NOTES ON
EGYPTIAN MILITARY
MEDAL RIBBONS
International Electronic Phaleristic Encyclopedia
GENERAL NOTES
Though this list is by no means complete, and there is a great amount of unknown information, this summary is believed accurate in most respects, and is the most comprehensive published in English.
Listed in general order of precedence, but not necessarily worn in this order.
Subsequent awards denoted by wearing of second (or more) ribbons.
All ribbons are officially 37mm wide, but examples vary.
Civilian orders are not listed here.
Arabic names given after English translation (English translations are not necessarily verbatim, but the common English name for the medal).
To augment what is given here, scanned images of the medals have been appended when available. [by Ed Haynes]
GALLANTRY AND DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARDS
1. STAR OF SINAI (wisaam negma siina')
Established 2/17/1974. Highest award for heroism in battle. Awarded in two classes to armed forces personnel. Can be awarded posthumously and to foreigners. At least 54 awarded for the 1973 War (25 posthumous); total awards for 1973 probably closer to 200. Only known award since 1974 were 15 posthumous awards (2 to Air Force officers, 13 to Army commandos) killed in an airliner rescue attempt in Cyprus, 1978.
Ribbon: three equal horizontal stripes: red (top), white, black (bottom). Gold republican eagle worn on First Class ribbon.
2. STAR OF HONOR (wisaam nigma al-sharf)
Established 1959. Awarded to officers for heroism on the battlefield or distinguished services (some may have been awarded to enlisted men in the 1973 War). Can be awarded posthumously and to foreigners.
Ribbon: deep blue (25mm) with thin red, white and black stripes at each edge (2mm each). Gold republican eagle worn on ribbon.
3. MILITARY STAR (wisaam nigma al-'askariia)
Originally created 1919, reestablished and redesigned July 9, 1953. Awarded to officers for heroism on the battlefield, although like other Egyptian medals it can be awarded for other duties when political considerations warrant it. Can be awarded to posthumously and to foreigners.
Ribbon: five approximately equal stripes (each 6mm): black center, flanked by yellow and then bright blue; edged with very narrow yellow stripe (1mm).
4. MILITARY MEDAL OF THE REPUBLIC (wisaam al-gomhouriyya al-'askariia)
Established July 19, 1953. The sixth class of the Order of the Republic. Awarded in two classes to all armed forces personnel for heroism on the battlefield. Can be awarded posthumously, to foreigners, and to outstanding military units.
Ribbon (same for both classes): central green stripe (15mm) flanked by a thin white stripe (2mm), and red edges (9mm).
5. MILITARY MEDAL OF COURAGE (nuut al-shaga'a al-askarii)
Established July 9, 1953. Awarded in three classes to all armed forces personnel for heroism on the battlefield, or other acts of courage and outstanding service. Can be awarded posthumously and to foreigners.
Ribbon (same for all classes): five equal stripes (about 6mm each), three of deep red, two of black.
6. MILITARY MEDAL OF DUTY (nuut al-waagib al-'askarii)
Originally established 1920, redesigned and reestablished July 9, 1953. Awarded in three classes to armed forces personnel, as well as cadets at service academies, for distinguished services not in actual combat. Can be awarded posthumously and to foreigners.
Ribbon (same for all classes): medium blue center (17mm) flanked by thin red stripes (3mm), and medium blue edges (7mm).
Medal: Second class (silver), obverse and reverse.
OTHER SERVICE AND GOOD CONDUCT MEDALS
7. MEDAL OF TRAINING
Established by 1972. Awarded in three classes to armed forces personnel who, with their units, achieve a high standard of training, or those who are injured during, and as a result of, training.
Ribbon (same for all classes): five equal stripes (each about 6mm), three of white, two of red.
Medal: Second class (silver), obverse and reverse
8. MEDAL OF LONG SERVICE AND GOOD EXAMPLE
Established by 1972, and probably earlier. Awarded in two classes for a minimum twenty years of good service in the armed forces. First Class awarded to officers, Second Class to warrant officers, noncommissioned officers and enlisted men.
Ribbon (same for both classes): white central stripe (25mm), with red, white and black edge stripes (each 2mm).
Medal: Second (?) class, obverse and reverse.
9. MEDAL OF EXCEPTIONAL PROMOTION
Established July 9, 1953. Awarded to armed forces personnel on the occasion of exceptional promotions as a result of combat operations, or for battlefield promotions.
Ribbon: two equal halves (each about 19mm), red and black.
10. MEDAL OF DISTINGUISHED SERVICES (midaliyya al-khidmaat al-tawiilla)
Established by 1972, and probably earlier. Awarded to active duty armed forces officers for a minimum 30 years service.
Ribbon: white (about 29mm), with thin stripes at each edge (each about 1mm), of yellow, dark blue, light blue, black. Brass disk with republican eagle worn on ribbon.
11. WAR CASUALTIES MEDAL (midalliyya garahii' al-harb)
Probably established 1940s. For armed forces personnel wounded in combat.
Ribbon: pale yellow-green (about 26mm) with a yellow stripe (about 4mm) towards each edge, and pale yellow-green edges (about 2mm).
12. MOBILIZATION MEDAL
Established 1972, and probably earlier. Awarded in three classes to armed forces personnel (and probably civilians) who make outstanding contributions to the defense of the country.
Ribbon: six equal stripes (each about 5-6mm), black, yellow, white, red, green, blue.
CAMPAIGN MEDALS
Despite the large number of wars Egypt has been in involved in, there are few campaign medals authorized for wear.
13. PALESTINE WAR MEDAL (nuut filistiin)
Probably established 1948. For armed forces personnel who served in the 1948-1949 Arab-Israeli War. Retained for wear after the 1952 revolution.
Ribbon: five approximately equal stripes of green, red, yellow, red, green (each about 6mm). A brass lotus blossom may be worn on the ribbon, though this has not been seen in photographs.
14. OCTOBER 6 MEMORIAL MEDAL
Established February 19, 1974? For all armed forces personnel in service between October 6, 1973 and February 2, 1974. Can also be awarded to foreigners who actively contributed to the war effort, as well as soldiers of other Arab contingents fighting alongside Egypt. Ribbon first seen 1980.
Ribbon: yellow central stripe (about 11mm), and a thin blue stripe inside it (about 3mm). The yellow is bordered by wide red stripes (about 11mm) and thin black edge stripes (about 1mm). A brass disk with the Arabic numeral "6" is often worn on the ribbon.
15. KUWAIT LIBERATION MEDAL
Established 1991. For armed forces personnel who served with Egyptian forces in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, August 1990 to March 1991.
Ribbon: nine equal stripes (each about 4mm): red, white, black, red, white, green, red, white, black.
COMMEMORATION MEDALS
Egypt is unique for having a large number of commemoration medals authorized for military wear, almost all of them created in the early days of Nasser's regime.
16. LIBERATION ORDER (nuut al-tahrir)
Established August 29, 1952. To all armed forces officers serving on July 23, 1952, the date of the military coup that overthrew King Farouk and established the republic.
Ribbon: three equal stripes (each about 12mm), red, white, black. Brass palm branch worn on ribbon.
17. LIBERATION MEDAL (wisaam al-tahrir)
As Liberation Medal, but for warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and enlisted men.
Ribbon: as Liberation Medal, without brass palm branch.
18. MILITARY MEDAL OF THE EVACUATION (nuut al-gala'a al-'askarii)
Established March 9, 1955. Awarded to all armed forces personnel in service on October 19, 1954. Also awarded to military academy cadets.
Ribbon: overall green with central red, white, and black stripes (each about 3mm).
19. MILITARY MEDAL OF INDEPENDENCE (nuut al-istiqlal al-'askarii)
Established June 16, 1956. Awarded in two classes to all armed forces personnel in service on June 18, 1956. First Class to officers and military academy cadets, Second Class to warrant officers, non-commissioned officers, and enlisted men.
Ribbon (same for all classes): three approximately equal stripes of green, white, and green (each about 9mm), with red, white and black stripes at each edge (each about 2mm). Brass five-pointed star worn on ribbon.
20. VICTORY MEDAL (nuut al-nasr)
Established 1957? May commemorate the British-French-Israeli withdrawal from Sinai and the Suez Canal following the 1956 war.
Ribbon: five equal stripes of red, green, white, green, red (each about 6mm). Brass five-pointed star worn on ribbon.
21. COMMEMORATIVE MEDAL OF THE UNITED ARAB REPUBLIC (wisaam zakri' hiyaam al-gomhoriyya al-'arabiyya al-muttahidda)
Established December 18, 1958. Awarded to all armed forces personnel in service on February 1, 1958, the date Egypt and Syria formed the short-lived United Arab Republic.
Ribbon: bright green (about 26mm), bordered with a thin white or yellow stripe (1-2mm), and red edge stripes (about 4mm).
22. ARMY DAY COMMEMORATIVE MEDAL
Established October 1959. To all Army personnel on the occasion of Army Day, which was celebrated on October 20 until 1974, when it was changed to October 6.
Ribbon: nine equal stripes, five of yellow, four of blue (each about 4mm).
23. SINAI LIBERATION MEDAL (nuut 25 abril 1982)
Established April 25, 1982. To all armed forces personnel in service on April 25, 1982, the date Israel returned the last major section of the Sinai to Egypt. Also awarded to civilian employees of the armed forces and military academy students.
Ribbon: eleven equal stripes, five of medium green, six of white (each about 3.5mm).
24. NAVY DAY MEDAL (miidaliyya yom al-bahriyya)
Established by 1980, and probably earlier. Awarded to all Navy personnel on the occasion of Navy Day, which was celebrated on July 11 until 1968, when it was changed to October 21.
Ribbon: central stripe of deep blue (about 21mm), edged at each side with a thin white stripe, a thin deep blue stripe, a thin white stripe, and a thin deep blue stripe (each about 2mm). Silver anchor worn on ribbon.
25. SILVER ANNIVERSARY OF THE AIR FORCE MEDAL
Established by 1979. (The Air Force was created Nov. 2, 1932, so possibly the medal was established in 1957?) Awarded to all Air Force personnel.
Ribbon: three equal stripes of white (each about 8mm), divided by two medium green stripes (each about 3mm), with a light blue stripe at each edge (about 3mm). Silver flying eagle worn on ribbon.
26. GOLD ANNIVERSARY OF THE AIR FORCE MEDAL
Established by 1987. Awarded to all Air Force personnel.
Ribbon: three equal stripes of yellow (each about 8mm), divided by two light blue stripes (each about 3mm), with a light blue stripe at each edge (about 3mm). Gold flying eagle worn on ribbon.
27. AIR DEFENSE FORCES DAY MEDAL
As with the other service commemorative medals, this is issued to personnel of the Air Defense Forces on Air Defense Forces Day (June 30). Established after 1970, and probably after 1973.
Ribbon: light blue with edge stripes of red. Brass disk with SA-2 missile launcher worn on ribbon.
28. TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE REVOLUTION MEDAL
Probably established 1962.
Ribbon: overall light blue with thin edge stripes of red, white, and black (each about 2mm). Brass disk with Arabic "10" worn on ribbon.
29. TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE REVOLUTION MEDAL
Probably established 1972.
Ribbon: overall light blue with thin edge stripes red, white, and black (each about 2mm), and central red, white and black stripes (each about 2mm). Brass disk with Arabic "20" worn on ribbon.
FOREIGN MEDALS AUTHORIZED FOR WEAR
Besides orders and decorations from foreign nations (especially other Arab countries) awarded to individuals, there are at least two foreign medals authorized for general wear:
In addition, Egyptian military forces have participated in a number of United Nations peacekeeping operations. While none of the respective peacekeeping medals has been seen worn, it is possible that they have been issued for the following operations:
http://haynese.winthrop.edu/medals/egyribs.html
webmaster: Ed Haynes
last revised 28 November 1998
