Airman's Cross

Infobox Military Award
name=Airman's Cross


caption=The Airman's Cross with ribbon bars
awarded_by=
type= Military award
eligibility=
for= display of initiative, courage and perseverance against the enemy during flight in an aircraft
status=Currently awarded
description=
clasps=
established=
first_award=1941
last_award= Major M. Duivesteijn
total=735
posthumous=
recipients=
individual=
higher=Cross of Merit
lower= Honorary Medal for Charitable Assistance (silver or bronze)


caption2=The Airman's Cross (Dutch: Vliegerkruis) is an award of the Kingdom of the Netherlands created in 1941. The cross is meant for those Dutch military, who displayed during one of more flights in an aircraft, initiative, courage and perseverance against the enemy or during hostile actions. The cross is also awarded to allied pilots, whose actions or performances in the air were of high importance for the Netherlands.

Till 2007 in total of 735 Airman's Crosses are awarded, most recently to a F-16 pilot, Air Force Major M. Duivesteijn. This because of his "exceptional courage and perseverance" at a flight above former Yugoslavia within the framework of NATO Operation Allied Force in 1999. Well-known recipient are also Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema, the "Soldier of Orange", and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands.

External links

[http://www.lintjes.nl/_en/overige_onderscheidingen/dapperheidsonderscheidingen/vliegerkruis.html The Airman's Cross] - Official site of the Chancellery of the Netherlands Orders (English)