Commandant of the Marine Corps awarded French Legion of Honour by French Army Chief of Staff

United States Marine Corps ^ | 4 December 2009 | Sergeant Rocco DeFilippis

[A.A. Cunningham]

Commandant of the Marine Corps awarded French Legion of Honour by French Army Chief of Staff

12/4/2009 By Sgt. Rocco DeFilippis, Marine Forces Europe

PARIS — Gen. James T. Conway, the 34th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, was awarded France’s National Order of the Legion of Honour during a military awards ceremony at the historic Les Invalides here Dec. 1.

The Legion of Honour, France’s highest decoration, is usually limited to French citizens, however French law allows non-citizens who have served France, or the ideas it upholds, to receive the award.

The Chief of Staff of the French Army Gen. Elrick Irastorza presented the award, which included a full military pageant, featuring platoons of French honor guardsman, a ceremonial band, and French and American military representatives.

Gen. Irastorza said Gen. Conway’s strategic positioning of the U.S. Marine Corps to confront the problems that both allies face, and a long history of friendship between the two nations are what prompted the Order to induct the Marine Commandant.

“We share common values,” Irastorza said. “We have very close links with American officers belonging both to the Marine Corps and Army and I am very happy to share this moment with Gen. Conway. “

“It means a great deal to me and I am very humbled to receive this award,” Gen. Conway said.

Established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, the Order of the Legion of Honour is divided into five degrees of award. Gen. Conway was awarded the third degree title of Commandeur, the highest degree allowed for non-French recipients.

Gen. Conway joins former Marine Commandants Gen. Charles C. Krulak, Gen. James L. Jones and Gen. Michael W. Hagee as recipients of the Legion of Honour.

The ceremony here comes as the last stop on the Marine Commandants recent visit of forward-deployed Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan during the Thanksgiving holiday.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Gen. James T. Conway, the 34th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, is presented with France's National Order of the Legion of Honour during a military awards ceremony at the historic Les Invalides here Dec. 1. The Chief of Staff of the French Army Gen. Elrick Irastorza presented the award, which included a full military pageant, featuring platoons of French honor guardsman, a ceremonial band, and French and American military representatives.(Sergeant Rocco DeFilippis)

The commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. James T. Conway, is awarded the Legion D'Honneur by French Gen. Elrick Irastorza, Chief of Staff of the French Army, Dec. 1, 2009, in Paris, France. Conway was awarded the highest decoration in France for his "eminent merit" in his military career.(Corporal Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo)

[njslim]

“uphold its values”

Does that mean the Commandant will have to surrender?

[bigheadfred]

In the meantime, the Marine Corps is going at Lt. Col. Chessani. There’s some honor for you.

[bigheadfred]

Oh, look at me, PING.

[Lancey Howard]

In the meantime, the Marine Corps is going at Lt. Col. Chessani. There’s some honor for you.

Yeah, Semper Fidelis, RIP.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Gen. James T. Conway, the 34th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, stands with the Chief of Staff of the French Army Gen. Elrick Irastorza after being presented with France's National Order of the Legion of Honour during a military awards ceremony at the historic Les Invalides here Dec. 1. The ceremony included a full military pageant, featuring platoons of French honor guardsman, a ceremonial band, and French and American military representatives.(Sergeant Rocco DeFilippis)

Gen. James T. Conway, the 34th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, stands in front of the ceremonial formation after the Chief of Staff of the French Army Gen. Elrick Irastorza presented the Marine Commandant with France's National Order of the Legion of Honour during a military awards ceremony at the historic Les Invalides here Dec. 1. The ceremony included a full military pageant, featuring platoons of French honor guardsman, a ceremonial band, and French and American military representatives.(Sergeant Rocco DeFilippis)

Gen. James T. Conway, the 34th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, stands in front of the ceremonial formation prior to receiving an award from the Chief of Staff of the French Army Gen. Elrick Irastorza during a military awards ceremony at the historic Les Invalides here Dec. 1. Gen. Irastorza presented the Marine Commandant with France's National Order of the Legion of Honour during a ceremony that included a full military pageant, featuring platoons of French honor guardsman, a ceremonial band, and French and American military representatives.(Sergeant Rocco DeFilippis)

Gen. James T. Conway (second from the left), the 34th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, passes in review of a detail of U.S. Marines during an awards ceremony where the Chief of Staff of the French Army Gen. Elrick Irastorza (left) presented the Marine Commandant with France's National Order of the Legion of Honour at the historic Les Invalides here Dec. 1. The ceremony included a full military pageant, featuring platoons of French honor guardsman, a ceremonial band, and French and American military representatives.(Sgt. Rocco DeFilippis)

The French commander of troops salutes and greets Gen. James T. Conway (right), the 34th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, and the Chief of Staff of the French Army Gen. Elrick Irastorza (left) during an awards ceremony where the Marine Commandant received France's National Order of the Legion of Honour at the historic Les Invalides here Dec. 1. The ceremony included a full military pageant, featuring platoons of French honor guardsman, a ceremonial band, and French and American military representatives.(Sergeant Rocco DeFilippis)

[Tallguy]

Gen. Conway joins former Marine Commandants Gen. Charles C. Krulak, Gen. James L. Jones and Gen. Michael W. Hagee as recipients of the Legion of Honour.

Hate to say it, but the French Legion of Honor is beginning to look like an 'automatic' for Marine Commandants. Maybe more like a unit citation.

[bigheadfred]

The ceremony included a full military pageant

[Hawthorn]

Vive Sarkozy!

[4woodenboats]

Meanwhile, back at Camp Pendelton, a couple of Marines have been twisting in the wind for the last 4 years.

Perhaps Conway can stop by and show them where he got his kiss.

Matthew 7;20

[bigheadfred]

I just love a parade. Not only Lt. Col. Chessani and Ssgt. Wuterich, maybe he can parade this around a little.

Casualties

[4woodenboats]

Most sobering stats of the year award....

[bigheadfred]

I think the best way to fight a war is to de-ball your fighting forces and then go to a parade. That the parade is in your HONOR and the award is for your HONOR it seems like the ONLY HONORABLE THING TO DO.

[xzins]

There comes a level of rank at which you get awards because of what you are and not because of what you’ve done, even though your career might have included many instances that deserve attention.

I’m not really enthralled with many of the awards that adorn the chests of major general and above. If you look carefully, you’ll see some in there that tell you this is a real warrior. Others, though, are simply show and glow like this French Legion of Honor.

It’s sort of like being famous for being famous.

[Lancey Howard]

It’s sort of like being famous for being famous.

Like Zsa Zsa Gabor!

[smoothsailing]

There comes a level of rank at which you get awards because of what you are and not because of what you’ve done

Hmmm, I wonder if he got this medal too, and if so does he get another parade...

Médaille d’or du Rayonnement Culturel (Gold Medal for Cultural Radiance)

[xzins]

Green Acres is the Place to Be!

[Lancey Howard]

No, that was her sister, Eva Gabor.
But yeah - - Green Acres IS the place to be.