I was just wondering…what was the medal that Han and Luke (but not Chewie) were awarded at the end of the first Star Wars movie?
I figured that, if nowhere else, this would be the place to ask—I’m sure SOMEONE’S come up with a name for it, over the years.
Can…anyone help me out?
As far as I can tell, it is jsut refered to as “a medal of honor.” It’s not like a Rebellion has a long-standing tradition of medals and awards for valor. They probably just spray-painted a couple of coffee can lids gold and hung them from a few pieces of colored plastic that were wrapped around the last shipment of soy-burgers. 
What I want to know is why Chewie didn’t get one. That’s pretty fucked up right there. He should have mauled everyone.
They weren’t medals, they were the barettes Leia used to make the double side bun hairdo that she never wore again. Chewie didn’t get one because Leia wasn’t interested in doing him.
The “official” reason is that Chewie owed Han a “life-debt” and therefore anything he did, he did for Han, not for reward. The real reason is that Carrie Fisher was too short to reach over Peter Mayhew’s head with the ribbon!
… I see little reason Chewbacca, a crewmen on a ship, should get a medal for the actions of his captain.
It’s called the Medal of Yavin.
^^^ Geek. 
And Chewie deserved a medal as much as anyone. Who was flying the Falcon during their escape from the Death Star?
Well, given Lucas’ cinematic influences, especially in reference to that scene, it might have been the Iron Cross.
And that ain’t no stage joke, neither!
In the novelization Chewie DID get one. But Leia didn’t put it on (let’s see if I can quote this from memory…
“few space princesses were that tall.”
No foolin’.
HA! I was right!
That was the “Blew up the Death Star” medal. Understandably, not many have been handed out.
Given where Lucus borrowed the iconography of the scene, I’m guessing it is the Golden Nazi Party Badge.
Stranger
Actually, one year the MTV Movie Awards had Carrie Fischer present “Chewie” (Peter Mayhew) with his own medal, for the “Lifetime Achievement Award.”
