490 



THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



U. S. Official Photograph 

 THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES DECORATING 



A CHATEAU-THIERRY HERO 

 The recipient of the honor is a private. Valor is not the prerogative of place or rank. 



Members of the highest class wear the 

 badge suspended from a sash, called a 

 "broad ribbon," which is worn over one 

 shoulder and under the other arm, so that 

 the badge hangs near the hip. A few 

 orders have a gold collar, from which the 

 badge is suspended on very special occa- 

 sions. 



In the second and third classes the 

 badge is worn at the neck, like our Medal 

 of Honor. In the lower classes it is worn 

 on the left breast, the same as any ordi- 

 nary medal. 



In addition to the badge, the first and 

 second classes are usually characterized 

 by "stars," worn on the breast below the 

 line of medals. These are large plaques 

 without ribbons, being fastened directly 

 to the coat. They are worn more often 

 than the badges, particularly by a mem- 

 ber of the first class of any order, and 

 when he is in the first class of more than 

 one order the star is the only means of 

 denoting them, as he is manifestly unable 

 to wear more than one broad ribbon at a 

 time. 



