Air Force Cross (United States)

The Air Force Cross (AFC) is the United States Air Force and United States Space Force's second highest military decoration for airmen and guardians who distinguish themselves with extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is awarded to any person, while serving in any capacity with the Air Force or Space Force, who distinguish themselves by extraordinary heroism, not justifying the award of a Medal of Honor.
The Air Force Cross is equivalent to the U.S. Army's Distinguished Service Cross, Navy and Marine Corps' Navy Cross, and Coast Guard Cross. Prior to July 6, 1960, members of the Air Force were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
Origins.
Originally entitled the "Distinguished Service Cross (Air Force)", the Air Force Cross was first proposed in 1947 after the creation of the United States Air Force in September that year as an independent armed service. The medal was designed by Eleanor Cox, an employee of the Air Force, and was sculpted by Thomas Hudson Jones of the U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry.
The Air Force Cross was established by PL 88-593, 1 November 1965 and made effective 6 July 1960 by 10 USC, Section 8742; amended on July 6, 1960 by PL 86–593 in Chapter 857, Sections 8742, 8744 and 8745 of Title 10, USC to substitute "Air Force cross" for "Distinguished-service cross" and inserted "Air Force cross" in Sections 8748 and 8749. Prior to July 6, 1960, United States Air Force airmen were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
Additional awards of the Air Force Cross are annotated by oak leaf clusters.
Criteria for award.
Title 10, Chapter 857, Section 8742. Air Force Cross: Award
The President may award an Air Force cross of appropriate design, with ribbons and appurtenances, to a person who, while serving in any capacity with the Air Force, distinguishes themselves by extraordinary heroism not justifying the award of a Medal of Honor:
The medal is usually presented by the Secretary of the Air Force in a formal ceremony at the Pentagon.
Description.
The medal consists of a bronze cross with an oxidized satin finish. Centered on the cross is a gold-plated American bald eagle, wings displayed against a cloud formation (from the crest of the Department of the Air Force Seal) encircled by a laurel wreath finished in green enamel. The reverse side of the medal is blank and may be engraved in capital letters with the recipient's rank (abbreviated), first name, middle initial, last name and branch of service.
The ribbon (and service ribbon) is brittany blue, edged with red, and bears a narrow white vertical stripe inside the red edges. The ribbon is almost identical to that of the Army's Distinguished Service Cross, except for the lighter blue center stripe, indicating the close connection of these awards.
Awards.
The first award of that Air Force Cross was made posthumously to Air Force Major Rudolf Anderson, a U-2 pilot, for extraordinary heroism during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
As of October 2017, there have been 202 awards of the Air Force Cross to 197 individuals. One award, the first made, was for actions in the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Three were retroactively awarded for actions in World War II. One hundred eighty were awarded for heroism in the Vietnam War, and four for heroism during the 1975 Mayagüez Incident immediately following (these are sometimes counted with the Vietnam War awards). Two were awarded for the 1991 Gulf War; one, to USAF Pararescueman Timothy Wilkinson, for the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia, and two were awarded for heroism during Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan in 2002, two to USAF Pararescuemen Keary Miller and Jason Cunningham and one to special tactics Technical Sergeant John Chapman, a Combat Controller. One was awarded to combat controller Zachary Rhyner for actions in the Shok Valley, Afghanistan on April 6, 2008. Another was awarded to USAF Pararescueman MSgt Ivan Ruiz for heroism in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, Dec. 10, 2013. On October 17, 2017, the Air Force Cross was awarded to Staff Sergeant Richard Hunter, for actions against the Taliban in Kunduz province Afghanistan on November 2, 2016. SSgt Chris Baradat, a Combat Controller
Fifty awards have been posthumous, including 30 to members missing in action. Twenty-four have been awarded to enlisted personnel, including 12 Pararescuemen. Seventeen graduates of the United States Air Force Academy have been presented the award, and 13 were awarded for conduct while a prisoner of war.
There have been four multiple recipients: