Rare 1969 Hibernian JFK Memorial Gold Medal Award *Astronaut Col James McDivitt

Description

AOH JFK Memorial Gold Medal Col James McDivitt Astronaut
This large medallion is 50mm wide, 92.8 grams, Solid 10kt Gold, Rare Ancient Order of Hibernians JFK Memorial Medal, Presented to Col James McDivitt in 1969. This Medal was designed by P. Frank Kean.
James Alton McDivitt was an American test pilot, United States Air Force pilot, aeronautical engineer, and NASA astronaut in the Gemini 4 and Apollo 9 programs. He joined the USAF in 1951 and flew 145 combat missions in the Korean War.
A large estate auction was held last spring and this medal came from that sale.
Astronaut Col James McDivitt passed away October 13th in Tucson AZ at the age of 93.
The John F. Kennedy Memorial Medal and Fund Committee was established following the 1964 Albany, New York National Convention to honor the memory of our nation’s 35th President, who was a member of AOH Division 14, Watertown, MA from 1947 until his assassination on November 22, 1963. According to the Report of the Committee on the Kennedy Memorial: “The award would consist of a gold medallion designed for this purpose, to be awarded to a Catholic of Irish birth or descent, outstanding in his or her field of endeavor…” The medal was designed by P. Frank Kean of Massachusetts, AOH Past National President (1956-58) and first struck in 1966. In 1980 it was changed from an annual award to a biennial award.
Heritage is interested in this Medal and sent us an estimate, but they are slow and their buyer / seller % commissions are very high. We decided to offer this rare medal on eBay for the low Heritage estimate. Cheers!