The 1956 U.S. Air Force Medal of Honor

An original and extremely rare award on the antique market in excellent collectible condition. Bronze, enamel; stamping, gilding. The brand of the manufacturer H.L.P. G.I (this type of brand was used in 1966-68). The medal differs from the army one by about 50% in size, instead of the head of Minerva, it depicts the head of the Statue of Liberty, and the eagle on the mount of the medal has been replaced with the emblem of the US Air Force. Although the Air Force separated from the army into an independent branch of the armed forces in 1947, all four Medals of Honor awarded to military pilots during the Korean War were army-issued. For the first time, a new medal was awarded to Major Bernard Fischer for saving a downed comrade on March 10, 1966 during the Vietnam War. The medal is equipped with an original ribbon, a moire bar, an original case and a badge of a US Air Force pilot. Guarantee of authenticity. A museum-level rarity!

The first military award of the United States is considered to be the badge "For military Merit", approved by George Washington in 1782. They stopped awarding them after the end of the American War of Independence. During the Mexican-American War, American soldiers were awarded a Certificate of Merit, which many years later, in 1905, received the status of a medal. Despite this, before the outbreak of the Civil War of 1861-1865 in the United States there was no reward for individual heroism in battle.

Shortly after the outbreak of the Civil War, on December 9, 1861, a proposal to create such a medal was put forward by Senator James W. Grimes of Iowa. On December 21, Grimes' proposal was approved by the Senate as Bill No. 82, and President Abraham Lincoln approved the creation of the Naval Medal of Valor, which became the earliest version of the Medal of Honor. The design and production of the first two hundred medals were entrusted to the Philadelphia Mint.

On February 17, 1862, Senator Henry Wilson of Massachusetts introduced a bill of merit for enlisted and non-commissioned officers of the U.S. Army. On July 12, 1862, a law was signed establishing the Medal of Honor for this type of military and establishing the same name for the naval award. The first to receive the new award was Private Jacob Parrot, a participant in the Great Steam Locomotive Race, on March 25, 1863; although the first act awarded the medal was performed by Private Francis Brownell on May 21, 1861, he was awarded only in 1877.

Initially, it was assumed that awards would be made only for actions during the Civil War, but in 1863, Congress established the permanent status of the medal.

In 1956, a separate version of the Medal of Honor was approved for the US Air Force (separated from the US Army in 1947), established in 1960 and officially adopted on April 14, 1965. Prior to that, Air Force personnel received the Army version of the medal. In 1963, a separate Medal of Honor was established for the Coast Guard, but it was never developed, and no awards were held.