Harmon Trophy

The Harmon Aviator Trophy

The Harmon Trophy is a set of three international trophies, to be awarded annually to the world's outstanding aviator, aviatrix, and aeronaut (balloon or dirigible). A fourth trophy, the "National Trophy," was awarded from 1926 through 1938 to the most outstanding aviator in each of the twenty-one member countries and again from 1946–1948 to honor Americans who contributed to aviation. The award was established in 1926 by Clifford B. Harmon, a wealthy balloonist and aviator.

The awards are described by the Clifford B. Harmon Trust as:

"American awards for the most outstanding international achievements in the arts and/or science of aeronautics for the preceding year, with the art of flying receiving first consideration."

World War II and Harmon's death

Prior to World War II, the award was administered by the International League of Aviators (Ligue Internationale des Aviateurs), an organization founded by Harmon to serve as "an agent for Peace and National security." The League became defunct during the war and Harmon's death on June 25, 1945 in Cannes, France put the awards in turmoil. Harmon left $55,000 of his estate to continue funding the award in "perpetuity," but Harmon's relatives challenged the bequest. Ultimately, a trust fund of $48,431 was created in 1948.

During the period the awards were in litigation (1945–1948), the American Section of the League awarded the International Aviator Trophy to three U.S. leaders in aviation. However, since the awards were not approved by other League Sections, the awards are technically invalid. Also, these three awards were given without consideration to the "art of flying" and the awards did not recognize a superlative aviation achievement, rather recognized American aviation industry leaders. President Truman's staff questioned the award to Alexander de Seversky, Secretary of the Air Force Stuart Symington stating, "he [de Seversky] did absolutely nothing to deserve it." Truman also did not make time to present the 1948 award to Trans World Airlines CEO Ralph Damon or Brazilian aviation pioneer Francisco Pignatari The award to Pan American World Airways President Juan Trippe in 1946 was the only one presented without debate.

Since 1997 or 1998, the National Aeronautic Association has been responsible for awarding the trophies. With the exception of the Aeronaut trophy, all are inactive.

The trustees wrestled with how to treat space flight. Bound by the court to offer only three trophies, the trustees first agreed that "feats of piloting in both earth orbiting or outer space vehicles will be considered for the Harmon Awards provided the vehicles are controlled by their pilots rather than from the ground." The advisory committee directed the trustees to alternate awarding the aeronaut trophy between balloonists and astronauts, but the trustees decided to offer the aviator award to aviation and astronaut recipients. A fifth trophy was created in 1969 to honor achievements in space flight.

Some aviatrix awards from 1980–1990 were awarded by the Ninety-Nines based on research performed by Fay Gillis Wells. This work was not coordinated with the NAA or Smithsonian.

The original awards were 24-inch-tall bronze statues. The aviator trophy depicts World War I flying ace Raoul Lufbery launching a biplane set next to an eagle about to take wing. The statuette was created by sculptor Roussadana M'divani. The Smithsonian Institution acquired the aviator's trophy in 1950 from the Clifford B. Harmon Trust. The aviatrix trophy depicts a winged goddess cradling a falcon with outstretched wings. The aeronaut trophy was lost in Germany between May 1940 and October 1953 and was believed to have been sold as scrap. The three-foot-tall, 150-pound statue of five aviators holding the globe on their shoulders was found in a junk store and subsequently given to the Smithsonian after the presentation of the 1952 awards.

List of award winners

The following is an incomplete list compiled from several sources. The Aeronaut, National and Astronaut categories have not been listed in a central location. The NAA and the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum worked to assemble a complete list to be published in conjunction with the NAA's hundredth anniversary in 2005, however this project was not completed and it appears that the source documents for a period of awards were destroyed.

Year Aviator Aviatrix Aeronaut National (until 1949) see below for Astronaut since 1967
1926 Lt. Col. Georges Pelletier d'Oisy, France No award presented General Umberto Nobile, Italy Shirley J. Short, USA; Cdr. Hirosi Abe, Japan; Maj. Mario de Bernardi, Italy
1927 Col. Charles A. Lindbergh, USA Lady Mary Bailey, UK Commander Charles E. Rosendahl, USA Joseph le Brix, Dieudonné Costas, France; Miguel García Granados, Guatemala; Francesco de Pinedo, Italy; Sidney Webster, UK; G. A. Koppen, Nederlands; José Manuel Sarmento, Portugal; Ribeiro Barros, Brazil
1928 Col. Arturo Ferrarin, Italy Lady Mary Bailey, UK Dr. Hugo Eckener, Germany Carl Eielson; Charles Kingsford Smith Australia
1929 Lieut. Carl Ben Eielson, USA Miss Winifred Spooner, UK Dr. Hugo Eckener, Germany Maj. James H. Doolittle, USA; Hugh Grosvenor, Australia
1930 Maj. Dieudonne Costes, France Miss Amy Johnson Mollison, UK Dr. Hugo Eckener, Germany (dirigible); Ward T. Van Orman, USA (spherical balloon) Lt. Cdr. Frank Hawks; Lt. Carlos de Haya González de Ubieta es:Carlos de Haya Gonzalez, Spain; Charles Kingsford-Smith, Australia
1931 Air Marshal Italo Balbo, Italy Mrs. Maryse Bastié, France Dr. Hugo Eckener, Germany (dirigible); Prof. Auguste Piccard, Switzerland (spherical balloon) Clyde Pangborn, USA; Hugh Herndon, USA; Ruth Nichols, USA; Air Commodore; Charles Kingsford Smith Australia; Bert Hinkler, UK; Amy Johnson, UK; Peggy Salaman, UK; Captain von Gronau, Germany; Marga von Etzdorf, Germany
1932 Wolfgang von Gronau; Germany Mrs. Amelia Earhart Putnam, USA Prof. Auguste Piccard, Switzerland (spherical balloon); Capt. Ernst A. Lehmann, (dirigible) Roscoe Turner, USA; Warren D. Williams, USA (dirigible); Lt. Cdr. Charles E. C. Rosendahl, USA (dirigible); Lt. Thomas G. W. Settle, USA (spherical balloon); Lt. Carlos de Haya González de Ubieta es:Carlos de Haya Gonzalez, Spain
1933 Wiley Post, USA Maryse Hiltz, France Lt. Cdr. Thomas G. W. Settle, USA (Spherical Balloon); Dr. Hugo Eckener, Germany (dirigible) Mrs. Anne Morrow Lindbergh, USA; Lt. Cdr. Charles E. C. Rosendahl, USA (dirigible); Lt. Cdr. Thomas W. G. Settle, USA (spherical balloon); Francesco Agello, Italy; Mariano Barberan, Spain (posthumously); Herberts Cukurs, Latvia; Joaquin Collar, Spain (posthumously); Iwan W. Smirnoff, Netherlands
1934 C. W. A. Scott; UK Hélène Boucher, France (posthumously) Capt. Ernst A. Lehmann, Germany (dirigible); Mme. Jeannette Piccard, Switzerland (United States) (spherical balloon) Miss Laura Ingalls, USA; Dean C. Smith, USA; Lt. Cdr. H. V. Wiley, USA (dirigible); Maj. William E. Kepner, USA (spherical balloon); Edgardo Bonnet, Argentina; Maria Leloir de Udaondo, Argentina, Charles Kingsford-Smith, Australia, Teddy Franchomme, Belgium; E. Demuyter, Belgium, Mlle. S. Lippens, Belgium; Michael Hansen, Denmark; U. Makela, Finland; Jean Mermoz, France; Raymond Delmotte, France; Germain Bonnet, France; Heini Dittmar, Germany; Hans Kurt Fleming, Germany; Elly Beinhorn, Germany; K. D. Parmentier, Holland; Francesco Agello, Italy; Momosaburo Shinno, Japan; Choko Mabuchi, Japan; Kikuko Matsumoto, Japan; Capt. Jerzy Bajan, Poland; Franciszek Hynek, Poland; Humberto da Cruz, Portugal; Herman Baron, San Salvador; Luang Prung Prechakas, Siam; Ramon Torres, Spain; Walther Mittelholzer, Switzerland
1935 Capt. Edwin Musick, USA Jean Batten, UK

(New Zealand); Amelia Earhart, USA

Capt.Orvil Arson Anderson, USA; Capt.Albert William Stevens USA;(spherical balloon); Capt. Hans von Schiller, Germany (dirigible) Arnold Looz-Corswarem, Belgium; Michael Hansen, Denmark; Harry Frank Broadbent, UK (Australia); André Japy, France; Bertha Alisch, Germany; Elly Beinhorn, Germany; Mario Stoppani, Italy; Casimiro Babbi, Italy; Marchesa Carina Negrone, Italy; Hoja Dzenitis, Lithuania; Gomez Namorado, Portugal; Juan Ignacio Pombo, Spain
1936 Howard Hughes, USA Jean Batten, UK (New Zealand) Capt. Ernst A. Lehmann, Germany; Ernest De Muyter, Belgium Mrs. Louise Thaden, USA; James Diamond, USA; Carl Götze Jr., Germany; Harry Frank Broadbent, UK (Australia)
1937 Henry T. Merrill, USA Jean Batten, UK (New Zealand) No award presented Miss Jacqueline Cochran, USA; Howard Hughes, USA
1938 Howard Hughes, USA; Jacqueline Cochran, USA No award presented Lt. Col. Robert Olds, USA (Diploma of Honor); Roscoe Turner, USA; Capt. Kellett and crew, UK; Michael Hansen, Denmark; Maurice Rossi, France; Elizabeth Lion, France; Capt. Alfred Henks, Germany; Hanna Reitsch, Germany; Lt. Col. Mario Pezzi, Italy; Maj. Yuzo Fujita, Japan; Capt. Viktors Eglitis, Latvia; Victor Alfredo Lara, San Salvador; Maj. Tonnard, Belgium (spherical balloon); Capt. Max Pruss, Germany (dirigible); Capt. Antoni Janusz, Poland (spherical balloon)
1939 Maj. Alexander P. de Seversky, USA Jacqueline Cochran, USA No award presented
1945 Francisco Pignatari, Brazil
1946 Juan T. Trippe, USA
1947 Alexander P. de Seversky, USA
1948 Ralph S. Damon
1949 Louis A. Johnson
1940
to 1949
Lt. Gen. James H. Doolittle, USA; Geoffrey de Havilland, UK (posthumously) (Citation of Honorable Mention); Capt. Charles E. Yeager, USA (Citation of Honorable Mention) Jacqueline Cochran, USA; Pauline Gower, UK (posthumously) (Citation of Honorable Mention) Vice Admiral Charles E. Rosendahl, USA; M. Charles Dollfus, France (Citation of Honorable Mention); Lt. Howard R. Walton, USA (posthumously) (Citation of Honorable Mention)
1950 Col. David C. Schilling, USA No award presented National prize not awarded after 1949
1951 Capt. Charles F. Blair Jr, USA Jacqueline Auriol, France Lt. Carl J. Seiberlich, USN
1952 Col. Bernt Balchen, USA (Norwegian-born) Jacqueline Auriol, France Walter L. Massic, USA
1953 Maj. Charles E. Yeager, USA Jacqueline Cochran, USA No award presented
1954 Major Charles E. Yeager, USA Jacqueline Cochran, USA
1955 Group Captain John Cunningham, UK Jacqueline Auriol, France Lt. Cdr. Charles A. Mills, USA
1956 Lt. Col. Frank K. Everest Jr., USA Jacqueline Auriol, France Lt. Cdr. Malcolm D. Ross, USA; Lt. Cdr. Morton L. Lewis, USA
1957 Gen. Curtis E. LeMay, USA No award presented Cdr. Jack R. Hunt, USA
1958 Maj. André Edouard Turcat, France No award presented
1959 Capt. Joe B. Jordan, USA No award presented Capt. Joseph Kittinger, USA
1960 A. Scott Crossfield, USA; Capt. Joseph A. Walker, USA; Maj. Robert M. White, USA No award presented
1961 Lt. Col. William R. Payne, USA Jacqueline Cochran, USA Cdr. Malcolm D. Ross, USA; Lt. Cdr. Victor E. Prather, USA (posthumously)
1962 Maj. Fitzhugh L. Fulton Jr., USA No award presented Mrs. Nini Boesman, Netherlands (subsequently canceled)
1963 Maj. L. Gordon Cooper, USA Betty Miller, USA No award presented
1964 Max Conrad, USA Joan Merriam Smith, USA (posthumously) No award presented
1965 Commander James A. Lovell Jr.; Lt. Col. Frank Borman; Captain Wally Schirra; Maj. Thomas P. Stafford (all USA) No award presented
1966 Cmdr. James A. Lovell Jr.; Maj. Edwin E. Aldrin; Maj. Alvin S. White (all USA) Sheila Scott, UK No award presented
1967 Major William J. Knight, USA No award presented Astronaut
1968 Maj. Jerauld R. Gentry, USA No award presented Col. Frank Borman; Capt. James A. Lovell Jr.; Lt. Col. William A. Anders (all USA)
1969 Squadron Leader Thomas Lecky-Thompson, UK; Squadron Leader Graham Williams, UK Turi Widerøe; Norway No award presented Neil Armstrong; Edwin E. Aldrin; Michael Collins
1970 Brian Trubshaw, UK; Major André Edouard Turcat, France Sheila Scott, UK No award presented
1971 Lt. Col. Thomas B. Estes, USA; Lt. Col. Dewain C. Vick, USA Geraldyn Cobb, USA No award presented
1972 Lt. Col. Edgar L. Allison, USA No award presented No award presented
1973 Col. Edward J. Nash, USA No award presented Malcolm S. Forbes Sr., USA Captain Charles Conrad Jr.; Captain Paul J. Weitz; Captain Joseph Kerwin (all USA)
1974
1975 Lt. Col. Herbert M. Fix, USA Marion Rice Hart, USA
1976 No award presented
1977
1978
1979 Byran Allen, USA No award presented
1980 Lt. (jg) John Currier, USCG No award presented TODAY IN COAST GUARD AVIATION HISTORY – 26 OCTOBER 1980 (1 OF 3): an HH-3F #1484 assigned to Air Station Cape Cod, MA and crewed by LTJG John P. Currier (AC); LTJG Robert L. Abair (CP); AM1 David L. Seavey (FM) and AE2 Gordon R. Warren (AV) was launched at 3:40 AM in response to the 110-foot fishing vessel “TERRY T” out of New Bedford sinking with 10 crewman aboard. The eastern-rigged scallop trawler was 80 miles southeast of Nantucket in 30-foot seas, blowing snow and 60-knot winds gusting to 80 knots. The TERRY T reported “4-feet of water in the engine room” and requested dewatering pumps to help control the flooding.

Link: https://cgaviationhistory.org/sar/the-rescue-of-the-crew-of-the-scalloper-terry-t/

1981 Jerry Foster, USA Janice Lee Brown, USA John W. Young; Capt. Robert L. Crippen, Col. Joseph H. Engle; Capt. Richard Truly (all USA)
1982 Dormon Cannon, USA; No award presented
1983 No award presented Dr. Sally Ride, USA
1984 Senator Barry Goldwater Brooke Knapp, USA
1985 No award presented No award presented
1986 Chief Warrant Officer Jon Iseminger, USA Jeana Yeager, USA
1987 Allen E. Paulson, USA Lois McCallin, USA
1988 Kanellos Kanellopoulos; Greece Anne Baddour, USA Per Lindstrand
1989 Capt. George A. Hof Jr., USA; Dr. Max E. Shauck, USA Gaby Kennard, Australia
1990 No award presented No award presented Vladimir Titov and Musa Manarov, both Russia
1991 No award presented No award presented
1992 No award presented No award presented
1993 No award presented Vance D. Brand, USA
1994 No award presented No award presented
1995 No award presented Eileen M. Collins, USA
National Aeronautic Association.

Source:

Year Aviator Aviatrix Aeronaut
1998 Steve Fossett
1999 Don Cameron Dr. Bertrand Piccard; Switzerland; Brian Jones, UK
2000 David Hempleman-Adams
2001 Jennifer Murray, UK (USA) Richard Abruzzo
2002 Steve Fossett
2003 Richard Abruzzo
2004 David Hempleman-Adams
2005 Carol Rymer Davis and Richard Abruzzo
2006 No award
2007 David Hempleman-Adams
2008 No award
2009 No award
2010 No award
2011 John Petrehn
2012 No award
2013 No award
2014 No award
2015 Troy Bradley and Leonid Tiukhtyaev
2016 No award
2017 No award
2018 Nicolas Tièche and Laurent Sciboz (Fribourg Freiburg Challenge Team)

See also


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