Onizuka Prop Wash Award

The Onizuka Prop Wash Award recognizes the student at the United States Air Force Test Pilot School (USAF TPS) who contributed most to class spirit and morale.[1] The honoree from each class is selected by his or her fellow students rather than by school faculty. The award is named in memory of TPS graduate Ellison Onizuka who perished in the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1986.[2]

Onizuka Prop Wash Award
Awarded forContribution to class spirit
LocationEdwards Air Force Base
Country United States
Presented byUnited States Air Force Test Pilot School Students
First awarded1956 (1956)

History

The Prop Wash Award was introduced at the USAF Test Pilot school in 1956. The award takes the form of a wooden aircraft propeller to which plaques bearing the name of each honoree are mounted. Prop wash refers to the spiral-shaped slipstream formed behind a rotating propeller on an aircraft. The phrase, Illegitimi non carborundum, a mock-Latin aphorism meaning "Don't let the bastards grind you down" is engraved on the face.[3]

The first recipient of the award was Major Joseph W. Rogers from class 56D who would later set a world speed record in the Convair F-106 Delta Dart.[4] Captain Onizuka was also a recipient when he graduated from the Test Pilot School with class 74B. After Onizuka's death, the members of his class requested a rededication of the award. The inscription was changed in June 1988 for the graduation of TPS class 87B.[3]

There is a lot of Ell here always… I thank you all for giving Ell a permanent place here, because (Edwards) is so important in our lives.

— Lorna Onizuka, 1990, [3]

The USAF Test Pilot School participates in an exchange program with other test communities. U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps students from the Naval Test Pilot School at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Maryland attend the USAF TPS and vice versa. Foreign students may also attend and include those from the Empire Test Pilots' School at Boscombe Down, England, and the EPNER (École du Personnel Navigant d'Essais et de Réception), the French Test Pilots' School.[5] All students at the USAF TPS are eligible to receive the Prop Wash Award.

Recipients

The following table contains an incomplete list of Onizuka Prop Wash award recipients including name, country (if not the United States of America), military branch (if not the United States Air Force), military rank at the time of the award, and USAF Test Pilot School class number.

Ted F. Bowlds, Class 80A
James E. Brown III, Class 86A
Jack D. Fischer, Class 03B
Victor J. Glover, Class 06B
Joe Guthrie, Class 58C
Gregory H. Johnson, Class 94A
Ellison Onizuka, Class 74B
Rick Sturckow, Class 92A
Angela Wallace Suplisson, Class 95A

   *   Individual was killed in a work-related (aviation) accident.
  **   Multiple individuals shared the award.

Name Rank Class Ref
Joseph W. Rogers O-04Major 1956-0456D [2]
Orgle D. Godwin O-03Captain 1957-0157A [2]
John L. Whitehead O-03Captain 1957-0357C [2]
Philip R. O'Brien, Jr. O-03Captain 1957-0457D [2]
Ralph C. Rich O-02First lieutenant 1958-0158A [2]
Shelton J. Anthony, Jr. O-03Captain 1958-0258B [2]
Joseph A. Guthrie, Jr. O-03Captain 1958-0358C [2]
Loren R. Brooks, Jr.* O-03Captain 1959-0159A [2][6]
Donald R. Maslen O-03Captain 1959-0259B [2]
Donald E. Westbrook O-03Captain 1959-0359C [2]
John H. Reddoch O-03Captain 1960-0160A [2]
Joseph C. Watts (USA) CWOChief warrant officer 1960-0260B [2]
Harley A. Johnson* O-03Captain 1960-0360C [2][7]
George D. Knutkowski O-03Captain 1961-0161A [2]
Charles S. Aldrich O-03Captain 1961-0361C [2]
Jimmie R. Hall O-03Captain 1962-0162A [2]
Robert L. Jondahl O-03Captain 1962-0362C [2]
Wayne H. Jones O-03Captain 1970-0270B [2]
Michael J. Butchko, Jr. O-03Captain 1971-0171A [2]
David L. Ferguson O-04Major 1971-0271B [2]
Barton B. Switzer O-03Captain 1972-0172A [2]
Addison S. Thompson III O-04Major 1972-0272B [2]
William B. Hayden (USN) O-04Lieutenant commander 1973-0173A [2]
Edwin C. Newman O-04Major 1974-0174A [2]
Ellison C. Onizuka* O-03Captain 1974-0274B [2]
Richard S. Couch O-03Captain 1975-0175A [2]
Ralph J. Luczak O-03Captain 1975-0275B [2]
Frank T. Birk O-03Captain 1976-0176A [2]
Elton T. Pollock O-03Captain 1976-0276B [2]
Kenneth P. Sasine O-03Captain 1977-0177A [2]
Gerald L. Rifenburg O-03Captain 1977-0277B [2]
Richard T. Banholzer O-03Captain 1978-0178A [2]
Donald A. Cornell O-03Captain 1978-0278B [2]
John M. DeZonia O-03Captain 1979-0179A [2]
Richard V. Reynolds O-03Captain 1979-0279B [2]
Ted F. Bowlds O-03Captain 1980-0180A [2]
Douglas I. Tudor (Canada) O-03Captain 1980-0280B [2]
Ronald W. Shoulars O-04Major 1981-0181A [2]
Joe M. Roberts O-03Captain 1981-0281B [2]
Steve M. Watson O-03Captain 1982-0182A [2]
Kevin M. McNellis O-03Captain 1982-0282B [2]
Philip L. Soucy O-03Captain 1983-0183A [2]
Larry H. Cooper O-04Major 1983-0283B [2]
Douglas V. Palmer O-03Captain 1984-0184A [2]
Douglas M. Moss O-03Captain 1984-0284B [2]
John D. Rickerson O-03Captain 1985-0185A [2]
Lance C. Grace O-03Captain 1985-0285B [2]
James E. Brown III O-03Captain 1986-0186A [8]
Timothy B. Moore O-03Captain 1986-0286B [2]
James A. Jimenez O-03Captain 1987-0187A [2]
Stephen M. Ranson (Australia) O-03Flight lieutenant 1987-0287B [2]
Charles R. Louie, Jr. O-04Major 1988-0188A [2]
Michael R. Green O-03Captain 1988-0288B [2]
Mark P. Stucky (USMC) O-03Captain 1989-0189A [2]
Harrison H. Whiting O-03Captain 1989-0289B [2]
Michael A. Hoobler O-03Captain 1990-0190A [2]
Paul G. Smith O-03Captain 1990-0290B [2]
Bruce R. Dewitt O-03Captain 1991-0191A [2]
Charles A. Sternberg (USN) O-03Lieutenant 1991-0291B [2]
Frederick W. Sturckow (USMC) O-03Captain 1992-0192A [2]
Stuart M. Rodgers O-03Captain 1992-0292B [2]
John Kruzinauskas, Jr. O-03Captain 1993-0193A [2]
David W. Allvin O-03Captain 1993-0293B [2]
Gregory H. Johnson O-03Captain 1994-0194A [9]
Edwin V. Odisho II (USMC) O-03Captain 1994-0294B [2]
Angela L. Wallace O-03Captain 1995-0195A [10]
Joseph C. Sussingham O-04Major 1995-0295B [2]
Patrick M. Tom O-03Captain 1996-0196A [2]
Thomas G. Coleman O-03Captain 1996-0296B [11]
Donald J. Kaderbek, Jr. O-03Captain 1997-0197A [11]
Rick A. Palo O-03Captain 1997-0297B [11]
Jeffrey Woods O-03Captain 1998-0198A [11]
Om Prakash O-03Captain 1998-0298B [12]
Charles S. Greenwald O-04Major 1999-0199A [13]
Latheef N. Ahmed O-03Captain 1999-0299B [11]
Carl E. Schaefer O-03Captain 2000-0100A [11]
Jack D. Fischer O-03Captain 2003-0203B [14]
Victor J. Glover (USN) O-03Lieutenant 2006-0206B [15]
David Kern O-04Major 2008-0108A
Christopher Buckley O-03Captain 2008-0108B
Mark Graziano* O-04Major 2009-0109A [1]
Jimmy Jones O-04Major 2009-0209B
Timothy Spaulding O-03Captain 2010-0110A
Edward Steinfort O-03Captain 2010-0210B
Timothy Stevens** O-04Major 2011-0111A
Christopher Rondeau** O-03Captain 2011-0111A
Casey Richardson O-04Major 2011-0211B
Jeremy Vanderhal O-03Captain 2012-0112A
Juan Jurado O-03Captain 2012-0212B
Brian Sinclair (USN) O-04Commander 2013-0113A
Christopher Nations O-03Captain 2013-0213B [16]
Paul Fulkerson O-04Captain 2017-0B14B
Ryall Meyer** O-04Major 2016-0B16B [17]
Chris Thorn** O-03Captain 2016-0B16B [17]
Charles Brantigan O-04Major 2017-0B17B
Francesco Guiseppe Panebianco O-04Air Marshal 2018-0B18B

See also

References
  1. Taylor, Annamaria (January 6, 2010). "TPS class 09A graduates". United States Air Force. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  2. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. Privately Published. 1994. p. 220.
  3. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. Privately Published. 1994. p. 221.
  4. Young, James (August 2007). "Milestones in Aerospace History at Edwards AFB" (PDF). United States Air Force. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 18, 2009. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  5. "Graduate Course Catalog and Student Handbook, 2007–08" (PDF). USAF TPS Curriculum Standards Division. June 22, 2007. p. 18. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 10, 2008. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  6. Anderson, John C. (March 5, 2010). "Major Loren Read Brooks, Jr". Lehi, Utah: Find A Grave, Inc. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  7. "Two Pilots Killed in Canada". The New York Times. April 8, 1964. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  8. Reynolds, Linda KC (April 13, 2012). "Lockheed chief test pilot hits 1,000 hours in Raptor" (PDF). Aerotech News and Review. Lancaster, California: Aerotech News and Review, Inc. 28 (11): 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 2, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  9. Ellis, Lee (January 2004). Who's Who of NASA Astronauts. River Falls, Wisconsin: Americana Group Publishing. p. 99. ISBN 0966796144.
  10. "Suplisson (nee Wallace) Biography". Colorado Springs, Colorado: United States Air Force Academy. July 8, 2012. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  11. USAF Test Pilot School Class 00B Graduation Program. Privately Published. June 2001.
  12. "Prakash Biography". United States Air Force. 2011. Archived from the original on September 11, 2012. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  13. "Greenwald Biography". United States Air Force. March 2010. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  14. "Fisher Biography" (PDF). National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
  15. "Glover Biography" (PDF). National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
  16. Amber, Rebecca (June 18, 2014). "Test Pilot School grads to embark on new horizons". United States Air Force. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  17. "Test Pilot School graduates Class 16B". United States Air Force. June 15, 2017. Archived from the original on June 18, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
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