kids encyclopedia robot

Aeronautical Medal facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Aeronautical Medal
Medaille de l Aeronautique francaise.jpg
Aeronautical Medal (Obverse)
Type Order of Merit
Awarded for Accomplishments in aeronautics
Statistics
Established 14 February 1945; 80 years ago (1945-02-14)
Precedence
Next (higher) Cross of the resistance volunteer combatant
Next (lower) Combatant's Cross
Medaille de l'Aeronautique ribbon.svg
Ribbon of the Aeronautical Medal
Medaille de l Aeronautique francaise revers
Reverse of the Médaille de l'Aéronautique
General Stéphane Abrial 080524-f-1014w-154
French air force general Stéphane Abrial, a recipient of the Aeronautical Medal
0328 joyeuse-army
Free French Officer and OSS Agent René Joyeuse, a recipient of the Aeronautical Medal

The Aeronautical Medal (which means "Médaille de l'Aéronautique" in French) is a special award from France. It was created on February 14, 1945. This medal is given to both military members and everyday citizens. It honors people who have done amazing things in the world of flying and aviation.

This award was first thought of before World War II. The idea was to have an award for aviation that was as important as the Order of Maritime Merit, which is for achievements at sea. The war put the plan on hold, but it finally became real in 1945.

Who Gets the Aeronautical Medal?

A special group of people decides who receives the Aeronautical Medal. This group includes important leaders from the air force and aviation departments. They look for people who have shown great skill and bravery in aviation.

The Aeronautical Medal is given out twice a year: on January 1st and July 14th. Only 275 new people can receive it each year.

You can get this medal for many reasons, such as:

  • Showing great bravery while flying.
  • Helping to develop new planes or flying methods.
  • Doing heroic acts in the air.
  • Doing very unusual or important research in aviation.
  • Providing amazing help during serious air accidents.

The medal can also be given to people from other countries. Sometimes, it is even awarded after someone has passed away (this is called "posthumously").

What Does the Medal Look Like?

The Aeronautical Medal is shaped like a rectangle and is made of shiny gold-colored metal.

  • The front of the medal shows a gold image of Marianne. She is a symbol of France from the 1940s.
  • Below Marianne, it says "Honneur et Patrie" in gold. This means "Honour and Country."
  • Most of the medal is covered in red enamel, except for Marianne, the words, and a thin border around the edge.
  • The medal hangs from a 37 mm wide royal blue silk ribbon.
  • The part that connects the medal to the ribbon looks like a wing. It has a five-pointed star in the middle.
  • On the back of the medal, it says "MÉDAILLE DE L'AÉRONAUTIQUE 1945." This means "AERONAUTICAL MEDAL 1945."

Famous People Who Received the Medal

Many notable people have received the Aeronautical Medal for their contributions to aviation. Here is a partial list:

French Citizens

Foreign Nationals

See Also

  • Ribbons of the French military and civil awards
kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Aeronautical Medal Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.