The Valor Cross (or Tapperhedskorset in Danish) is Denmark’s highest military decoration, established on 14 November 2011 and first awarded on 18 November 2011.
The Valor Cross is awarded for extraordinary courage demonstrated during combat, where the soldier acts selflessly in a clearly dangerous situation. The actions must either contribute significantly to accomplishing an important mission or save the lives of others. It is Denmark’s highest military honor, equivalent to the British Victoria Cross or the United States’ Medal of Honor.
Since its inception, the Valor Cross has been awarded only once. The first recipient, Sergeant Casper Westphalen Mathiesen of the Engineer Regiment in Skive, Denmark, was honored for his actions on 19 February 2010 while serving with ISAF in Afghanistan. During a firefight, Sergeant Mathiesen risked his life to protect a wounded comrade, successfully holding off the enemy and enabling his comrade to receive medical attention.
The Valor Cross Design
The Valor Cross is a silver cross pattée with a gilded edge, featuring a longer lower arm.
The obverse side displays a gold medallion at the center, adorned with the Queen’s monogram above the year 2010. Each arm of the cross carries three letters of the inscription “FOR TAPPERHED” (meaning “for valour”). The reverse side is engraved with the recipient’s name, rank, and the location and year of the honored event.
The cross is suspended from a white ribbon with a red center stripe. When worn as a ribbon bar, it resembles the Defence Medal for Bravery but includes a miniature of the gold medallion from the center of the cross.
