488 



THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



AN EMPTY SLEEVE, A DISTINGUISHED 

 SERVICE CROSS, A SMILE 



While the Distinguished Service Cross was 

 instituted primarily as a decoration for heroes 

 of the World War, its award is not confined 

 to them. In October, 1919, a brigadier general 

 received the cross for an act of heroism at the 

 seige of Cotta Pang Pang, Jolo, the Philippines, 

 nearly sixteen years ago. 



attempt were made to establish an order 

 of precedence for the wearing of the dec- 

 orations of different countries. There is 

 only one exception to this rule and that 

 is the case where a person has more than 

 one decoration from the same country. 

 Those particular decorations are worn 

 in the relative order prescribed by that 

 country. To illustrate: an American 

 possessing both the Legion of Honor and 

 the Croix de Guerre should wear them in 

 that order, no matter which was received 

 first, for that is the relative precedence 

 established by France. 



When the number of medals is too 

 great to place them side by side in one 

 line, some nations overlao them, so they 

 can all be placed in one line, the ribbons 

 usually being fastened to one long bar. 

 Others, including the United States, 

 place them in two or more lines, as re- 

 quired, overlapping the different lines ; 

 the medals proper must all be visible, but 

 the ribbons of the second and third rows 

 may be hidden. 



Service ribbons are worn in the same 

 place and in the same order as the deco- 

 rations and medals they represent. They 

 are never overlapped, but are placed in as 

 many rows as necessary, with a small 

 space between each row. Aviation badges 

 are worn above the line of medals or 

 service ribbons ; all other badges below. 



In some countries the primary decora- 

 tion is worn at the throat, suspended from 

 a ribbon around the neck. This is the 

 case with our Medal of Honor, and it is 

 considered a higher position than on the 

 breast. The service ribbon, however, is 

 worn on the breast with the others, but 

 to the right of them all. 



HOW FOREIGN DECORATIONS SHOULD BE 

 WORN 



The manner of wearing the insignia of 

 the orders of foreign countries varies 

 greatly, but a few general rules can be 

 given, and, as many Americans are now 

 members of such orders, they may be of 

 interest. 



Each order has a distinctive insignia, 

 usually called a badge. This badge, while 

 of the same general design throughout the 

 order, differs in detail (usually in size or 

 material) according to the class in the 

 order. 



