# Worth a Viccie? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 15, 2004, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worth-a-viccie/250529 "2004-06-15T19:47:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worth-a-viccie/250529/1 "2004-06-15T19:47:13Z")
[This soldier](http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/story.jsp?story=530990) is being put forward for a Victoria Cross. Note the bit where he goes back to the burning vehicle, drives it to a safe distance and then tries to put the fire out. For non-UK readers the Victoria Cross is the highest military honour awarded by the Monarch - anyone serving in the Monarch’s military is eligible (for example the Gurkhas are technically mercenaries in the employ of the Crown, yet they count a double-VC). It is inscribed ‘For Gallantry’. It is usually awarded posthumously. I guess that the American equivalent would be the Medal of Honor. What do **you** think? ---
**Author:** ![liirogue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@liirogue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liirogue)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worth-a-viccie/250529/2 "2004-06-15T23:30:42Z")
I’m not British, so take my opinion for what you think it’s worth. If he did what the article claims, I would say he is deserving. I don’t believe that many people, faced with the same circumstances, would or could act in that way. I sure as hell couldn’t. ---
**Author:** ![lynxie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e99b99/32.png) [@lynxie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lynxie)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2004, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worth-a-viccie/250529/3 "2004-06-16T05:02:01Z")
yes, he deserves it. ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2004, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worth-a-viccie/250529/4 "2004-06-16T06:04:38Z")
Maybe I’m missing something, but why exactly would he not be worthy of such an award? Because he lived? This seems like a bit of a no-brainer to me. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2004, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worth-a-viccie/250529/5 "2004-06-16T06:50:12Z")
In America, would he qualify for a Medal of Honor, or some lesser award? ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2004, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worth-a-viccie/250529/6 "2004-06-16T09:44:14Z")
I bet he’d qualify for an appearance on any talk show he wanted – Letterman, Leno, Conan … Oprah. And in celeb-obsessed America, that’s a real honor! ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2004, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worth-a-viccie/250529/7 "2004-06-16T17:02:08Z")
> [@qts](#): > > In America, would he qualify for a Medal of Honor, or some lesser award? Just taking it upon himself to crash through the roadblock in a burning vehicle to allow his comrades to escape is a Silver Star. Re-entering the burning and likely to explode vehicle with no regard to his personal safety so his comrades would be safe? Yeah, now we’re talking Medal of Honor so a VC is appropriate.