The NASA Exceptional Bravery Medal

Time Period: Post-WW2
Institution: 29 July 1959
Country: United States

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.