How to apply?

Upon presentation of their military file as detailed under here, US veterans who served in France during World War II are eligible this distinction.

Those selected are appointed to the rank of Knight of the Legion of Honor.

The Legion of Honor medal is not awarded posthumously.

Created to honor extraordinary contributions to the country, the Legion of Honor is France’s highest distinction.

To be eligible for this outstanding award, the candidate must follow these strict criterias: Interested veterans of all armed forces will be taken into consideration if they have fought on French territory and, in particular, in these three following campaigns for the Liberation of France: Normandy, Provence and Northern France. Actions which took place in Belgium, Germany, Italy or any neighboring European country, are not taken into consideration.

Interested veterans must provide a file with the documents below:

• Honorable Discharge paper, military separation order or DD Form-214
• Military records mentioning their mission(s) on French soil before May 8th, 1945
• Citations for previous military awards such as the Silver Medal, the Bronze Medal, the Purple Heart Medal or higher distinctions, indicating meritorious actions during combat operations.
• A small paragraph explaining their mission(s) on French soil before May 8th, 1945.
• The "Proposal Memory” form below, completed in block letters and printed legibly:

Legion of Honor Application (PDF)

- A copy of a photo (and authentication of name change, if applicable).

The review of applications may take several months.