Congressional Gold Medal Recipients Of Italian Lineage
Umberto Nobile (1926) Ben Abruzzo, 
Crossed the North Pole by 1978 First Balloon to
Air Ship. Received award in Cross the Atlantic: Double Eagle II,
1928 a helium balloon carrying Ben Abruzzo,
Maxie Anderson, and Larry Newman, becomes
the first balloon to cross the Atlantic. A new
duration record is set with a flight time of
137 hours and covered 3,107.61 miles.
Frank Sinatra
He was a great entertainer. He did it his way!
Received award in 1997
(1852 - 1880)
Constantino Brumidi known as
The “Michelangelo of the Capitol”
In Washington, D. C.
Received award in 2008
Congressional Gold Medal of Honor
The first award is the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor - more commonly known as the Congressional Gold Medal - the nation's highest and most distinguished civilian award. First awarded in 1776 to General George Washington, there have been over one hundred medals awarded. There have been two two-time winners - Major General Winfield Scott (1814, 1848) and John Horn, Jr (1874, 1904). Major General Zachary Taylor was awarded this special distinction three times: in 1846, 1847, and 1848.The medal has been awarded to individuals and groups from all walks of life. It was originally awarded to military leaders for achievement in battle, but became a civilian medal after the Medal of Honor was instituted. The medal is presented both for singular acts of exceptional service and for lifetime achievement. Congressional legislation is required to make the medal, and needs at least two-thirds of the House of Representatives to sponsor the legislation to the House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy, Technology, and Economic Growth and 67 Senators to sponsor it to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Once the legislation is past, the Congress commissions the U.S Mint to design and create the medal. This ensures that each medal is unique, representing each individual and/or event that it has been awarded for.
Pictures Constantino Brumidi & Capitol dome were taken from the Summer 2008, Italian Magazine, P. 15, The other pictures were take from various web sites and the Congressional web site. Thanks to Dona DeSanctis for her article on this in the Italian Magazine, 2008 Summer Issue.
