Medaglia o croce al merito?

[Capitaine Vengeur]

Sorry to write here in English, but this question is intended for Italians only.

 

I'm preparing a "Coalition Medals Pack" for Operation Desert Storm's non-American flyable air forces (AMI included). Searching for some medals for service, I have found the Medaglia (d'oro/d'argento/di bronzo) al Merito Aeronautico, or the Croce (d'oro/d'argento/di bronzo) al Merito dell'Aeronautica. Seeing their ribbons, they happen to be the same decoration. What is the real name? Are both of them OK? If there have been changes in designation, what was the actual name in 1991?

 

Also, I could only find these medals' ribbons, not the real ones, even when searching on Italian websites. Do they look like round medals, or crosses like the army's ones for merit? Could you tell me where I could find some fine pictures of the real medals (the real ones, not the nastrini)?

 

Grazie mille, amici.

[+NGHENGO]

Sorry to write here in English, but this question is intended for Italians only.

 

I'm preparing a "Coalition Medals Pack" for Operation Desert Storm's non-American flyable air forces (AMI included). Searching for some medals for service, I have found the Medaglia (d'oro/d'argento/di bronzo) al Merito Aeronautico, or the Croce (d'oro/d'argento/di bronzo) al Merito dell'Aeronautica. Seeing their ribbons, they happen to be the same decoration. What is the real name? Are both of them OK? If there have been changes in designation, what was the actual name in 1991?

 

Also, I could only find these medals' ribbons, not the real ones, even when searching on Italian websites. Do they look like round medals, or crosses like the army's ones for merit? Could you tell me where I could find some fine pictures of the real medals (the real ones, not the nastrini)?

 

Grazie mille, amici.

 

I's a Silver Star Medal mon ami, for Gianmarco Bellini the Tornado Pilot, nothing for the Navigator Maurizio Cocciolonr, the officer shown on Iraqi TV, don't ask me the why, anyway that is the onoreficence a medal as Silver Star.

 

Medaglia d'argento al valor militare

 

«Comandante di "Tornado" impegnato nella sua prima, difficile operazione bellica notturna contro obiettivi militari fortemente difesi, riusciva ad effettuare, in presenza di condizioni meteorologiche avverse, il previsto rifornimento in volo e decideva, con chiaro sprezzo del pericolo e senza esitazione, di continuare da solo la missione che gli era stata affidata. Raggiungendo l'obiettivo, subito dopo aver sganciato il carico bellico a bassissima quota su un deposito di munizioni iracheno veniva fatto segno ad intenso fuoco contraereo. Sceso ulteriormente di quota sul deserto in piena oscurità, veniva colpito dalla violentissima reazione contraerea che rendeva ingovernabile l'aeromobile. Lanciandosi assieme al navigatore veniva fatto prigioniero. Manteneva, in mani nemiche, un contegno fermo ed esemplare, nonostante le violenze fisiche e morali subite. Chiaro esempio di professionalità, dedizione e coraggio, degno erede di una luminosa tradizione.»

— Cielo del Kuwait, 18 gennaio 1991.[4]

 

 

Here is the link....

 

http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gianmarco_Bellini

 

Mau.

Edited March 24, 2010 by NGHENGO

[+bobrock]

I's a Silver Star Medal mon ami, for Gianmarco Bellini the Tornado Pilot, nothing for the Navigator Maurizio Cocciolone, the officer shown on Iraqi TV, don't ask me the why, anyway that is the onoreficence a medal as Silver Star.

Due to the bad weather their plane was the only one able to refuel and they decided to continue their mission, a single plane over a heavily defended target. Some say that Cocciolone hesitated when they had to decide if staying on target or not and that's the reason why we wasn't awarded with the silver star. Some other say that's because he appeared on the iraqi tv.