Airman's Cross
The Airman's Cross (Vliegerkruis) is a military decoration of the Kingdom of the Netherlands created in 1941. The cross is awarded to members of the Dutch military who display initiative, courage, and perseverance against the enemy or during hostile actions during one or more flights. The cross is also awarded to allied pilots whose actions were of high importance to the Netherlands.
Airman's Cross
Medalmaniak · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Name
- Airman's Cross
- Field
- cross
- Period
- 1941
- Region
- Kingdom of the Netherlands
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Documentary summary
The Airman's Cross (Vliegerkruis) is a military decoration of the Kingdom of the Netherlands created in 1941. The cross is awarded to members of the Dutch military who display initiative, courage, and perseverance against the enemy or during hostile actions during one or more flights. The cross is also awarded to allied pilots whose actions were of high importance to the Netherlands.
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wikidata · Q1428562 · wikipedia · Airman's Cross
In this article
Overview
Overview
A total of 735 Airman's Crosses have been awarded, most recently in 2007 to Royal Netherlands Air Force Major M. Duivesteijn, an F-16 pilot. Major Duivesteijn received the award because of his "exceptional courage and perseverance" during a 1999 flight that was part of the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. Other well-known recipients include Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema (the "Soldier of Orange"), Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, and Ida Veldhuyzen van Zanten. The Airman's Cross is the fifth-highest Dutch military decoration still being awarded for bravery (after the Cross of Merit).
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Airman's Cross • Presenter — Kingdom of the Netherlands • Type — Military award • Awarded For — display of initiative, courage and perseverance against the enemy during flight in an aircraft • Status — Currently awarded • Firstawarded — 1941 • Lastawarded — Major M. Duivesteijn • Total Awarded — 735 • Higher — Cross of Merit • Lower — Honorary Medal for Charitable Assistance (silver or bronze) • Caption2 — Vliegerkruis ribbon bar
Chronology
Dated record
Chronology
The full dated record · 1 entries
1941
Airman's Cross first recorded.
Description
The Airman's Cross resembles the Dutch Bronze Cross but is worn on a diagonally-striped orange and white ribbon inspired by those of the British Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Force Cross. The cross is silver with four arms. There is a crowned central medallion bearing an albatross in flight with the words "INITIATIEF MOED VOLHARDING" (INITIATIVE COURAGE PERSEVERANCE) around the edge of the medallion. The date 1941 appears above the body of the albatross. The reverse is plain.
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Medals
1,069 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Air Force MedalTerminology
- Air Gallantry CrossTerminology
- Air MedalTerminology
- Aircrew BadgeTerminology
- Airman's MedalTerminology
- Albert Medal for LifesavingTerminology
- Allied Subjects' MedalTerminology
- Alsen CrossTerminology
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