Named after early aviation promoter Clifford W. Henderson, this trophy is awarded to a living individual, group, or organization whose vision, leadership, or skill made a significant and lasting contribution to the promotion and advancement of aviation or aerospace in the United States. It is awarded annually by the National Aeronautic Association.
1960A. Scott Crossfield
1961Vice Admiral William F. Raborn, William Allan Patterson, General Curtis LeMay, The Society of Experimental Test Pilots
1962Edwin A. Link, Jacqueline Cochran, William M. Allen
1963No award
1964Clarence L. “Kelly” Johnson and Chan Gurney
1965no award
1966Senator Jennings Randolph, Joseph B. Hartranft, Jr., Senator Warren G. Magnuson, Frank Borman, Edward White, II, Donald W. Nyrop
1967Major Bernard F. Fisher, USAF, Alan A. Boyd, General William F. “Bozo” McKee, James E. Webb
1968no award
1969Daniel J. Haughton, Major General Jewell C. Maxwell, USAF, Senator Barry M. Goldwater, Vice Admiral Thomas F. Connolly
1970Joseph P. Adams, Senator Howard W. Cannon, U.S. World Aerobatic Team, 1970 World Aerobatic Championship
1971Dr. Robert R. Gilruth & John H. Shaffer
1972William M. Magruder
1973no award
1974no award
1975no award
1976no award
1977no award
1978no award
1979no award
1980no award
1981General Alton D. Slay, USAF
1982Anne Morrow Lindbergh & Lieutenant General James H. Doolittle
1983Ernest K. Gann
1984no award
1985no award
1986A. W. “Tony” LeVier
1987Walter J. Boyne
1988Major General Leigh Wade, USAF
1989Vice Admiral Donald D. Engen, USN (Ret.)
1990Major General Clifton F. von Kann, USA (Ret.)
1991John L. Baker
1992General Russell E. Dougherty
1993Ten US Aerospace Companies who supported Desert Shield/Desert Storm: Bell Helicopter, The Boeing Company, General Dynamics, Grumman, Hughes Aircraft, Lockheed, McDonnell Douglas, Northrop, Sikorsky Aircraft, Vought Aircraft and General Charles A. Gabriel, USAF (Ret.)
1994General Charles A. Gabriel, USAF, (Ret.)
1995J. Kenneth Higgins
1996no award
1997Tom Poberezny
1998Cliff Robertson
1999Eugene Deatrick
2000Lt. Col. Spann Watson, USAF (Ret.)
2001United States Air Force Academy
2002Lt. Gen.Thomas H. Miller, USMC (Ret.)
2003William F. Chana & Jerome Lederer
2004Admiral Wesley L. McDonald, U.S. Navy (Ret.)
2005Martha King
2006John Miller
2007no award
2008no award
2009no award
2010no award
2011The Honorable Marion Blakey
2012Joe Lombardo
2013Colonel Joseph Kittinger, USAF, (Ret.)
2014Dr. John Langford
2015Durwood "Skip" Ringo
2016 George Carneal
2017 Angela Gittens, Director General, Airports Council International (ACI) World
2018 Michael Huerta
2019 The Ninety-Nines
2020 Dr. Peggy Chabrian
2021 Tuskegee Airmen
2022 NGPA - The Worldwide LGBTQ Aviation Community
2023 Sisters of the Skies
2024 MedAire
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.