# The best military award **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 12, 2009, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-military-award/489192 "2009-03-12T13:27:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-military-award/489192/1 "2009-03-12T13:27:56Z")
What is the best military decoration or award in the world. By best I mean ugliest, gaudiest piece of flair from any military. Preferably something with a sash. Maybe something that spells “lion tamer” in flashing lights. Pictures for cites if you can. ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-military-award/489192/2 "2009-03-12T13:29:49Z")
I assume you mean cosmetically, and not most difficult to get? Best is a very broad descriptor, and could be interpreted a number of ways… ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-military-award/489192/3 "2009-03-12T13:33:46Z")
> [@Todderbob](#): > > I assume you mean cosmetically, and not most difficult to get? > > Best is a very broad descriptor, and could be interpreted a number of ways… That is why I said “By best I mean ugliest, gaudiest piece of flair from any military.” Cosmetically only. I’m sure there are many that are equally difficult to get. In recent practice it seems to be impossible to be awarded the US military’s Medal of Honor for any action that you happen to live through. Can’t get much tougher than that. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-military-award/489192/4 "2009-03-12T14:02:19Z")
I’ll have what Idi Amin’s wearing: [The late Art Cockerill's website](http://www.achart.ca/publications/images/amin_dada_lg.jpg) Then there’s Edward VII of Great Britain: [http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/57/79857-004-2CB1B2D6.jpg](http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/57/79857-004-2CB1B2D6.jpg) Ex-King Zog of Albania was relatively understated: [http://4.bp.blogspot.com/\_Qdr2w1PNnCU/SZB2\_O-NN4I/AAAAAAAAAlg/gNR-ips2K5s/s400/Albania’s+King+Zog.jpg](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Qdr2w1PNnCU/SZB2_O-NN4I/AAAAAAAAAlg/gNR-ips2K5s/s400/Albania's+King+Zog.jpg) Haakon VII of Norway had it goin’ on: [http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.war44.com/images/Album/Haakon%2520VII,%2520King%2520of%2520Norway.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.war44.com/forum/269-post1.html&usg=\_\_Ex3FAHjtnWpkFmSSbkyzan1jVRg=&h=500&w=386&sz=56&hl=en&start=3&tbnid=OiWZyvJo8Gug7M:&tbnh=130&tbnw=100&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dking%2Bnorway%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.war44.com/images/Album/Haakon%2520VII,%2520King%2520of%2520Norway.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.war44.com/forum/269-post1.html&usg=__Ex3FAHjtnWpkFmSSbkyzan1jVRg=&h=500&w=386&sz=56&hl=en&start=3&tbnid=OiWZyvJo8Gug7M:&tbnh=130&tbnw=100&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dking%2Bnorway%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den) But I guess Emperor Bokassa went in for gold braid rather than medals: [http://farm1.static.flickr.com/27/66798755\_f82c4cbad9\_m.jpg](http://farm1.static.flickr.com/27/66798755_f82c4cbad9_m.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-military-award/489192/5 "2009-03-12T14:08:58Z")
I do like the Idi Amin’s fashion sense. I don’t think I have what it takes to pull off wearing an entire dinner service for eight on my uniform. What I am hoping for is some names and pictures of specific awards. Nothing wrong with obscure and bizarre. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-military-award/489192/6 "2009-03-12T14:13:27Z")
The Order of the Elephant (Denmark) is pretty glitzy: [http://www.almanachdechivalry.com/db2/00117/almanachdechivalry.com/\_uimages/Elephant\_Order\_with\_Star.jpg](http://www.almanachdechivalry.com/db2/00117/almanachdechivalry.com/_uimages/Elephant_Order_with_Star.jpg) These Serb orders aren’t too shabby: [http://www.royalfamily.org/history/orders3.htm](http://www.royalfamily.org/history/orders3.htm) Or maybe you’d like to go Thai? [http://www.cabinet.thaigov.go.th/eng/d\_Rajami00.htm](http://www.cabinet.thaigov.go.th/eng/d_Rajami00.htm) [http://www.cabinet.thaigov.go.th/eng/d\_Ninegem00.htm](http://www.cabinet.thaigov.go.th/eng/d_Ninegem00.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-military-award/489192/7 "2009-03-12T14:15:36Z")
Perfect. It will take a lot to beat the Order of the Elephant. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-military-award/489192/8 "2009-03-12T14:17:10Z")
Moved from General Questions to In My Humble Opinion. **Gfactor** General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-military-award/489192/9 "2009-03-12T14:18:24Z")
At various times, Germany had the Iron Cross 2nd Class, the larger Iron Cross 1st Class, the larger yet [Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knight%27s_Cross_of_the_Iron_Cross), the twice as large as the Iron Cross [Grand Cross of the Iron Cross](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Cross_of_the_Iron_Cross), and the still even larger [Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_of_the_Grand_Cross_of_the_Iron_Cross). ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-military-award/489192/10 "2009-03-12T14:26:45Z")
SACEUR and future President Dwight Eisenhower picked up quite a bit of foreign military bling: > **[Order of Leopold (Belgium)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Leopold_(Belgium))** > > The Order of Leopold (Dutch: Leopoldsorde, French: Ordre de Léopold, German: Leopoldsorden) is one of the three current Belgian national honorary orders of knighthood. It is the oldest and highest order of Belgium and is named in honour of its founder, King Leopold I. It consists of a military, a maritime and a civil division. The maritime division is only awarded to personnel of the merchant navy, and the military division to military personnel. The decoration was established on 11 July 1832 and... > **[Order of George I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_George_I)** > > The Royal Order of George I (Greek: Βασιλικόν Τάγμα Γεωργίου Α') is a Greek order instituted by King Constantine I in 1915. Since the monarchy's abolition in 1973, it has been considered a dynastic order of the former Greek royal family. > The order was founded in 1915 by King Constantine I in honor of his father, George I. It was only the second Greek order to be created after the Order of the Redeemer in 1833, and remained the second senior award of the Greek state for the duration of its existe... > **[Order of the Aztec Eagle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Aztec_Eagle)** > > The Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle (Spanish: Orden Mexicana del Águila Azteca) forms part of the Mexican Honors System and is the highest Mexican order awarded to foreigners in the country. > It was created by decree on December 29, 1933 by President Abelardo L. Rodríguez as a reward to the services given to Mexico or humankind by foreigners. It corresponds to similar distinctions given to Mexican citizens such as the Condecoración Miguel Hidalgo or the Belisario Domínguez Medal of Honor. It is ... > **[Order of Ouissam Alaouite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Ouissam_Alaouite)** > > The Order of Ouissam Alaouite (Arabic: الوسام العلوي الشريف) or the Sharifian Order of Al-Alaoui\[citation needed\] is a military decoration of Morocco which is bestowed by the King of Morocco upon those civilians and military officers who have displayed heroism in combat or have contributed meritorious service to the Moroccan state. The decoration was established on 11 January 1913 in replacement of the Order of Ouissam Hafidien. It is awarded in five classes: Grand Cordon (Grand cordon), Gran... > **[Order of the Netherlands Lion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Netherlands_Lion)** > > The Order of the Netherlands Lion, also known as the Order of the Lion of the Netherlands (Dutch: De Orde van de Nederlandse Leeuw, French: L'Ordre du Lion Néerlandais) is a Dutch order of chivalry founded by King William I of the Netherlands on 29 September 1815. > The Order of the Netherlands Lion was until recently awarded to eminent individuals from all walks of life, including generals, ministers of the crown, mayors of large towns, professors and leading scientists, industrialists, high-rank... > **[Virtuti Militari](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtuti_Militari)** > > The War Order of Virtuti Militari (Latin: "For Military Virtue", Polish: Order Wojenny Virtuti Militari) is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war. It was created in 1792 by Polish King Stanislaus II Augustus and is the oldest military decoration in the world still in use. > It is awarded in five classes either for personal heroism or, to commanders, for leadership. Some of the heroic actions recognized by an award of the Virtuti Militari are e... > **[Order of Victory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Victory)** > > The Order of Victory (Russian: Орден «Победа», romanized: Orden "Pobeda") was the highest military decoration awarded for World War II service in the Soviet Union, and one of the rarest orders in the world. The order was awarded only to Generals and Marshals for successfully conducting combat operations involving one or more army groups and resulting in a "successful operation within the framework of one or several fronts resulting in a radical change of the situation in favor of the Red Army."\[1... ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-military-award/489192/11 "2009-03-12T14:32:48Z")
Although not exclusively a military order, Knights of the Garter get some nice duds and a medal about the size of a pie plate: [![](http://www.merryroyals.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/queen-elizabeth-order-of-the-garter-1-450px-nc.jpg) ](http://www.merryroyals.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/queen-elizabeth-order-of-the-garter-1-450px-nc.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-military-award/489192/12 "2009-03-12T18:02:20Z")
[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir] Then there’s Edward VII of Great Britain: [http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb...4-2CB1B2D6.jpg](http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb...4-2CB1B2D6.jpg) [/QUOTE] But the OP specified military awards - most of that bling isn’t military. The four stars underneath the medals look like the stars of the four highest knighthoods in the United Kingdom: Garter, Thistle, St. Patrick and Bath - and the sash would likely be the sash of the Garter. ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-military-award/489192/13 "2009-03-12T19:48:15Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > The Order of the Elephant (Denmark) is pretty glitzy: [http://www.almanachdechivalry.com/db2/00117/almanachdechivalry.com/\_uimages/Elephant\_Order\_with\_Star.jpg](http://www.almanachdechivalry.com/db2/00117/almanachdechivalry.com/_uimages/Elephant_Order_with_Star.jpg) The order of the Elephant isn’t strictly military, though. It’s mostly awarded to heads of state, to Danish Royalty and a few select others - Tycho Brahe and Niels Bohr were both knights of the order. (Niels Bohr picked the symbol of Yin and Yang for his coat of arms in the order, rather out there for 1947, but a neat tie-in to the principle of complementarity.) However, Montgomery and Eisenhower were both made knights after WWII, Eisenhower specifically in his capacity as general rather than President, so the award is available for military people who have performed extraordinary services for Denmark. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-military-award/489192/14 "2009-03-12T20:09:19Z")
why an elephant, in Denmark? ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-military-award/489192/15 "2009-03-12T20:22:09Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > why an elephant, in Denmark? The exact reason is lost in time (it’s not even known exactly when the order started using the elephant - sometime around 1580), but apparently the elephant was a symbol of chastity and piety in those days. ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-military-award/489192/16 "2009-03-12T20:25:17Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > why an elephant, in Denmark? To celebrate the Carlsberg [Elephant Beer](http://www.elefanterne.dk/carlsberg_elefant.jpg), of course 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2009, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-military-award/489192/17 "2009-03-13T01:20:18Z")
what is the german award nicknamed ‘ruby’? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2009, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-military-award/489192/18 "2009-03-13T14:24:48Z")
Dunno. Brezhnev sure liked his bling (several of his medals were revoked after his death): [Rankopedia - Find the best online casinos](http://www.rankopedia.com/CandidatePix/4119.gif) At least Marshal Georgi Zhukov actually earned his: [http://vnthuquan.net/truyen/anhminhhoa/Zhukov.jpg](http://vnthuquan.net/truyen/anhminhhoa/Zhukov.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-military-award/489192/19 "2009-03-14T07:20:07Z")
On the flip side, the \*least \*ostentatious military award is probably the IDF Medal of Valor - [a plain yellow bar](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_military_decorations). ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-military-award/489192/20 "2009-03-14T07:38:07Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > At least Marshal Georgi Zhukov actually earned his: [http://vnthuquan.net/truyen/anhminhhoa/Zhukov.jpg](http://vnthuquan.net/truyen/anhminhhoa/Zhukov.jpg) Wow. His tailor must have gone “Dammit Georgi, stop being so damn heroic all the time. You want I should pin some on your ass ?!” On the other hand, he was probably bullet-proof. His Wiki page states he got the Order of Lenin no less than 6 times. I have no idea what the Order is about, but at that point they should have just made him “Lenin Himself”, save some time (and chest real estate). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-military-award/489192.md?page=2)