Harmon 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."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
World War II and Harmon's deathEdit
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."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The League became defunct during the war and Harmon's death on June 25, 1945 in Cannes, France<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Ultimately, a trust fund of $48,431 was created in 1948.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
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."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Truman also did not make time to present the 1948 award to Trans World Airlines CEO Ralph Damon<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> or Brazilian aviation pioneer Francisco Pignatari<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 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."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref name="ryan1967"> Template:Cite news</ref> A fifth trophy was created in 1969 to honor achievements in space flight.<ref name="nyt1968">Template:Cite news</ref>
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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
List of award winnersEdit
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<ref name="navy1954">Awards from 1926-1952 from Significant American and International Awards in Aviation, Bureau of Aeronautics, Department of the Navy, Revised February 1954</ref> | Aviatrix | Aeronaut<ref name=aeronaut>Aeronaut awards from 1998 on provided by the National Aeronautic Association's Recent aeronaut listTemplate:Dead link</ref> | National (until 1949) see below for Astronaut since 1967 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 | Lt. Col. Georges Pelletier d'Oisy, France<ref name="time1927">Template:Cite magazine</ref> | No award presented | General Umberto Nobile, Italy | Shirley J. Short, USA; Cdr. Hirosi Abe, Japan; Maj. Mario de Bernardi, Italy<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref> | |
| 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;<ref>Carl "Ben" Eielson Biography, National Aviation Hall of Fame Template:Webarchive</ref> Charles Kingsford Smith Australia<ref name="hnta">The Harmon National Trophy for Australia, Airways Museum Virtual Tour</ref> | |
| 1929 | Lieut. Carl Ben Eielson, USA<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> || Miss Winifred Spooner, UK || Dr. Hugo Eckener, Germany || Maj. James H. Doolittle, USA;<ref>Aviation Trophy Given to Doolittle; He Receives Harmon Award at Cleveland for His Work in "Blind" Flying, The New York Times, April 8, 1931</ref> Hugh Grosvenor, Australia<ref name="hnta"/> | |||
| 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<ref name="hnta"/> | |
| 1931 | Air Marshal Italo Balbo, Italy<ref name="nyt1931">General Balbo Wins the Harmon Trophy; Declared 1931 World Aviation Champion -- Ruth Nichols, Pangborn and Herndon Honored, The New York Times March 5, 1932</ref> | Mrs. Maryse Bastié, France<ref name="nyt1931"/> | Dr. Hugo Eckener, Germany (dirigible); Prof. Auguste Piccard, Switzerland (spherical balloon)<ref name="nyt1931"/> | Clyde Pangborn, USA; Hugh Herndon, USA; Ruth Nichols, USA; Air Commodore; Charles Kingsford Smith Australia; Bert Hinkler, UK; Amy Johnson, UK; Peggy Salaman, UK; Flugkapitän von Gronau, Germany; Marga von Etzdorf, Germany<ref name="nyt1931"/> | |
| 1932 | Wolfgang von Gronau; Germany<ref name="nyt1932">Amelia Earhart Honored; Receives Award of Harmon Trophy for Transatlantic Flight, The New York Times April 15, 1933</ref> | Mrs. Amelia Earhart Putnam, USA<ref name="nyt1932"/> | Prof. Auguste Piccard, Switzerland (spherical balloon); Capt. Ernst A. Lehmann, (dirigible)<ref name="nyt1932"/> | Roscoe Turner, USA; Warren D. Williams, USA (dirigible); Lt. Cdr. Charles E. C. Rosendahl, USA (dirigible); Lt. Thomas G. W. Settle, USA (spherical balloon);<ref name="nyt1932"/> Lt. Carlos de Haya González de Ubieta es:Carlos de Haya Gonzalez, Spain | |
| 1933 | Wiley Post, USA<ref name="nyt1933">Post and Settle Win Flying Prizes; Gain Harmon International Trophies for 1933 for World and Stratosphere Flights. Mrs. Lindbergh Honored Takes Award as Leading U.S. Aviatrix Last Year -- Rosendahl and Eckener Also Named, The New York Times April 22, 1934</ref> | Maryse Hiltz, France<ref name="nyt1933"/> | Lt. Cdr. Thomas G. W. Settle, USA (Spherical Balloon); Dr. Hugo Eckener, Germany (dirigible)<ref name="nyt1933"/> | 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);<ref name="nyt1933"/> Iwan W. Smirnoff, Netherlands | |
| 1934 | C. W. A. Scott; UK<ref name="nyt1934">Harmon Air Prize is Won by Scott; Briton Gets the International Award for Best Aviator -- Capt. Lehmann Honored, The New York Times March 11, 1935</ref> | Hélène Boucher, France (posthumously)<ref name="nyt1934"/> | Capt. Ernst A. Lehmann, Germany (dirigible); Mme. Jeannette Piccard, Switzerland (United States) (spherical balloon)<ref name="nyt1934"/> | 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<ref name="nyt1934"/> | |
| 1935 | Capt. Edwin Musick, USA<ref name="nyt1935">World's Air Title is Won by Musick; Veteran Pilot of Pan American Clipper Ships Is Named to Get the Harmon Trophy, The New York Times, April 18, 1936</ref> | Jean Batten, UK
(New Zealand); Amelia Earhart, USA<ref name="nyt1935" /> |
Capt.Orvil Arson Anderson, USA; Capt.Albert William Stevens USA;(spherical balloon); Capt. Hans von Schiller, Germany (dirigible)<ref name="nyt1935"/> | 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<ref name="nyt1935"/> | |
| 1936 | Howard Hughes, USA<ref name="nyt1936">Air Prize for Hughes; Jean Batten Honored; American Cross-Country Flier and New Zealand Girl Get Harmon Trophies, The New York Times, March 1, 1937</ref> | Jean Batten, UK (New Zealand)<ref name="nyt1936"/> | Capt. Ernst A. Lehmann, Germany; Ernest De Muyter, Belgium | Mrs. Louise Thaden, USA; James Diamond, USA;<ref name="nyt1936"/> Carl Götze Jr., Germany; Harry Frank Broadbent, UK (Australia) | |
| 1937 | Henry T. Merrill, USA<ref name="nyt1937">Merrill, Jean Batten Win Harmon Awards; Aviation Honors American and New Zealander-Hughes and Miss Cochran, Named, The New York Times, February 18, 1938</ref> | Jean Batten, UK (New Zealand)<ref name="nyt1937"/> | No award presented | Miss Jacqueline Cochran, USA; Howard Hughes, USA<ref name="nyt1937"/> | |
| 1938 | Howard Hughes, USA;<ref name="nyt1938">Hughes is Named Aviation Champion; Round-the-World Flier Gets Harmon Trophy--Olds of Army Wins Medal and Diploma, The New York Times, March 25, 1939</ref> | Jacqueline Cochran, USA<ref name="nyt1938"/> | 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)<ref name="nyt1938"/> | |
| 1939 | Maj. Alexander P. de Seversky, USA<ref>De Seversky Honored for Plane Advances; Receives Harmon Trophy From President--Sees Air Navies, The New York Times, December 20, 1940</ref> | Jacqueline Cochran, USA<ref>Trophy Presented to Miss Cochran; Flier Receives the Clifford Burke Harmon Award From Mrs. Roosevelt, The New York Times, November 9, 1940</ref> | No award presented | ||
| 1945 | Francisco Pignatari, Brazil | ||||
| 1946 | Juan T. Trippe, USA<ref>Harry S. Truman - The President's Day, February 27, 1947</ref> | ||||
| 1947 | Alexander P. de Seversky, USA<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> | |||
| 1948 | Ralph S. Damon<ref>Ralph S. Damon Honored, The New York Times June 24, 1949</ref> | ||||
| 1949 | Louis A. Johnson<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> | ||||
| 1940 to 1949<ref>The Harmon Trophy was presented once for the entire decade. Time, November 13, 1950</ref> |
Lt. Gen. James H. Doolittle, USA; Geoffrey de Havilland, UK (posthumously) (Citation of Honorable Mention); Capt. Charles E. Yeager, USA (Citation of Honorable Mention)<ref name="truman1950">Harry S. Truman - The President's Day, November 2, 1950</ref> | Jacqueline Cochran, USA; Pauline Gower, UK (posthumously) (Citation of Honorable Mention)<ref name="truman1950"/> | Vice Admiral Charles E. Rosendahl, USA; M. Charles Dollfus, France (Citation of Honorable Mention); Lt. Howard R. Walton, USA (posthumously) (Citation of Honorable Mention)<ref name="truman1950"/> | ||
| 1950 | Col. David C. Schilling, USA<ref name="nyt1950">Harmon Prize Won by Col. Schilling; Leading Fighter Pilot in Last War Named World's Top Aviator of 1950, The New York Times, July 5, 1951</ref> | No award presented<ref name="nyt1950"/> | National prize not awarded after 1949 | ||
| 1951 | Capt. Charles F. Blair Jr, USA<ref name="nyt1951">Airline Pilot Wins Top Harmon Prize; Capt. C. F. Blair Jr. Is Named 'Outstanding Aviator' - Award to Mme. Auriol, The New York Times, July 5, 1952</ref> | Jacqueline Auriol, France<ref name="nyt1951"/> | Lt. Carl J. Seiberlich, USN<ref name="nyt1951"/> | ||
| 1952 | Col. Bernt Balchen, USA (Norwegian-born)<ref name="nyt1952">3 Fliers Selected for Harmon Prizes; Col. Balchen, Jacqueline Auriol and Blimp Test Pilot Named Winners of 1953 {presented in 1953 for 1952} Trophies, The New York Times, July 5, 1953</ref> | Jacqueline Auriol, France<ref name="nyt1952"/> | Walter L. Massic, USA<ref name="nyt1952"/> | ||
| 1953 | Maj. Charles E. Yeager, USA<ref name="nyt1953">Yeager, Cochran Win Air Trophies; Harmon Judges Pick Major and Aviatrix for Flights Topping Speed of Sound, The New York Times, July 5, 1954</ref> | Jacqueline Cochran, USA<ref name="nyt1953"/> | No award presented<ref name="nyt1953"/> | ||
| 1954 | Major Charles E. Yeager, USA<ref name="nyt1954">Harmon Prizes go for 2 Air 'Firsts'; Vertical-Flight Test Pilot and Airship Endurance Captain Are 1955 Winners, The New York Times, July 5, 1955</ref> | Jacqueline Cochran, USA | |||
| 1955 | Group Captain John Cunningham, UK<ref name="nyt1955">3 Aviators to get Harmon Trophies; British Test Pilot, French Woman Flier and American Navy Officer Picked, The New York Times, August 5, 1956</ref> | Jacqueline Auriol, France<ref name="nyt1955"/> | Lt. Cdr. Charles A. Mills, USA<ref name="nyt1955"/> | ||
| 1956 | Lt. Col. Frank K. Everest Jr., USA<ref name="nyt1956">Three Fliers Win Harmon Awards; Honored for Aerial Achievements, The New York Times, August 11, 1957</ref> | Jacqueline Auriol, France | Lt. Cdr. Malcolm D. Ross, USA; Lt. Cdr. Morton L. Lewis, USA<ref name="nyt1956"/> | ||
| 1957 | Gen. Curtis E. LeMay, USA<ref name="nyt1957">LeMay and Navy Blimp Man Get Harmon Air Prize, The New York Times, November 13, 1958</ref> | No award presented | Cdr. Jack R. Hunt, USA<ref name="nyt1957"/> | ||
| 1958 | Maj. André Edouard Turcat, France<ref>Frenchman Cited as Flier of Year, The New York Times, December 12, 1959</ref> | No award presented | |||
| 1959 | Capt. Joe B. Jordan, USA<ref name="nyt1959">2 Air Force Pilots Win Harmon Prizes, The New York Times, July 3, 1960</ref> | No award presented | Capt. Joseph Kittinger, USA<ref name="nyt1959"/> | ||
| 1960 | A. Scott Crossfield, USA; Capt. Joseph A. Walker, USA; Maj. Robert M. White, USA<ref>John F. Kennedy - Remarks Upon Presenting the Harmon Trophy to Three Test Pilots of the X-15 Rocket Plane, November 28, 1961</ref> | No award presented | |||
| 1961 | Lt. Col. William R. Payne, USA<ref name="nyt1961">President Gives Harmon Trophies; Three Pilots and Widow of Another Get Awards, The New York Times, October 19, 1962</ref> | Jacqueline Cochran, USA<ref name="nyt1961"/> | Cdr. Malcolm D. Ross, USA; Lt. Cdr. Victor E. Prather, USA (posthumously)<ref name="nyt1961"/> | ||
| 1962 | Maj. Fitzhugh L. Fulton Jr., USA<ref name="nyt1962">Astronaut to get a Harmon Trophy; Cooper Will Be Honored for Orbital Trip in 1963, The New York Times, August 2, 1964</ref> | No award presented<ref name="nyt1962"/> | Mrs. Nini Boesman, Netherlands (subsequently canceled<ref>Award to Dutch Balloonist Canceled by Harmon Trust, The New York Times, September 7, 1964</ref>)<ref name="nyt1962"/> | ||
| 1963 | Maj. L. Gordon Cooper, USA<ref name="nyt1962"/> | Betty Miller, USA<ref name="nyt1962"/> | No award presented<ref name="nyt1962"/> | ||
| 1964 | Max Conrad, USA<ref name="nyt1964">2 Named Winners of Harmon Prizes; Max Conrad and Late Mrs. Smith Hailed for Flights, The New York Times, August 8, 1965</ref> | Joan Merriam Smith, USA (posthumously)<ref name="nyt1964"/> | No award presented<ref name="nyt1964"/> | ||
| 1965 | Commander James A. Lovell Jr.; Lt. Col. Frank Borman; Captain Wally Schirra; Maj. Thomas P. Stafford (all USA)<ref>Astronauts Names for Harmon Award, The New York Times, August 7, 1966</ref> | No award presented | |||
| 1966 | Cmdr. James A. Lovell Jr.; Maj. Edwin E. Aldrin; Maj. Alvin S. White (all USA)<ref name="nyt1966">Harmon Winners for 1967 {presented in 1967 for 1966} are Named, The New York Times September 10, 1967</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> | Sheila Scott, UK<ref name="nyt1966"/> | No award presented<ref name="ryan1967"/> | ||
| 1967 | Major William J. Knight, USA<ref>Lyndon B. Johnson, Remarks Upon Presenting the Harmon Trophy to Maj. William J. Knight, USAF, December 3, 1968</ref> | No award presented | Astronaut | ||
| 1968 | Maj. Jerauld R. Gentry, USA<ref name="nyt1968"/> | No award presented | Col. Frank Borman; Capt. James A. Lovell Jr.; Lt. Col. William A. Anders (all USA)<ref name="nyt1968"/> | ||
| 1969 | Squadron Leader Thomas Lecky-Thompson, UK; Squadron Leader Graham Williams, UK<ref name="nyt1969">Two R.A.F. Pilots to Share Harmon Aviator's Trophy, The New York Times September 7, 1970</ref> | Turi Widerøe; Norway<ref name="nyt1969"/> | No award presented<ref name="nyt1969"/> | Neil Armstrong; Edwin E. Aldrin; Michael Collins<ref name="nyt1969"/> | |
| 1970 | Brian Trubshaw, UK; Major André Edouard Turcat, France<ref name="nyt1972">5 Top Pilots Cited, The New York Times, September 21, 1973</ref> | Sheila Scott, UK | No award presented | ||
| 1971 | Lt. Col. Thomas B. Estes, USA; Lt. Col. Dewain C. Vick, USA<ref name="nyt1972"/> | Geraldyn Cobb, USA<ref name="nyt1972"/> | No award presented | ||
| 1972 | Lt. Col. Edgar L. Allison, USA<ref name="ford1975">Gerald R. Ford - Remarks Upon Presenting the Harmon International Aviation Trophies, May 2, 1975</ref> | No award presented | No award presented | ||
| 1973 | Col. Edward J. Nash, USA<ref name="ford1975"/> | No award presented | Malcolm S. Forbes Sr., USA<ref name="ford1975"/> | Captain Charles Conrad Jr.; Captain Paul J. Weitz; Captain Joseph Kerwin (all USA)<ref name="ford1975"/> | |
| 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 | |||
| 1981 | Jerry Foster, USA<ref name="reagan1981">The Daily Diary of President Ronald Reagan, Ronald Reagan Library, December 7, 1982</ref> | Janice Lee Brown, USA<ref name="reagan1981"/> | John W. Young; Capt. Robert L. Crippen, Col. Joseph H. Engle; Capt. Richard Truly (all USA)<ref name="reagan1981"/> | ||
| 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:<ref>National Aeronautic Association</ref>
| 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<ref>NAA Announces John Petrehn to Receive 2011 Harmon Trophy for Ballooning</ref> | ||
| 2012 | No award | ||
| 2013 | No award | ||
| 2014 | No award | ||
| 2015 | Troy Bradley and Leonid Tiukhtyaev<ref>Troy Bradley and Leonid Tiukhtyaev of the Two Eagles Balloon Flight to Receive the 2015 Harmon Trophy</ref> | ||
| 2016 | No award | ||
| 2017 | No award | ||
| 2018 | Nicolas Tièche and Laurent Sciboz (Fribourg Freiburg Challenge Team) |