Medal of Military Valor

Gold Medal

Silver Medal

Bronze Medal

Gold Medal

(Kingdom of Italy)

Cross of Merit of War

War Cross
of Military Valor

The Medal of Military Valor (Italian language: Medaglia al Valore Militare) is an Italian medal. During World War I, the medal was awarded to military personnel, units above the level of company, and civilians for exceptional valor in the face of the enemy. For each subsequent act of valor, the recipient was awarded a bar to the medal.

There are three level to the medal:

The Gold Medal of Military Valor was established on 21 May 1793 by King Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia.
The Silver Medal of Military Valor was established in 1833 by King Charles Albert of Sardinia.
The Bronze Medal of Military Valor.

Award history

The awards began as the Order of Military Valor established by Vittorio Amedeo III in 1793. Fallen into disuse during the Napoleonic era, it was revived on 1 April 1815 by Vittorio Emanuele I. Emanuele I repealed the institution a few months later, on 4 August 1815, replacing the medals for bravery with the Military Order of Savoy (now in Italy).

In 1833, Charles Albert acknowledged that the requirements for the granting of the Military Order were too severe, and re-established the possibility of awarding medals to the value (gold and silver) award to generous acts in war and in peace from the military.

Royal Decree #1423 of 4 November 1932, defined new rules for the granting of medals and the Military Cross for Valor and Medal of Military Valor. In the text of the decree, in Articles 1 and 3 are defined areas of basic and primary application for the granting of this particular honors. Thus, Article 1 states:

The decoration for military valor were established to celebrate the acts of military heroism, mark it as worthy of public honor the authors of them, and created both a spirit of emulation in belonging to the military forces.

While Article 3 provides that:

Decorations for Valor were awarded to those who, to commit an act of bravery that could be dispensed without fail in duty and honor, have knowingly dealt with remarkable courage and positive move, a serious and manifest personal risk in war exploits. The award of such decorations can take place, however, only when his act is such that it can be in every respect, an example worthy of imitation.

The full text of Royal Decree referred to was published in the Gazzetta Ufficiale 12 November 1932, #261.

The proposals, except in exceptional cases provided for in time of war, are screened by a special military commission.

The awards are intended for the military (single or entire military Departments not less than Company, or command), former combatants of training guerrilla, the municipalities, the provinces, and individual citizens.