur distinguished its Regimental Colors during the campaigns of the Liberation of Paris, the First Indochina War in 1947, 1950, 1953, 1954 and the Algerian War. This elite regiment is part of the 11th Parachute Brigade.
The 11th Marine Artillery Regiment (France) (French: 11e Régiment d'Artillerie de Marine, 11e RAMa) is an artillery regiment of the French Army. The regiment constitutes the fire support unit of the 9th Marine Infantry Brigade. The regiment employs around 950 men, fielding TRF1 155mm howitzers and MO-120-RT-61 120mm mortars. The regiment was founded in a third operational phase in 1951.
Jeannou Lacaze, was a French Général d'armée of the French Army and Chef d'État-Major des armées (1981-1985), who also served in the French Foreign Legion.
The 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment was a unit of the Foreign Legion in the French Army, part of the rapid reaction force and component of the 6th Light Armoured Division,. The 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment became the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment in 1999.
Marcel Letestu was a Général de brigade of the French Army and Commandant of the Foreign Legion.
Jacques Lefort was a Général de corps d'armée of the French Army and Commandant of the Foreign Legion.
Bernard Grail is a Général of the French Army and a former Commandant of the Foreign Legion (COMLE).
François Gérard Marie Lecointre is a French army general who has served as Grand Chancellor of the Order of the Legion of Honour since 1 February 2023. He previously served as Chief of the Defence Staff between 2017 and 2021.
Éric Bellot des Minières is an army general of the French Army. He has been Inspector General of the French Armed Forces since October 31, 2020.