The 10 Highest Military Honors and the 10 Obsolete Medals You’ll Never See Again

In the United States, there is literally no greater honor than the Medal of Honor for bravery in combat. It is reserved exclusively for service members whose actions go far beyond the call of duty under the most extreme conditions. 

The British Victoria Cross remains one of the most revered honors in military history. It is awarded for demonstrating exceptional courage in the face of the enemy, and its fame is such that one does not even need to have a deep knowledge of military history to recognize it.

The Australian Victoria Cross is the highest military honor in the Australian honors system. While it retains the spirit and design of the former imperial award, it is now a distinctly Australian decoration. This rare combination of continuity and national identity is what makes it so remarkable.

The Indian Param Vir Chakra is the country’s highest military honor for acts of bravery in wartime. It is awarded only for the most remarkable acts of bravery or daring performed in the face of the enemy. It is interesting to note that, because it is awarded so rarely, each recipient is remembered with particular intensity.

Pakistan’s Nishan-e-Haider is the country’s highest military decoration for bravery. It is reserved for the most remarkable acts of heroism in the face of the enemy, and all recipients to date have received it posthumously.

New Zealand created its own Victoria Cross after reforming its national system of honors. It is now the country’s highest honor for acts of bravery in the face of the enemy, and it has been awarded only once. But make no mistake: its rarity enhances its prestige rather than diminishing it.

The Polish Virtuti Militari is one of the oldest and most prestigious military decorations still in use in Europe. It is considered Poland’s highest military honor for heroism and courage in combat. Its long history gives this medal a significance that extends far beyond mere ceremonial occasions.

The title of “Hero of Ukraine” is accompanied by the Order of the Golden Star for Military Heroism, which represents the highest rank in the national system of honors. In times of war, it has become one of the most prominent symbols of exceptional military sacrifice and courage. 

It’s true—we have a new Victoria Cross! In Canada, it is the highest honor in the Canadian system recognizing military courage. Unlike some prestigious decorations that exist only in theory, this one was created to be the top honor in a modern national system of honors inspired by a famous predecessor. 

South Korea’s Taegeuk Order of Military Merit is recognized as the highest honor within the national Order of Military Merit system. Official South Korean government sources describe it as the country’s highest military honor. 

Now that we’ve reviewed some of the highest honors, it’s time to turn our attention to those that have quietly fallen into obscurity. Let’s see which ones now have their place in archives, museum display cases, and collectors’ albums.

The Empire Medal for Bravery was established in Great Britain to recognize acts of exceptional courage, but it did not last as long as one might think. In 1940, it was abolished when the St. George’s Cross was created, and existing recipients were incorporated into the new system. 

The Albert Medal recognized the courage shown by those who saved lives, and for many years it held a unique place in the British system of honors. However, its distinct status came to an end in 1971, when the surviving recipients were required to exchange it for the George Cross. 

The Edward Medal was created to recognize acts of bravery during workplace accidents, which, as you can imagine, gave it a very special and unusual role. That said, it was discontinued in 1971, at which time the surviving recipients were incorporated into the George Cross system. 

The Distinguished Conduct Medal was long one of the principal British decorations recognizing the bravery of noncommissioned officers in combat. However, the 1993 review of military decorations for bravery eliminated rank-specific awards, and this medal was discontinued as part of that reform. This discontinuation had dual significance: while its long history had earned it great renown, its disappearance also marked a major cultural turning point in the way bravery was officially recognized.

The Military Medal became one of the best-known British decorations awarded for bravery in combat to enlisted soldiers. When the system of decorations was reformed in 1993, the former distinction between officers and enlisted personnel was abolished, and this medal was also discontinued.

The Air Merit Medal recognized the courage displayed by noncommissioned officers during air operations. Once again, when the 1993 reforms made bravery awards available to all ranks, this medal no longer served a purpose as a separate category, leading to its abolition.

The Air Force Medal was awarded for bravery, courage, or dedication to duty during non-operational missions. One would not expect it to fall into obscurity, but it was also discontinued in 1993 as part of that same overhaul. 

For those who are unfamiliar with it, the Medal for Exceptional Bravery had an impressive history: it was awarded to noncommissioned officers for exceptional bravery during operations against the enemy. As you can imagine, this practice came to an end in 1993, when the British system abandoned rank-based bravery decorations to create new distinctions in the form of crosses, open to all ranks. 

The Distinguished Service Medal was a naval award given to sailors and senior noncommissioned officers, particularly for acts of bravery. When the United Kingdom eliminated rank distinctions from awards for acts of bravery in the line of duty in 1993, this medal was discontinued. 

This one is a little different. The Navy General Service Medal (1915–1962) was tied to a clearly defined period of naval campaigns rather than to a permanent system. Since it covered a specific range of operations and was subsequently replaced by new general service medal programs, it is now a closed historical topic rather than an active award.