Moroccan WWII, Indochina Veteran Larbi Jawa Awarded France’s Highest Honor

Moroccan veteran of World War II and the Indochina conflict, Larbi Jawa, 98, was awarded the prestigious title of Knight of La Légion d’Honneur by French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday.

“Mr. Larbi Jawa, in the name of the French Republic, I make you a Knight of the Legion of Honor,” declared President Macron during a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the Provence Landings that was held at the Boulouris National Necropolis in France’s Saint-Raphaël.

Jawa was joined at the event by his fellow veteran and comrade-in-arms, Abdellah Jaber, 103, who was also recognized with the Legion of Honor in 2014. “I am very proud and deeply honored to receive this decoration. We have truly earned it,” Jawa told MAP. “We went through many trials to achieve this.”

Born in Morocco’s Khenifra, Larbi Jawa enlisted in the military on February 4, 1943, at just 18 years old. By December of that same year, he was already on the front lines of the grueling Italian campaign, where he distinguished himself with remarkable bravery during the Battle of Monte Cassino, earning a citation for his valor.

After the end of World War II, Jawa re-enlisted on June 14, 1950, with the 6th Moroccan Tirailleurs Regiment and participated in the Indochina War. He was severely wounded during the brutal battles on RC4 in the Đông Khê region but continued to carry out his duties. Jawa later returned for a second tour in Indochina, serving from June 7, 1953, to June 22, 1955.

Promoted to the rank of Sergeant on April 1, 1955, Jawa concluded his distinguished military service in 1956 and returned to his hometown of Khenifra.

The commemoration was attended by several heads of state and government, including Moroccan Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch, who represented King Mohammed VI at the event. The leaders paid tribute to the nations that fought alongside the Allies during World War II.