Airmail Flyers' Medal of Honor

Airmail Flyers Medal of Honor
Obverse of the Airmail Flyers Medal of Honor
Type	Civilian Medal
Awarded for	acts of heroism or extraordinary achievement
Country	United States
Presented by	Post Office Department
Eligibility	Airmail Pilots
Status	No longer awarded
Established	February 14, 1931
First awarded	December 13, 1933
Last awarded	October 4, 1948
Total	10
Total awarded posthumously	1

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.^[1][2][3]

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.^[4] The medal was struck by the Philadelphia Mint.^[5]