The Air Force Historical Foundation’s 2010 Awards Banquet recognized those who have contributed to the making and documenting of air power history – the importance of which was underscored in a features speech by USAF’s current Commander of the Air Combat Command and the U.S. Joint Forces Command’s Air Component Commander.
More than 100 Foundation members and guests attended tonight’s event at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia, which began with a welcome reception and was followed by dinner and the award presentations.
The photo report below showcases some of the event’s highlights (click on the images for a larger version):
| Gen. William M. Fraser III, Commander of the Air Combat Command, and Air Component Commander for the U.S. Joint Forces Command, was the Awards Banquet’s featured speaker. In this photo, he is welcomed to the pre-dinner reception by Air Force Historical Foundation President Dale W. Meyerrose (Maj. Gen., USAF, ret.), at left, and Silas R. Johnson (Maj. Gen., USAF, ret.), who is a Foundation board member. |
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Dik Daso, (Lt. Col. USAF, ret.), Curator of Modern Military Aircraft at the National Air and Space Museum, was on hand to hand to sign copies of the Air Force Historical Foundation’s two major book publications: “The Vietnam War: A Chronology of War,” which was released to the public earlier this month, and “World War II: A Chronology of War.” Daso is shown speaking with Air Force Historical Foundation board member Russ Davis (Lt. Gen., USAF, ret.). |
| In his speech at the Awards Banquet, Gen. Fraser discussed the importance air power in past, current and future conflicts – and emphasized the value of chronicling Air Force history for future generations of warfighters. “Many of you here tonight have had a positive impact on the Air Force, since it is so young,” he said. “We learn through recognition and honoring your service, and of those who came before you.” |
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Larry D. Welch (Gen., USAF, ret.) received the Foundation’s Gen. Carl “Tooey” Spaatz Award, which recognizes a sustained significant contribution to the making of Air Force History during a lifetime of service. A command pilot with more than 6,500 flying hours, Welch became the 12th Air Force Chief of Staff in July 1986 after serving as the Strategic Air Force’s Commander in Chief and Director of the Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff. |
| Dr. Alan Gropman received the Air Force Historical Foundation’s Maj. Gen. I.B. Holley Award, which is shown in the foreground. Gropman, who is the Distinguished Professor of National Security Policy at the Industrial College, used his Awards Banquet comments to call for truthful recounting of recent and past wartime history, and raised the challenges of “hierarchical bureaucracy” faced by institutional military historians. |
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Herman S. Wolk’s “Reflections on Air Force Independence” was named for the Foundation’s Air Power History Best Book Award of 2009. This short book was selected for its portrayal of how the service’s founding airmen fought against long odds in helping to establish the Air Force. Wolk passed away earlier this year, and the award was accepted by his wife, Sandy. Wolk was a past recipient of the Foundation’s Maj. Gen. I.B. Holley Award, and had a 50-year career in the Air Force History program, retiring as the Air Force senior historian. |
| Thomas Wildenberg received Air Power History magazine’s 2009 Best Article Award for his story on the A-1C(M) lead-computing sight, which he used as a case study on technological innovation in the U.S. Air Force. This was the first fighter gunsight to employ radar ranging, and Wildenberg’s article was selected because of its insight into the non-technical challenges that often arise when a new weapons system is introduced. |
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The Air Force Historical Foundation recognized two individuals at the Awards Banquet. One honor was for Robert F. Dorr, Technical Editor and Contributor to the Foundation’s Air Power History magazine. Accepting the award on behalf of Dorr was Jacob Neufeld, the editor of Air Power History editor (at left). In the photo at right, Charles T. “Tom” Bradley (Col., USAF, ret.) receives an award for his role as the Foundation’s Executive Director from 2006 to 2010. |
| James A. Vertenten (Lt. Col., USAF, ret.)., the Air Force Historical Foundation’s current Executive Director, concluded the evening with the results of a history quiz that asked Awards Banquet attendees to match descriptive statements with the Foundation’s first five presidents: Gen. Carl A. “Tooey” Spaatz, Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Maj. Gen. Benjamin D. Foulis, Gen. Curtis E. LeMay, and Gen. Bernard A. Schriever. |
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