General Carl ‘Tooey’ Spaatz Award

The Air Force Historical Foundation’s General Carl “Tooey” Spaatz Award was created in 2007 for recognition of sustained, significant contributions to the making of Air Force history during a lifetime of service.

It is named after Carl Andrew Spaatz, who flew in combat during the First World War, shooting down three enemy aircraft. He was the aircraft commander of the Question Mark during a historic 1929 flight that demonstrated the feasibility of in-flight refueling.

General Spaatz planned for rapid expansion of the Air Corps, observed first-hand the Battle of Britain, and commanded the Eighth Air Force during the first year of World War II. He commanded allied air forces for the invasion of North Africa, commanded the United States Strategic Air Forces for the invasion of Europe until the end of the European war, and then commanded United States Strategic Air Forces in the Pacific.

General Spaatz became Commanding General, U.S. Army Air Forces, and upon creation of the United States Air Force, became its first Chief of Staff, retiring in 1948. He was a founder of the Air Force Historical Foundation in 1953 and was its first President.

The first presentation of the General Carl “Tooey” Spaatz Award was made to General David C. Jones (ret.), who received the award at the Foundation’s biennial symposium in October 2007. Jones entered the Army Air Corps in 1942, and received his pilot’s wings and was commissioned in 1943. He flew 300 hours on combat missions during the Korean War.

Maj. Gen. John R. Alison (USAFR ret.) became the second recipient of the General Carl “Tooey” Spaatz Award at the Air Force Historical Foundation’s 2008 Awards Banquet in Arlington, Virginia. A highly-decorated World War II combat ace and veteran of the Korean War, Alison is considered the father of Air Force Special Operations.