The other three were for acts of gallantry in which the recipient was killed in action or died from his injuries (the Frenchmen John O'Byrne and Roland Morillot, and the American Coleman deWitt).

The Axis-affiliated Italian Social Republic created another design of the medal, with a Gladius replacing the arms of Savoy, for members of the Esercito Nazionale Repubblicano from 1943 to 1945.

"[6] Such decoration, for the purposes it is awarded - posthumously or while the recipient is still alive -, may equals (for example) the US Medal of Honor or the Polish Virtuti Militari.

The first geographic entity to be awarded a Gold Medal of Military Valor was the city of Vicenza in 1866 for its five days long resistance to Austrian assaults during the First Italian War of Independence.

Vicenza is also the only city to be awarded the medal twice: the second time for its participation in the Italian resistance movement during World War II.

Examples: A full list of regions, provinces and cities, which were awarded for their bravery can be found at it:Città decorate al valor militare per la guerra di liberazione.