Cross of the United States Air Force

Bronze, stamping, gilding, enamel. The original cross is in excellent collector's condition. The award is an oxidized bronze cross, in the center of the cross is a stylized cloud, on the cloud, in the center of the cross, there is a gilded bald eagle, the national symbol of the United States, with outstretched wings. There is a laurel wreath around the eagle, the leaves of the wreath are covered with green enamel, the edges of the leaves are the color of gold. The reverse of the award is smooth, suitable for applying engraved inscriptions. The cross is attached to a pentagonal block covered with a ribbon of the award. There are five stripes on the award ribbon, arranged symmetrically relative to the central axis, from left to right: a narrow red one (eng. Old Glory Red), a narrow white (English White), a wide blue (English Brittany Blue) stripe that occupies most of the area of the ribbon, a narrow white stripe, a narrow red stripe. A strap is also included. Guarantee of authenticity.

The Air Force Cross (English: Air Force Cross, abbreviation: English AFC) is a personal military award of the United States Air Force, the highest award of the Air Force, the second highest award in the general system of seniority of US military awards, equivalent to the Distinguished Service Cross of the US Army and Navy The Cross, which is awarded to members of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and the U.S. Coast Guard. The basis for awarding the Air Force Cross is a particularly outstanding heroism, which, however, cannot be awarded the Medal of Honor. The award was established by an Act of the U.S. Congress Pub. L. 88-593 on July 6, 1960, which established the awarding of Air Force personnel with the Air Force Cross instead of the previously practiced award of the Distinguished Service Cross (award of the U.S. Army). The design of the award was designed by Eleanor Cox, an employee of the US Air Force and Thomas Hudson Jones, an employee of the Institute of Heraldry of the US Army. The first recipient was Major Rudolph Anderson Jr. (posthumously), the pilot of the Lockheed U-2 aircraft, who flew reconnaissance flights over Cuba during the Caribbean crisis and was shot down by a Soviet anti-aircraft missile on October 27, 1962. As of 2008, 192 awards were made, a total of 187 people (50 posthumously) were awarded the Air Force Cross: 2 people were awarded for heroic deeds committed during World War II (possibly retroactive award of the Air Force Cross); 1 person (R. Anderson) He was awarded during the Caribbean crisis; 180 people were awarded during the Vietnam War, including: James H. Kasler is the only three—time recipient of the Air Force Cross; three participants in the Vietnam War, awarded twice; 7 people were awarded between 1975 and 2001; 2 people were awarded after September 11, 2001, during the so-called "war on terror".

The award of the Air Force Cross is made on behalf of the President of the United States. The award decision is approved in peacetime by the Secretary of State of the Air Force, in wartime by the Director of the Personnel Department of the Air Force on the recommendation of a senior officer with a rank not lower than Lieutenant General. The Air Force Cross is awarded to persons serving in the United States Air Force in any position who have shown particularly outstanding heroism, which, however, cannot be awarded the Medal of Honor. The Air Force Cross is awarded to persons who have shown particularly outstanding heroism during:

participation in combat operations against a military enemy of the United States;

participation in military conflicts with opposing foreign armed forces;

participation in the allied armed forces in an armed conflict with opposing foreign armed forces of a country with which the United States is not at war.

The Air Force Cross can be awarded to U.S. citizens: military personnel and civilians. Foreign military personnel and civilians can also be awarded.