The Airmail Flyers' Medal of Honor is a United States decoration issued by the Post Office Department. The decoration was authorized by Act of the United States Congress, February 14, 1931, for presentation by the President of the United States, but not in the name of the Congress. The medal was intended to recognize any person who, while serving as a pilot in the airmail service, distinguished themselves by acts of heroism or extraordinary achievement. Retroactive to May 15, 1918, when the firsts continuously schedule public service airmail route was established between Washington, D.C., and New York City by way of Philadelphia. Recommendations for the individual awards would come from the Postmaster General and be sent to the President for his approval and presentation.
The medal was designed by Walker Kirtland Hancock, head of the sculptor department of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, under the United States Commission of Fine Arts, of which Adolph Alexander Weinman was a member at the time. The medal was struck by the Philadelphia Mint.
Description and Symbolism
Obverse
On the front of the 1 ¼ inch bronze medal is a figure of a nude male wearing an aviators leather helmet and goggles, trudging on tip toes atop a layer of clouds and in front of a single lightning bolt while clutching a sack of mail with both hands, to his right side. Around this scene and along the edges circumference are the words "AIR MAIL FLYERS'S MEDAL OF HONOR". Just below the shins of the male figure are the letters "WH" being the initials of the artist responsible for designing the medal.
Reverse
On the reverse side of the 1 ¼ inch bronze medal the entire edge circumference is decorated with a wreath of laurel leaves. Within the edged border of laurel leaves there is a blank space for engraving the recipients name. Above which are the three lines "PRESENTED / BY THE PRESIDENT / OF THE UNITED STATES". And below the blank space for the recipients name are the six lines "DISTINGUISHED SERVICE / AS AN AIR MAIL PILOT / AUTHORIZED / BY CONGRESS / FEBRUARY XIV / MCMXXI" with the two lines "authorized" and "by congress" being enclosed by a single set of stylized wings.
Ribbon
The ribbon to the Airmail Flyers' Medal of Honor is of heavy silk and divided into six equal vertical strips of Blue, White, Red, Blue, White, and Red, for the colors of the Post Office Department Air Mail Service.
Authorization
[H.R. 101] [Public, No. 661.]
On 14 February 1931 Congress provided:
Deauthorization
[Public Law No. 91-375]
When the Post Office reorganization act was signed into law, Public Law 91-375, by President Richard Nixon on August 12, 1970, the legislation did not carry forward the authority of the new USPS to award the decoration. By this action, or lack of action, it was considered repealed and no longer existed.
Recipients
Mal Bryan Freeburg (Awarded 12/13/1933) Edward Antoine Bellande "Eddie"(Awarded 10/29/35) James Henry Carmichael Jr. "Slim"(Awarded 10/29/35) Gordon Sprigg Darnell (Awarded 10/29/35) Wellington P. McFail (Awarded 10/29/35) Lewis Summers Turner (Awarded 10/29/35) Grover Clinton Tyler (Awarded 10/29/35) Roy Herbert Warner (Awarded 10/29/35) Theodore Nieman Kincannon "Ted"(*) (Awarded 4/12/37) John David Hissong (**) (Awarded 10/4/48) (*) Awarded Posthumously. (**) Presented by Postmaster General Jesse M. Donaldson, on behalf of President Truman.
Citations
Mal Bryan Freeburg
Mal Freeburg, flying for Northwest Airways at time of presentation, was cited as follows: