USMC General Receives French Legion of Honor

Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, receives the Legion of Honor from French Gen. Pierre de Villiers, Chief of the Defense Staff in Paris, July 12, 2017. (DoD/Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Dominique A. Pineiro)

Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford received the French Legion of Honor for "the remarkable role he plays in the security of the world."

French Chief of Defense Gen. Pierre de Villiers presented the award to Dunford in a ceremony at the Ecole Militaire (Military School), which was founded in 1750 and now houses a complex of training facilities.

(Dept. of Defense photo by Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Dominique A. Pineiro/Released)

The Ordre National de la Légion d'Honneur was established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 and is France's highest award for military or civilian achievement. Foreign nationals who have served France or upheld the ideals it represents are eligible.

There have been more than 10,000 American civilian and military recipients of the Legion of Honor. Among them are Army Gens. Dwight Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur, George Patton, William Westmoreland and Colin Powell.

The civilian recipients include Eleanor Roosevelt, Wynton Marsalis, Barbra Streisand, Kirk Douglas, Clint Eastwood and Bob Dylan.

Dunford, a former commandant of the Marine Corps, joined a list of former commandants who have received the Legion of Honor, including Gens. Charles C. Krulak, James L. Jones, Michael W. Hagee and James T. Conway

Ecole Militaire French Chief of Defense Gen. Pierre de Villiers French Legion of Honor Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford Marine Corps Military Trader Magazine Ordre National de la Légion d'Honneur

Mike EppingerAuthor