Medal of Bravery / Legends The Medal of Bravery was a golden military decoration awarded by the Galactic Republic during the Clone Wars and by Alliance to Restore the Republic during the Galactic Civil War . The Heroes of Yavin Luke Skywalker and Han Solo were amongst the Alliance recipients of the medal , during the Royal Award Ceremony that followed the destruction of the first Death Star in 0 BBY . That ceremony was held in the Grand Audience Chamber , an ancient structure located on the fourth moon of Yavin Prime , with hundreds of Alliance personnel attending the event . History . The Medal of Bravery existed as far back as the Clone Wars , a conflict fought between the Galactic Republic and the Separatist Confederacy from 22 to 19 BBY . At least four copies of it were exposed in the Officers ' Club of the Jedi Temple of Coruscant , the Republic ' s capital world . More than twenty years later , the Medal of Bravery had become the highest military decoration awarded by the Alliance to Restore the Republic . It was made of gold and attached to a brown ribbon , as it was designed to be draped over the head and worn around the neck . It was presented to members of the Alliance who had displayed a great feat of bravery in battle . In 0 ABY , for their efforts in destroying the Death Star , Luke Skywalker and Han Solo were awarded this honorable medal during the Royal Award Ceremony . At first , Solo was reluctant to accept the award , arguing that the ones who deserved medals were the ones who didn ' t make it back . Princess Leia Organa , who was asked to preside over the ceremony , was very moved by the Corellian smuggler ' s words , and she spoke to him as a comrade , prompting Solo to accept the award . The medal presentation ceremony was held in the Grand Audience Chamber , the topmost room of the Great Temple , a huge ziggurat that hosted the Rebellion ' s primary base on the moon of Yavin 4 . Chewbacca , who was Solo ' s best friend and copilot , did not receive a medal during the official ceremony , as Wookiees do not place any meaning in such tangible awards . However , at the request of Solo , Chewbacca was presented with his own medal in private , during the feast that followed the ceremony . Princess Leia , who was too short to put it over the Wookiee ' s neck , stood on a table to award this final medal . Some time after Arvel Crynyd ' s death in 4 ABY , which led to the destruction of the Star Dreadnought " Executor " , he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Bravery . Behind the scenes . The Medal of Bravery first appeared during the triumphal end sequence of in 1977 . The ceremony scene emulates a similar segment in " " , a propaganda film made by in 1934 . Many fans expressed their unhappiness over the fact that Chewbacca was not awarded a medal at the end of the movie , although he was in the . In an interview recorded shortly after the release of " A New Hope " , George Lucas explained that Wookiees do not care for medals . However , a large contingent of Alliance officers were sent to the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk for a memorable celebration . Despite this , however , he later claimed in an interview with the that Chewbacca " did " claim a medal , but not during the formal ceremony because Leia was too short . In the early comic book " The Day after the Death Star ! " , Chewbacca did receive a medal , but not at the same time as Solo and Skywalker . A panel shows Princess Leia standing on a table to award Chewbacca his medal at a party after the formal ceremony . Additionally , the non - canon ical comic " Tag & Bink Are Dead 2 " depicts Tag Greenley and Bink Otauna finding a Medal of Bravery engraved with " Chewie " that was left behind in the Great Temple . At the 1997 , Chewbacca was given a Medal of Bravery by Carrie Fisher , who played Leia Organa throughout the original trilogy . A lanyard acting as a replica of the Medal of Bravery was issued to visitors of " Star Wars Weekends 2014 " .