| National Order of Vietnam Bảo Quốc Huân Chương | |
|---|---|
 Knight's badge of the National Order of Vietnam | |
Awarded by South VietnamandState of Vietnam | |
| Type | Stateorder of chivalry |
| Established | 15 August 1950 |
| Ribbon | Yellow and Red |
| Motto | Tổ-Quốc Tri-Ân ("The Gratitude of the Fatherland") |
| Eligibility | Military,civilian |
| Status | No longer awarded |
| Founder | EmperorBảo Đại |
| Grades | |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | None (Highest) |
| Next (lower) | Military Merit Medal |
| Related | FrenchNational Order of the Legion of Honour French ColonialImperial Order of the Dragon of Annam |
 Ribbon bar of the order | |
TheNational Order of Vietnam (Vietnamese:Bảo Quốc Huân Chương) was a combined military-civilian decoration of theState of Vietnam and its successor, theRepublic of Vietnam. It was considered the highest honor that could be bestowed upon an individual by the Republic of Vietnam government.
The decoration was created in 1950 and was awarded to any person who performed "grandiose works, remarkable deeds, exhibited bravery, or for those who have honored and served the country by lofty virtues and outstanding knowledge."
The National Order was modeled after theFrenchNational Order of the Legion of Honour, and as such it was issued in five degrees:[1][2]
Both the badge and the star had the same design, as shown in the top right of this page. The ribbon was red with yellow borders. It was, in fact, the ribbon of the formerOrder of the Dragon of Annam when awarded by the Emperor of Annam himself (when awarded by the French Government the ribbon was green with orange borders).
During theVietnam War, the National Order of Vietnam was bestowed on several members of theUnited States military, most of whom were senior military and political advisors to the South Vietnamese government. The decoration could also be awarded posthumously.
Since the National Order of Vietnam was both a civil and a military decoration, it was displayed above all other awards when worn on a military uniform. A purely military equivalent of the decoration was theVietnam Military Merit Medal, awarded only to members of the military.
 | ||||
| The five classes wearing their respective insignia: 1:Đệ Ngũ Đẳng; 2:Đệ Tứ Đẳng; 3:Đệ Tam Đẳng; 4:Đệ Nhì Đẳng; 5:Đệ Nhất Đẳng.[1] | ||||
| Knight (Badge with ribbon) | Officer (Badge with ribbon and rosette) | Commander (Badge with necklet) | Grand Officer (Star) | Grand Cross (Badge with sash and star) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Ribbon Bar | ||||
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