The Airman's Cross ( nl, Vliegerkruis) is a
military decoration
Military awards and decorations are distinctions given as a mark of honor for military heroism, meritorious or outstanding service or achievement. DoD Manual 1348.33, 2010, Vol. 3 A decoration is often a medal consisting of a ribbon and a med ...
of the
Kingdom of the Netherlands
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created in 1941. The cross is awarded to members of the Dutch military who display initiative, courage, and perseverance against the enemy or during hostile actions during one or more flights. The cross is also awarded to allied pilots whose actions were of high importance to the Netherlands.
A total of 735 Airman's Crosses have been awarded, most recently in 2007 to
Royal Netherlands Air Force
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Major M. Duivesteijn, an
F-16
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful ...
pilot. Major Duivesteijn received the award because of his "exceptional courage and perseverance" during a 1999 flight that was part of the
NATO bombing of Yugoslavia
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) carried out an aerial bombing campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The air strikes lasted from 24 March 1999 to 10 June 1999. The bombings continued until an ...
. Other well-known recipients include
Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema (the "
Soldier of Orange"),
Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, and
Ida Veldhuyzen van Zanten.
The Airman's Cross is the fifth-highest Dutch military decoration still being awarded for bravery (after the
Cross of Merit).
Description
The Airman's Cross resembles the Dutch
Bronze Cross but is worn on a diagonally-striped orange and white ribbon inspired by those of the British
Distinguished Flying Cross and
Air Force Cross.
The cross is silver with four arms. There is a crowned central medallion bearing an
albatross
Albatrosses, of the biological family Diomedeidae, are large seabirds related to the procellariids, storm petrels, and diving petrels in the order Procellariiformes (the tubenoses). They range widely in the Southern Ocean and the North P ...
in flight with the words "INITIATIEF MOED VOLHARDING" (INITIATIVE COURAGE PERSEVERANCE) around the edge of the medallion. The date 1941 appears above the body of the albatross. The reverse is plain.
External links
The Airman's Cross- Official site of the Chancellery of the Netherlands Orders (English)
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222174054/http://www.veteranen-online.nl/brons/verbrons.htm , date=2012-02-22 - Website of the organization of veterans that have been awarded the Airman's Cross (Dutch)
Awards established in 1941
Military awards and decorations of the Netherlands