Lieutenant General (Ret) Vald Heiberg III receives the Gold de Fleury Medal

The de Fleury Medal is the most prestigious award of the Army Engineer Regiment. It recognizes both civilian and military personnel for outstanding contributions to the U.S. and to Army engineering. The award is named after Francois Louis Tesseidre de Fleury, a French engineer who served with the American Army during the Revolutionary War. There are three de Fleury medals -- bronze, silver, and gold. The gold de Fleury is the most prestigious, and is awarded annually to a distinguished American.

Today the Army Engineer Association awards replicas of the de Fleury medal to individuals who have provided significant contributions to Army engineering. Bronze and silver medals recognize service to the Engineer Regiment.  The gold medal recognizes "boldness, courage, and commitment to a strong national defense." 

On the front are inscribed in Latin – "A memorial and reward of courage and boldness."  On the reverse – "Fortifications, marshes, enemies overcome."

The award supplements the U.S. Army awards system, but is not an official part of that system. The medal may, however, be worn at official Regimental functions.

General Heiberg was awarded the Medal during a ceremony at the Annual Engineer Castle Ball in Arlington, Virginia on February 9, 2008.