Cross of Aeronautical Merit facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cross of Aeronautical Merit
Template of the Cross Aeronautical Merit decorations
Presented by	Spain

The Cross of Aeronautical Merit (which in Spanish is called Cruces del Mérito Aeronáutico) is a special award from Spain. It's given to people who show great bravery or do excellent things in the air. This award can be given during wartime or in times of peace. It's for members of the Spanish Armed Forces, the Guardia Civil (a police force), and even civilians.

What the Award Looks Like: Insignia and Ribbons

The award is shaped like a Greek cross, which means all its arms are the same length. The arms are colored differently depending on why the award was given.

Different Colors for Different Deeds

• Red Decoration: The arms are bright red. This is for acts of great bravery or sacrifice.
• White Decoration: The arms are white. This is for good service or achievements that don't involve direct danger.
• Blue Decoration: The arms are white, but there's a narrow blue bar across the bottom arm. This is for helping out with international missions or working with other countries.
• Yellow Decoration: The arms are white, but there's a narrow yellow bar across the bottom arm. This is for acts of great courage when facing danger, but not necessarily in battle.

Details of the Cross

At the top of the cross, there's a Spanish royal crown. Below the crown, there's a small space where the date the award was given can be carved. In the middle of the cross, there's a round shield. This shield shows the old symbols of different parts of Spain, like castles for Castile and lions for León. In the very center of this shield, there's a blue oval with the symbol of the Bourbon-Anjou family, who are the royal family of Spain.

Golden wings spread out from the central shield to the sides of the cross. On the back of the cross, you'll see the letters "MA" on a red background. "MA" stands for Mérito Aeronáutico, which means "Aeronautical Merit."

How to Wear the Award

The cross is worn on a ribbon on the left side of your chest. If someone receives the award more than once, a small bar with the date of the new award is added to the ribbon.

The Grand Cross

There's also a higher version of the award called the Grand Cross. It looks similar to the regular cross but is larger. The Grand Cross is worn on a wide sash that goes over the right shoulder. People who receive the Grand Cross also get a special eight-pointed star. This star is gold and has the cross placed on top of it.

Grand Cross - Red Decoration	Grand Cross - Blue Decoration	Grand Cross - Yellow Decoration	Grand Cross - White Decoration
Cross - Red Decoration	Cross - Blue Decoration	Cross - Yellow Decoration	Cross- White Decoration

Who Has Received This Award?

Many important people have received the Cross of Aeronautical Merit. Here are a few examples:

• Alfonso XIII - A former King of Spain.
• Felipe VI of Spain - The current King of Spain.
• Antonio Ibáñez Freire - A Spanish general.
• Asghar Khan - A Pakistani air force officer.
• Francisco Franco - A former Spanish leader.
• Michael E. Ryan - A former Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force.

See also

In Spanish: Cruces del Mérito Aeronáutico para niños

• Cross of Military Merit (Spain)
• Cross of Naval Merit (Spain)