Meritorious Military Pilot of the German Democratic Republic
Meritorious Military Pilot of the GDR (German: Verdienter Militärflieger der DDR) was the highest honorary title awarded to military pilots of the East German National People's Army. It was given in form of a Medal. Established on August 1, 1974 by the Council of Ministers of the GDR, it was awarded until the dissolution of the GDR in 1990.
| Meritorious Military Pilot of the GDR Verdienter Militärflieger der DDR | |
|---|---|
 Obverse | |
| Type | One class honorary title |
| Awarded for | Distinguished performance of military pilot |
| Country |  East Germany |
| Presented by | NPA |
| Eligibility | Military pilots of the German Democratic Republic |
| Status | No longer awarded |
| Established | August 1, 1974 |
| First awarded | 1974 |
| Last awarded | 1990 |
| Total | 137+ |
| Total recipients | see table below |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Order for Merit for the Nation and Fatherland |
| Equivalent | Honorary title "Meritorious Member of the National People’s Army" |
| Next (lower) | Distinguished Service Medal of the NPA |
Award criteria
The honorary title could be awarded for:
- Distinguished performance of military pilot compared with:
- Outstanding results in the political and military adjunction as well as
- Outstanding results as to the development of the NPA combat readiness
- Military pilot’s performance level: Class I
- No Aviation accident and incident
The number of awarded people was limited to 10 military pilots per year.
Medal description
The golden medal had the shape of a pentagon with the top below tip, width 31.5 mm and high 41.5 mm. On the lower tip there is to be seen the aircraft emblem of the National People's Army (NPA), a stand on the head flag of the German Democratic Republic (GDR), that is colorful enameled. The biggest part of the medal is occupied by a MiG-23 or MiG-21 that steeply takes off to the sky in front of the bright rising sun.
Left to the aircraft there is a laurel-bough, and right to it the oblique wording VERDIENTER MILITÄRFLIEGER is to be seen. The reverse, however, is empty and glossy.
Different versions have been issued:
- 1974–1976: Medal from nonferrous metal gold colored, varnished, size with arched eye 40.5 × 30 mm, reverse glossy. Medal on small medal bar 14 × 25 mm.
- 1976–1989: ditto varnished, medal with round eye, on pentagon bar with gibbon bar 14 × 25 mm, reverse glossy, ditto brass-plated, with reverse ornamented.
Wear
The medal was worn on the left breast suspended from a pentagonal sky blue ribbon of 25 × 14 mm size. The ribbon bar was adequate and showed additionally the golden aircraft emblem of National People's Army of the German Democratic Republic in miniature format.[1]
Recipients (compleete list)
The individuals below were recipients of the honorary title of "Honoured Military Pilot of the GDR".[2]
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References
- Frank Bartel, Auszeichnungen der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik, Berlin 1979
- Auszeichnungen der Nationalen Volksarmee, Berlin 1994
- Orden und Medaillen - Auszeichnungen der DDR, Leipzig 1983
- Bartel/Karpinski: Awards of the German Democratic Republic. Military publisher of the GDR 1979, page 134.
- Reference sources of the recipients: Kommando LSK/LV – LtGen ret. K.-J. Baarss, Army aviatin – MaFGen ret. W. Büttner, Navy Aviation – Captain at sea ret. G. Leithold and Border troops – Col. ret. A. Oldenburg
- „Pilot narratives – from take-off to touch-down“, matters of fact and experiences – written down by members of the NPA Air Force, Strausberg 2013, original print (page 58): ISBN 978-3-9814822-3-2, Strausberg, Berlin, 2013 (in German language).
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