Air Force Cross ( United States ) The Air Force Cross is the second highest military award that can be given to a member of the United States Air Force . The Air Force Cross is the Air Force decoration equivalent to the Distinguished Service Cross ( Army ) and the Navy Cross ( Navy , Marine Corps , and Coast Guard ) . The Air Force Cross is awarded for extraordinary heroism not justifying the award of the Medal of Honor . It may be awarded to any individual who , while serving in any capacity with the U . S Air Force , distinguishes him or herself by extraordinary heroism in combat . Origins . Originally entitled the " Distinguished Service Cross ( Air Force ) " , the Air Force Cross was first proposed in 1947 after the creation of the United States Air Force as a separate armed service . The medal was designed by Eleanor Cox , an employee of the Air Force , and was sculpted by Thomas Hudson Jones of the Institute of Heraldry . The Air Force Cross was established by Congress in Public Law 88 - 593 on July 6 , 1960 , amending Section 8742 of Title 10 , U . S . Code to change the designation of " Distinguished Service Cross " to " Air Force Cross " in case of awards made under Air Force Authority . Additional awards of the Air Force Cross are annotated by oak leaf clusters , and the reverse of every Air Force Cross is engraved with the recipient ' s name . Criteria for award . Title 10 , Section 8742 . Air Force Cross : Award " The President may award an Air Force Cross of appropriate design , with ribbons and appurtenances , to a person who , while serving in any capacity with the Air Force , distinguishes himself by extraordinary heroism not justifying the award of a Medal of Honor : Description . The Air Force Cross consists of a bronze cross with an oxidized satin finish . Centered on the obverse of the cross is a gold - plated American bald eagle , wings displayed against a cloud formation , ( as used on the seal of the Air Force ) . This design is encircled by a laurel wreath in green enamel , edged in gold . The reverse of the cross is blank and suitable for engraving . The service ribbon has a very wide center stripe of Brittany blue with narrow stripes of white and red at the edges . The ribbon is almost identical to that of the Distinguished Service Cross , except for the lighter blue center stripe , indicating the close connection of these awards . Awards . The first award of that Air Force Cross was made posthumously to Major Rudolf Anderson for extraordinary heroism during the Cuban Missile Crisis . As of May 2010 , there have been 195 awards of the Air Force Cross to 190 individuals . One award , the first made , was for actions in the Cuban Missile Crisis . Three were retroactively awarded for actions in World War II . 180 were awarded for heroism in the Vietnam War , and four for heroism during the 1975 Mayagüez Incident immediately following . Two were awarded for the 1991 Gulf War , one for the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia , and two were awarded for heroism during Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan in 2003 . One was awarded to combat controller Zachary Rhyner for actions in the Shok Valley , Afghanistan on April 6 , 2008 . 50 awards have been posthumous , including 30 to members missing in action . 24 have been awarded to enlisted personnel , including 11 pararescue jumper s . 17 graduates of the United States Air Force Academy have been presented the award , and 13 were awarded for conduct while a prisoner of war . There have been four multiple recipients : Recent Recipients . Since the Vietnam War , as of September 2012 , only eight Air Force Crosses have been awarded — two during Operation Desert Storm , one during the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu and five during Operation Enduring Freedom .