General Henry H. ​“Hap” Arnold Aviation Award

Copied Joseph E. Renier, General Henry H. "Hap" Arnold Aviation Award, n.d., bronze, 1 1⁄2 in. (3.9 cm) diam., Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Joseph Renier, 1967.93.50

Artwork Details

Title
General Henry H. ​“Hap” Arnold Aviation Award
Artist
Founder
Medallic Art Company
Date
n.d.
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
1 1⁄2 in. (3.9 cm) diam.
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Joseph Renier
Mediums
Mediums Description
bronze
Classifications
Subjects
  • Dress — uniform — military uniform
  • Occupation — military — general
  • Portrait male — Arnold, Henry H. — bust
  • Emblem — military insignia
Object Number
1967.93.50
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1967.93.50

Artwork Description

The General Henry H. “Hap” Arnold Aviation Award Medal is one of nearly a dozen military honors commemorating Arnold’s service to the country’s air forces. Arnold was a pilot in the First World War who later became chief of the Army Air Forces, and is best remembered for establishing the corps of Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) in the 1940s. Recipients of this medal, which was created by Joseph Renier, include Clarence Kelly Johnson, who designed a number of innovative aircraft, and Senator Barry Goldwater, who served as a pilot in World War II, flying a route over the Himalayas that came to be known as the “China Hump.”