Distinguished Award Salutes Aviation’s Heroes

What better time than the week of Independence Day to think about some of our greatest national heroes, our military veterans.

On this day in 1926, the Distinguished Flying Cross was authorized by Congress as a military decoration awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the U.S. Armed Forces who distinguished himself or herself in support of operations by heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight. Thus, it is America’s oldest military aviation award and as a unique gift of recognition, it is the only medal conferred by all five military services, in all wars and campaigns from World War I to the present.

Among those who have received the honor are Charles Lindbergh, Commander Richard Byrd, John Glenn, Chuck Yeager, Jimmy Stewart, Clark Gable, George H.W. Bush, Amelia Earhart. and Orville and Wilbur Wright. Earhart and the Wright Brothers are among the few non-military persons to ever receive the medal, as an executive order in 1927 decreed the Cross should not be conferred on civilians.

The Distinguished Flying Cross Society was founded in 1994 to bring together those who have received this honor. Currently, there are about 6,000 members, with 23 chapters nationwide.

As you plan your July 4th festivities, please take a few moments to reflect on those who have served our country. May we suggest The Army Air Corps Leather Flight Jacket as an ideal and unique gift to honor a special veteran in your life? First issued to the U.S. Army aviators in 1931 and worn by flight crews throughout World War II, the A-2 flight jacket was reissued by the U.S. Air Force in 1987. It is presented in our signature gift box, making it a perfect way to say “thank you”.

Aviation buffs would love to receive The New York Times History of Aviation. Procured from the archives of The Times, the book presents highlights that span from the momentous first flight of the Wright Brothers to Charles Lindbergh, the first man to make a transatlantic flight and land safely. The book also chronicles Amelia Earhart, the first woman to cross the Atlantic, and her subsequent disappearance in the Pacific, a mystery to this day, but one that continues to unveil new clues even today.

And finally, for those who are not pilots but have an urge to experience the unique gift of flight nonetheless, we present this genuine Cockpit Flight Simulator. It equips players with the same flight controls found in actual aircraft. Movement of the yoke controls pitch and roll just like real airplanes. Thrust levers and dual rudder pedals control realistic throttle and yaw.

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