Charles Lindbergh Medal of Honor

[Allan H.]

After finding an image of Amelia Earhart's DFC award card, it prompted me to wonder about Charles Lindbergh. Most people don't know that he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his work as an aviation pioneer. I thought the group would be interested in seeing an image of President Calvin Coolidge with Lindbergh immediately after the award ceremony.

 

 

Doing a little bit of research, I was able to find that Lindbergh's Medal of Honor is on display at the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis, MO.

 

War Department, General Orders 5 (1928) Act of Congress

 

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Captain Charles Augustus Lindbergh, Jr., United States Army Air Corps (Reserve), for displaying heroic courage and skill as a navigator, at the risk of his life, by his nonstop flight in his airplane, the “Spirit of St. Louis,” from New York City to Paris, France, 20 – 21 May 1927, by which Captain Lindbergh not only achieved the greatest individual triumph of any American citizen but demonstrated that travel across the ocean by aircraft was possible.

 

 

[Allan H.]

Here is an image of Lindbergh's award card for the Medal of Honor.

 

[Marshallj]

Interesting. He flew as a civilian. Congressional Gold Medal seems more appropriate.

[The Rooster]

17 minutes ago, Marshallj said:

Interesting. He flew as a civilian. Congressional Gold Medal seems more appropriate.

Ive got to differ on that with you friend.

Lindberg was a Captain. Even if he was not on duty at the time, he was still a Captain, a commissioned officer.

so he was in fact in still. Officers dont have a retirement date. On an officers ID card under

ETS End Term of Service.... all officers ID cards say.... Indefinite.

All enlisted have a date and a year for their ETS in the same spot.

Even though he was not on active duty he was still an officer.

He also taught pilots in the pacific how to get the most miles out of the gallons of gas in their aircraft. Gave them tips and taught them methods....Specifically the P38 lightning which enabled Air Corps P38's to undertake long distance missions over the oceans against the Japanese in World War 2.

Youre only not an officer anymore unless you screw up big time or get too old to be useful to the military.

When he took that flight he was still in.

[m1903]

2 hours ago, The Rooster said:

Ive got to differ on that with you friend.

Lindberg was a Captain. Even if he was not on duty at the time, he was still a Captain, a commissioned officer.

so he was in fact in still. Officers dont have a retirement date. On an officers ID card under

ETS End Term of Service.... all officers ID cards say.... Indefinite.

All enlisted have a date and a year for their ETS in the same spot.

Even though he was not on active duty he was still an officer.

He also taught pilots in the pacific how to get the most miles out of the gallons of gas in their aircraft. Gave them tips and taught them methods....Specifically the P38 lightning which enabled Air Corps P38's to undertake long distance missions over the oceans against the Japanese in World War 2.

Youre only not an officer anymore unless you screw up big time or get too old to be useful to the military.

When he took that flight he was still in.

It is also rumored he engaged in combat ( against orders ) and have kills to his credit.

[Dave]

15 hours ago, Marshallj said:

Interesting. He flew as a civilian. Congressional Gold Medal seems more appropriate.

 

You are correct. He did fly in his civilian capacity and thus, a civilian medal would have been more appropriate. However, in the pre-WW2 years, numerous "military" awards were given to civilians as there were no civilian equivalents. There are many, many examples of awards of medals (DSM, etc.) awarded to civilians by the Army in WW1, and then notable examples of military-only awards awarded to pioneers who were civilians, but made a significant impact on national standing or prestige. It wasn't until mid-WW2 when the government created civilian-only awards, such as the Medal for Merit, to recognize civilian contributions. 

[Fearless Fred]

Thanks, Allan, for your most interesting post. And thanks to the others for their informative responses.