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Category: Post-WW2 Medals

The NASA Exceptional Bravery Medal

The NASA Exceptional Bravery Medal is a NASA award open to government and non-government employees for courageous handling of an emergency.

The NASA Exceptional Bravery Medal is a NASA award open to government and non-government employees and given for exemplary and courageous handling of an emergency by an individual who, independent of personal danger, has acted to prevent the loss of human life or U.S. government property.

Among those who received this medal are the following:

On November 9, 1962, NASA pilot Jack B. McKay was test flying an X-15 when it experienced engine failure. An emergency landing was made at Mud Lake, Nevada where the aircraft flipped on its back. As part of the rescue crew, 6 men that worked to free McKay in the presence of lethal concentrations of unjettisoned anhydrous ammonia fuel, saving McKay’s life, received this medal. They were the first: Paul J. Balfe, John A. Gordon, Larry J. Hough, Curtis C. Lyon, Charles L. Manes and Lynn B. Rowe.

In 1969 further medals were awarded to NASA engineers Bill B. McClure and Charles J. “Jack” Beverlin, who prevented the collapse and explosion of an Atlas rocket at great risk to their own lives. Medals were also awarded to Herbert W. Grandy in 1970, and to Paul D. Sebesta in 1974.

Thirty-eight workers at the Michoud Assembly Facility were awarded this medal for protecting the facility from flooding due to Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

The NASA Exceptional Bravery Medal Design

The medal is circular, struck in gold-colored bronze, and measures 3.25 by 1.5 centimeters. The rim is cast in a relief design of a wreath.

On the obverse and across the center is an unrolled banner that reads “N.A.S.A.” Superimposed on the banner is a five-pointed star supported by right hand. The thumb supports one bottom point while the index and middle fingers support the other bottom point. The reverse is engraved at the top of the wreath, “EXCEPTIONAL BRAVERY.”

The medal is suspended from a ribbon with a red center stripe, flanked on both sides by a thin light blue stripe, wide dark blue stripe, thin light blue stripe, and sky blue stripe.

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The NASA Exceptional Public Service Medal

NASA’s Exceptional Public Service Medal is awarded for performance that embodies multiple contributions on NASA projects or initiatives.

NASA’s Exceptional Public Service Medal is NASA medal awarded by the United States government to any non-Government individual (or to an individual who was not a Government employee during the period in which the service was performed) for sustained performance that embodies multiple contributions on NASA projects, programs, or initiatives.

The criteria for receiving the medal must include all of the following:

  • Sustained performance has made a significant improvement to NASA deliverables, operations, or image;
  • Employee’s record of achievements sets a benchmark for other non-Government contributors to follow; substantial improvement to a NASA program that yielded high-quality results or improvements, and
  • Impact and importance of the employee’s services have made a lasting impact on the success of the Agency.

The NASA Exceptional Public Service Medal Design

The medal is circular, struck in bronze, and measures 19.61 mm (or 0.77 inches) in diameter.

The reverse has the engraved inscription: “PUBLIC SERVICE“.

The ribbon is light blue, with wider yellow and thinner white edges.

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The NASA Exceptional Service Medal

The NASA Exceptional Service Medal is an award established in 1959 and granted to government employees for significant sustained performance. 

The NASA Exceptional Service Medal is a NASA award granted to U.S. government employees for significant sustained performance.

This prestigious NASA medal is awarded for unusual initiatives or creative abilities that clearly demonstrates substantial improvement in engineering, aeronautics, space flight, administration, support, or space-related endeavors which contribute to NASA programs.

The medal was inherited by NASA from its predecessor organization, the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA) and featured the NACA emblem.

The NASA Exceptional Service Medal Design

The medal is circular, struck in bronze, and measures 38.2 mm in diameter.

The reverse has the engraved inscription: “EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE“.

The ribbon is light blue, with yellow and dark blue thin edges.

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The NASA Outstanding Public Leadership Medal

The NASA Outstanding Public Leadership Medal is awarded to individuals who were not Government employees during the accomplishment.

The NASA Outstanding Public Leadership Medal is United States medal established in 2012 and awarded to individuals who were not Government employees during the period in which the accomplishment was achieved.

The medal given “for notable leadership accomplishments that have significantly influenced the NASA Mission.” Sustained leadership and exceptionally high-impact leadership achievements should demonstrate the individual’s effectiveness in advancing the Agency’s goals and image in the present and future terms.

Leadership excellence must be demonstrated in all of the following areas:

  • Achieving Results / Highly effective in achieving positive results/change: Impact and importance of work achievements toward NASA’s missions and image are a direct result of the individual’s contributions and efforts.
  • Role Model: Consistent and exemplary behavior that models NASA’s core values and promotes these values within the Agency.
  • Leading People: Cooperative collaboration and teamwork across the organizational, directorate, Agency, Government or industry level to accomplish expected results;
  • Influencing Change: Innovative approaches used in the conception, design, or execution of projects, programs, initiatives, and activities (work represents a high degree of creativity or fundamental departure from usual practice).

The NASA Outstanding Public Leadership Medal Design

The medal is circular, struck in bronze gilt, and measures 38.2 mm by 43.7 mm.

The ribbon has stripes of light blue, dark blue and yellow (mirrored).

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The NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal

The NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal is US medal awarded to government employees for notable leadership accomplishments in NASA.

The NASA Outstanding Public Leadership Medal is United States medal established in 2012 and awarded to Government employees for notable leadership accomplishments that have significantly influenced the NASA Mission.

The medal given “for notable leadership accomplishments that have significantly influenced the NASA Mission.” Sustained leadership and exceptionally high-impact leadership achievements should demonstrate the individual’s effectiveness in advancing the Agency’s goals and image in the present and future terms.

Leadership excellence must be demonstrated in all of the following areas:

  • Achieving Results / Highly effective in achieving positive results/change: Impact and importance of work achievements toward NASA’s missions and image are a direct result of the individual’s contributions and efforts.
  • Role Model: Consistent and exemplary behavior that models NASA’s core values and promotes these values within the Agency.
  • Leading People: Cooperative collaboration and teamwork across the organizational, directorate, Agency, Government or industry level to accomplish expected results;
  • Influencing Change: Innovative approaches used in the conception, design, or execution of projects, programs, initiatives, and activities (work represents a high degree of creativity or fundamental departure from usual practice).

Achievements in leadership are not limited to executives or supervisors – employees at any grade level who meet the criteria may be considered.

The NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal Design

The medal is circular, struck in bronze gilt, and bears a hand holding a torch and the words “NASA” inscribed on a banner behind the torch and divided into “NA” (left) and “SA” (right) on the obverse. The reverse bears the words “OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP“.

The medal measures 38.2 mm by 43.7 mm.

The ribbon has stripes of light blue, white, dark blue, white and light blue (mirrored).

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The Congressional Space Medal of Honor

The Congressional Space Medal of Honor was established in 1969 to recognize astronauts for distinguished meritorious efforts.

The Congressional Space Medal of Honor is awarded by the President of the United States in Congress’s name on recommendations from the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The medal was authorized by the United States Congress in 1969 to recognize “Any astronaut who in the performance of his or her duties has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious efforts and contributions to the welfare of the Nation and mankind“.

To be awarded the medal, an astronaut must perform feats of extraordinary accomplishment while participating in space flight under the authority of NASA.

The decoration can be awarded for scientific discoveries or actions of tremendous benefit to mankind, for extreme bravery during a space emergency, or in preventing a major space disaster. It can also be presented posthumously to those astronauts who die while performing a US space mission (as of 2019, all 17 astronauts killed on US missions have been awarded the medal).

Although this is a civilian award, its use is authorized as a military decoration for display on U.S. military uniforms due to the prestige of the decoration. In such cases, the Congressional Space Medal of Honor is worn as a ribbon following all United States Armed Forces decorations.

Only one Congressional Space Medal of Honor may be awarded to a person, however, for each succeeding act that would otherwise justify the award of the Medal, the President may award a suitable bar or another device.

The Congressional Space Medal of Honor Design

The medal was designed by the Institute of Heraldry, U.S. Army. The suspension is a gold eagle with wings displayed.

The obverse is a circular green enamel wreath of laurel is surmounted by a five-pointed gold star. Between each point of the star is a gold flame. The star is surmounted by a light blue enamel cloud bank with five lobes edged in gold, bearing a five-pointed dark blue enamel star with a diamond in the center. The laurel wreath is a symbol of great achievement, while the overlapping star points simulate space vehicles moving to greater accomplishments through space. The flames signify the dynamic energy of the rocket era and the imagination of the men in the space program of the United States. The stylized glory cloud alludes to the glory in the coat of arms of the United States and to the high esteem of the award. The dark blue voided star symbolizes the vast mysteries of outer space while the brilliancy of the feat is represented by a diamond. The eagle with wings raised in the spirit of peace represents man’s first landing on another planet.

The reverse bears in the center the inscription “CONGRESSIONAL” arranged in a semicircle above the inscription “SPACE MEDAL PRESENTED TO” and the name of the recipient as well as the date, all within an outer circle of fifty stars.

The ribbon is 1 3/4 inches and has the following vertical stripes: gold, dark blue, light blue, white and red (mirrored). The scarlet center line symbolizes the courage of the astronauts, the nation’s manned space program and the fire power of rockets flying through the earth‘s atmosphere. The light blue is the same color as the chief of the shield of the coat of arms of the United States which appears on the President’s flag. The dark blue symbolizes the hostile environment of space.

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The NASA Space Flight Medal

The NASA Space Flight Medal is a decoration bestowed upon astronauts (US or foreign) who fly aboard a United States space mission.

The NASA Space Flight Medal is a decoration of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration first awarded in 1981 for “significant achievement or service during individual participation as a civilian or military astronaut, pilot, mission specialist, payload specialist, or other space flight participant in a space flight mission.”

The medal is bestowed upon any astronaut (US or foreign) who flies aboard a United States space mission, and typically every subsequent flight is honored with an additional award.

Multiple awards of the decoration are annotated either by award stars or oak leaf clusters. The medal is authorized for wear on active uniforms of the United States military and is worn after all military decorations.

The NASA Space Flight Medal Design

The medal is circular, struck in bronze and measures 1-5/8 inches (4 centimeters) in diameter.

The obverse shows a garland border, with a triangle featuring a space shuttle and the word “NASA” below it. The reverse is plain except for the inscription “SPACE FLIGHT MEDAL“.

The ribbon has stripes of blue, red, dark blue, red and lavender.

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The NASA Distinguished Service Medal

The NASA Distinguished Service Medal is the highest award that can be given to member of the federal government (astronauts and civilians).

The NASA Distinguished Service Medal is the highest award that can be bestowed to member of the federal government, including both military astronauts and civilian employees by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States. Typical presentations of the NASA Distinguished Service Medal included awards to senior NASA administrators, mission control leaders, and astronauts who have completed several successful space flights.

The medal is awarded to those who display distinguished service, ability, or courage and have personally made a contribution representing substantial progress to the NASA mission. The contribution must be so extraordinary that other forms of recognition would be inadequate.

The medal was originally awarded by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and was inherited by NASA. Due to the prestige of the award, the decoration is authorized for wear on the active uniforms of the United States military.

The NASA Distinguished Service Medal Design

The medal is a three-piece construction struck in bronze gilt with a blue enameled centerpiece. It measures 41.8 millimeters by 45.8 millimeters and is given unnamed. The edge alternates from fluted to Maltese cross-like design.

The obverse shows a golden version of the red, white and blue insignia of NASA. The round shape represents a planet, the stars space, the red v-shaped wing represents aeronautics and the circular orbit around the agency’s name represents space travel. Around the symbols is the inscription “DISTINGUISHED SERVICE” and “NASA”. The reverse sometimes has the name of the recipient engraved as well as the presentation date.

The ribbon is blue, with light-blue and white thinner stripes towards the edges.

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The NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal

The NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal is the highest honor NASA awards to anyone who was not a government employee.

The NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal is the highest honor NASA awards to anyone who was not a government employee when the service was performed whose distinguished service, ability, or vision
has personally contributed to NASA’s advancement of United States’ interests.

The medal is awarded for:

“Distinguished accomplishments [that] contributed substantially to the NASA mission. The contribution must be so extraordinary that other forms of recognition would be inadequate.”

NASA’s most prestigious honor awards are approved by the administrator and presented to a number of carefully selected individuals and groups of individuals, both government and non-government, who have distinguished themselves by making outstanding contributions to the agency’s mission.

The NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal Design

The medal is struck in bronze gilt and measures 44.5 mm by 48.5 mm.

It bears the inscription “PUBLIC SERVICE” on the reverse.

The ribbon is blue, with light-blue and yellow thinner stripes towards the edges.

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The Mine Rescue Decoration (Austria)

The Mine Rescue Decoration (or Grubenwehrehrenzeichen in German) is a state award of the Republic of Austria, established on February 24, 1954 by the National Council and presented by the Federal Ministry of Trade and Reconstruction (currently known as the Ministry of Digital and Economic Affairs) to both members and non-members of the mine rescue services.

The decoration can be awarded for the following reasons:

  • to members of a mine rescue service who made a special contribution to a rescue operation resulting in loss of their life.
  • to members of a mine rescue service who have provided satisfactory service for a period of at least 15 years.
  • to former members of a mine rescue service who were unable to complete 15 years of satisfactory service due to work-related illness or injury.
  • to any individual who, while under supervision of the mountain authorities, rescues or assists in rescuing an individual at the cost or, or at great risk to, their own life.
  • to any individual who has made a special contribution to the mine rescue services.

The Mine Rescue Decoration Design

The medal is struck in bronze, circular and measures 40 mm. The obverse shows a Maltese cross with outgoing rays, framed by a laurel wreath, and superimposed by a crossed hammer and pick (the traditional symbol of miners). The reverse bears the Austrian Coat of Arms, with the inscription “Für Verdienste im Grubenrettungsdienst” (“For merits in mine rescue service“).

The ribbon is made up of two thick stripes of black and green, bordered by thin stripes of white and red. On the full-sized medal, the ribbon is arranged as an Austrian trifold, while on the miniature medals, it is arranged as a drape.

In addition to the full-sized medal, awardees also receive a certificate, a miniature medal, a ribbon bar, a lapel pin, and a rosette.