Israeli military decorated with the French Legion of Honour

The National Order of the Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (French: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur, is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and civil. Consisting of five classes, it was originally established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte. The order is divided into five degrees of increasing distinction: Chevalier (Knight), Officier (Officer), Commandeur (Commander), Grand officier (Grand Officer) and Grand-croix (Grand Cross).

Moshe Dayan

General Moshe Dayan, Chief Of Staff,  was decorated Commandeur de la Légion d'Honneur on August 9, 1954 at the Cour d'Honneur of Les Invalides in Paris. The pictures shows the French officers, Général Augustin Guillaume and Lt. René Bloch placing the order around Dayan's neck.

The center picture shows Dayan in his regular uniform in Israel. The most right picture is a closeup and it is possible to see that Dayan is wearing the ribbon of the French Decoration beneath  the ribbons for the War of Independence and the Sinai Campaign.

(Picture: Government Press Office, Fritz Cohen)

Other IDF officers who were awarded this decoration were Israel Air Force commander general Dan Tolkowsky (1958) and Israeli military attache Uzi Narkiss.

Israel Air Force commander general Dan Tolkowsky