Medal of Honor - Air Force Design

The Air Force design of the Medal of Honor was established by Congress on July 6, 1960 and presented to all Air Force recipicients of the MOH on or after November 1, 1965. Criteria for awarding is the same as the Medal of Honor fort the Army, “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty.” Each recommendation fort the Medal of Honor must incontestably prove that the self sacrifice or personal bravery involved conspicuous risk of life.
The first recipient of the Medal of Honor – Air Force Design was Major Bernard F. Fisher on January 19, 1967 for his heroic actions in rescuing a fellow pilot who had crash landed on a landing strip in the A Shau Valley on March 10, 1966. Airman First Class John L. Levitow was the first USAF enlisted person to receive the Medal of Honor – Air Force Design; he was awarded the MOH for saving his AC-47 gunship and crew in Vietnam. Five airman received the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War.

It is a five-pointed star within a green laurel wreath. Laurel and oak are contained within each point of the star. The Statue of Liberty head is in the center of the medal. The star is suspended from a likeness of the Air Force Coat of Arms which is below a bar with the word “Valor”. The ribbon is light blue and is twenty four inches long and contains 13 white stars in the center of the pad from which the medal the medal hangs.