Order of the Sword (United States)
The Order of the Sword is an honor awarded within the United States Air Force. It is a special program where noncommisioned officers of a command recognize individuals they hold in high esteem and wish to honor. Those selected for induction are usually honored during a formal ceremony at a dining-in. The honor can be awarded at the unit level or (more rarely) at the Air Force level.[1]
The U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps, in particular, lack such an honor bestowed by the enlisted corps upon the officer corps.
The origin of the tradition is that:
The Order of the Sword recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the enlisted corps. Only seven other individuals have been so honored since 1978. The ceremonial presentation was adopted from the Royal Order of the Sword and passed to the United States during the Revolutionary War. However, it lay dormant until it was reinstituted in its current form in 1967. The original order of the sword was patterned after two orders of chivalry founded during the Middle Ages in Europe: the (British) Royal Order of the Sword and the Swedish Military Order of the Sword, still in existence today. In 1522, King Gustavus I of Sweden ordered the noblemen commissioned by him to appoint officers to serve him, and these people became known as the noncommissioned officers.[2]
Recipients[]
Source:[3]
Number | Recipient | MAJCOM/FOA | Date |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Brig Gen Roland J. Barnick | MAC | May 26, 1967 |
2 | Gen Howell M. Estes II | MAC | December 20, 1967 |
3 | Brig Gen Gilbert L. Curtis | MAC | June 18, 1968 |
4 | Brig Gen William V. McBride | MAC | February 26, 1969 |
5 | Col Reid J. Anderson | MAC | July 26, 1969 |
6 | Col Gilbert G. Smith, Jr. | MAC | July 29, 1969 |
7 | Col Thomas J. Arbogast | MAC | May 12, 1970 |
8 | Brig Gen Clare T. Ireland, Jr. | MAC | July 23, 1970 |
9 | Brig Gen John H. Germeraad | MAC | October 2, 1970 |
10 | Brig Gen John F. Gonge | MAC | February 24, 1972 |
11 | Gen Jack J. Catton | MAC | April 20, 1971 |
12 | Col Leonard V. Gillespie | MAC | September 29, 1971 |
13 | Honorable F. Edward Hebert | MAC | October 28, 1971 |
14 | Maj Gen | NORAD | February 11, 1972 |
15 | Brig Gen | USAFE | March 20, 1972 |
16 | Maj Gen William G. Moore, Jr. | MAC | May 6, 1972 |
17 | Col | MAC | July 14, 1972 |
18 | Maj Gen Jerry D. Page | ATC | July 25, 1972 |
19 | Gen George B. Simler | ATC | August 25, 1972 |
20 | Brig Gen Van N. Backman | MAC | September 8, 1972 |
21 | Col | MAC | June 11, 1973 |
22 | Maj Gen | ATC | January 24, 1974 |
23 | Maj Gen Frank W. Elliott, Jr | ATC | July 26, 1974 |
24 | Col | PACAF | July 29, 1974 |
25 | Brig Gen | AFLC | October 31, 1974 |
26 | Brig Gen | MAC | March 12, 1975 |
27 | Maj Gen | MAC | May 21, 1975 |
28 | Col | PACAF | August 11, 1975 |
29 | Brig Gen | MAC | September 19, 1975 |
30 | Maj Gen Leroy J. Manor | PACAF | April 19, 1976 |
31 | Brig Gen | MAC | June 9, 1976 |
32 | Brig Gen | AFRES | October 11, 1976 |
33 | Lt Gen John W. Roberts | ATC | November 12, 1976 |
34 | Gen Paul K. Carlton | MAC | February 11, 1977 |
35 | Gen Louis L. Wilson Jr. | PACAF | March 18, 1977 |
36 | Gen Russell E. Dougherty | SAC | April 5, 1977 |
37 | Maj Gen | MAC | May 6, 1977 |
38 | Col | USAFE | May 6, 1977 |
39 | Maj Gen Alden G. Glauch | MAC | July 19, 1977 |
40 | Brig Gen | AFSS | October 20, 1977 |
41 | Maj Gen Andrew P. Iosue | ATC | March 3, 1978 |
42 | Gen Robert J. Dixon | TAC | March 10, 1978 |
43 | Brig Gen | AFRES | March 11, 1978 |
44 | Maj Gen Thomas A. Aldrich | MAC | March 30, 1978 |
45 | Lt Gen | AFSC | April 22, 1978 |
46 | Col | PACAF | May 31, 1978 |
47 | Gen David C. Jones | SAC | May 31, 1978 |
48 | Col | MAC | June 1, 1978 |
49 | Lt Gen James D. Hughes | TAC | June 3, 1978 |
50 | Maj Gen | AFCS | July 19, 1978 |
51 | Maj Gen | AFSC | September 14, 1978 |
52 | Lt Gen | SAC | October 10, 1978 |
53 | Lt Gen Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., (Ret) | TAC | November 10, 1978 |
54 | Maj Gen William Lyon | AFRES | March 3, 1979 |
55 | Maj Gen | MAC | April 10, 1979 |
56 | Col | USAFSS | April 19, 1979 |
57 | Lt Gen Thomas P. Stafford | AFSC | May 5, 1979 |
58 | Brig Gen | ATC | December 6, 1979 |
59 | Maj Gen William C. Norris | USAFE | April 9, 1980 |
60 | Maj Gen LeRoy W. Svendsen, Jr. | AFMPC | April 10, 1980 |
61 | Maj Gen | AFCS | April 12, 1980 |
62 | Lt Gen Winfield Scott, Jr. | AAC | May 16, 1980 |
63 | CMSAF Donald L. Harlow, (Ret) | TAC | May 20, 1980 |
64 | Mr. Robert (Bob) Hope | MAC | June 10, 1980 |
65 | Col Thomas G. McInerney | PACAF | July 22, 1980 |
66 | Gen Curtis E. LeMay | SAC | September 18, 1980 |
67 | Gen Alton D. Slay | AFSC | October 18, 1980 |
68 | Brig Gen | AFRES | March 14, 1981 |
69 | Brig Gen Alan G. Sharp | AFRES | April 4, 1981 |
70 | Gen Richard H. Ellis | SAC | May 8, 1981 |
71 | Maj Gen John T. Guice | ANG | May 13, 1981 |
72 | Lt Gen Walter D. Druen, Jr. | USAFE | May 16, 1981 |
73 | Lt Gen Kenneth L. Tallman | USAFA | May 21, 1981 |
74 | Gen Robert E. Huyser | MAC | June 19, 1981 |
75 | Brig Gen Staryl C. Austin, (Ret) | ANG | October 30, 1981 |
76 | Maj Gen Doyle E. Larson | ESC | March 27, 1982 |
77 | Col | MAC | June 3, 1982 |
78 | Maj Gen Norma Brown | ATC | June 11, 1982 |
79 | Brig Gen | MAC | July 27, 1982 |
80 | Maj Gen | AFMPC | November 5, 1982 |
81 | Col | ESC | February 13, 1983 |
82 | Lt Gen Richard C. Henry | AFSC | April 16, 1983 |
83 | Lt Gen Robert W. Bazley | USAFE | May 5, 1983 |
84 | Gen James R. Allen | MAC | May 18, 1983 |
85 | Lt Gen | PACAF | May 28, 1983 |
Lt Gen Charles L. Donley, Jr. | USAFE | February 21, 1987 | |
86 | Lt Gen Robert T. Herres | AFCC | August 27, 1983 |
87 | Gen Thomas M. Ryan, Jr. | ATC | September 3, 1983 |
88 | Gen W. L. Creech | TAC | February 4, 1984 |
89 | Gen Robert T. Marsh | AFSC | June 16, 1984 |
90 | Gen James V. Hartinger | NORAD/SPACECOM29 | June 1984 |
91 | Lt Gen James W. Stansberry | AFSC | September 2, 1984 |
92 | Maj Gen Donald W. Bennett | MAC | October 12, 1984 |
93 | Gen Bennie L. Davis | SAC | October 18, 1984 |
94 | Maj Gen | USAFR | October 27, 1984 |
95 | Maj Gen John B. Conaway | ANG | April 10, 1985 |
96 | Brig Gen Regis F. A. Urschler | ESC | May 1, 1985 |
97 | Maj Gen Cornelius Nugteren | AFLC | May 31, 1985 |
98 | Col | MAC | June 17, 1985 |
99 | Maj Gen | AFRES | October 27, 1985 |
100 | Col | AFLC | November 2, 1985 |
101 | Gen John L. Piotrowski | TAC | January 24, 1986 |
102 | Col | MAC | February 8, 1986 |
103 | Gen Charles A. Gabriel | USAF | March 22, 1986 |
104 | Maj Gen | ANG | April 18, 1986 |
105 | Brig Gen | MAC | April 26, 1986 |
106 | Brig Gen | MAC | June 14, 1986 |
107 | Col | MAC | July 25, 1986 |
108 | Maj Gen | USAFE. | August 30, 1986 |
109 | Gen Earl T. O'Loughlin | AFLC | September 19, 1986 |
110 | Brig Gen | MAC | October 11, 1986 |
111 | Maj Gen | AFCC | October 17, 1986 |
112 | Lt Gen Thomas C. Richards | AU | November 1, 1986 |
113 | Maj Gen | ATC | January 15, 1987 |
114 | Maj Gen Donald D. Brown | MAC | March 31, 1987 |
115 | Maj Gen Donald Snyder | PACAF | April 8, 1987 |
116 | Gen Lawrence A. Skantze | AFSC | April 25, 1987 |
117 | Brig Gen | AFOSI | September 25, 1987 |
118 | Col | AFRES | September 26, 1987 |
119 | Maj Gen | MAC | October 2, 1987 |
120 | Lt Gen Edward L. Tixier | PACAF | January 11, 1988 |
121 | Lt Gen | AAC | May 7, 1988 |
122 | Congressman Sonny Montgomery | AFRES | May 12, 1988 |
123 | Gen Jack I. Gregory | PACAF | June 21, 1988 |
124 | Maj Gen | AFSPACECOM | July 1, 1988 |
125 | Honorable Caspar W. Weinberger | USAF | November 19, 1988 |
126 | Maj Gen | AFCOMS | January 14, 1989 |
127 | Gen William L. Kirk | USAFE | March 18, 1989 |
128 | Brig Gen | ANG | March 28, 1989 |
129 | Gen Alfred G. Hansen | AFLC | April 28, 1989 |
130 | Maj Gen | ESC | July 14, 1989 |
131 | Gen Duane H. Cassidy | MAC | August 18, 1989 |
132 | Maj Gen | AFSC | October 7, 1989 |
133 | Maj Gen | AFRES | October 14, 1989 |
134 | Maj Gen | ATC | December 2, 1989 |
135 | Gen Larry D. Welch | USAF | March 3, 1990 |
136 | Gen Bernard P. Randolph | AFSC | March 17, 1990 |
137 | Col , (Ret) | ANG | March 20, 1990 |
138 | Gen Robert D. Russ | TAC | April 20, 1990 |
139 | Maj Gen Robert B. Patterson, (Ret) | MAC | April 20, 1990 |
140 | Lt Gen Robert C. Oaks | ATC | June 9, 1990 |
141 | Maj Gen | ATC | June 20, 1990 |
142 | Maj Gen Roger P. Scheer | AFRES | August 25, 1990 |
143 | Maj Gen , (Ret) | AFCC | September 25, 1990 |
144 | Gen Michael J. Dugan | USAFE | November 10, 1990 |
145 | Lt Gen James B. Davis | PACAF | November 24, 1990 |
146 | Maj Gen | ATC | February 2, 1991 |
147 | Lt Gen Charles R. Hamm | USAFA | April 26, 1991 |
148 | Lt Gen | AFSC | May 11, 1991 |
149 | Gen John T. Chain, Jr. | SAC | January 13, 1991 |
150 | Lt Gen | AFSC | May 17, 1991 |
151 | Col | AFOSI | June 20, 1991 |
152 | Maj Gen | TAC | July 16, 1991 |
153 | Maj Gen Joseph A. Ahearn | USAF | August 21, 1991 |
154 | Lt Gen | MAC | September 27, 1991 |
155 | Lt Gen | AFCC | September 28, 1991 |
156 | Gen Charles C. McDonald | AFLC | February 29, 1992 |
157 | Lt Gen Charles A. Horner | TAC | March 14, 1992 |
158 | Lt Gen | USAFE | July 25, 1992 |
159 | Col | PACAF | October 20, 1992 |
160 | Gen Hansford T. Johnson | AMC | February 6, 1993 |
161 | Gen Charles G. Boyd | AU | February 25, 1993 |
162 | Maj Gen | AFCC | May 11, 1993 |
163 | Maj Gen Philip G. Killey | ANG | November 9, 1993 |
164 | Gen Ronald Fogleman | AMC | May 14, 1994 |
165 | Maj Gen | USAFE | April 29, 1994 |
166 | Lt Gen Bradley C. Hosmer | USAFA | April 29, 1994 |
167 | Gen Ronald W. Yates | AFMC | March 5, 1994 |
168 | Maj Gen Robert A. McIntosh | AFRES | July 29, 1994 |
169 | Gen Merrill McPeak | HQ USAF | August 20, 1994 |
170 | Gen Robert L. Rutherford | PACAF | August 23, 1994 |
171 | Gen | AETC | October 1, 1994 |
172 | Maj Gen Kenneth A. Minihan | AIA | October 24, 1994 |
173 | Lt Gen | AFMC | November 18, 1994 |
174 | Gen Thomas Moorman | AFSPC | November 28, 1994 |
175 | Gen John Michael Loh | ACC | February 25, 1995 |
176 | Lt Gen | AMC | September 23, 1995 |
177 | Gen James L. Jamerson | USAFE | November 18, 1995 |
178 | Gen Joseph W. Ashy | AFSPC | August 17, 1996 |
179 | Col | AFSPA | September 14, 1996 |
180 | Dr. William J. Perry | HQ USAF | October 19, 1996 |
181 | Lt Gen James E. Sherrard III | AFRES | November 2, 1996 |
182 | Maj Gen | AFSOC | January 24, 1997 |
183 | Gen John G. Lorber | PACAF | June 30, 1997 |
184 | Lt Gen Paul E. Stein | USAFA | July 12, 1997 |
185 | Maj Gen Donald W. Shepperd | NGB | November 4, 1997 |
186 | Col | AFWA | April 4, 1998 |
187 | Gen Michael E. Ryan | USAFE | April 17, 1998 |
188 | Gen Walter Kross | AMC | July 18, 1998 |
189 | Gen Howell M. Estes III | AFSPC | August 7, 1998 |
190 | Lt Gen | AFMC | August 15, 1998 |
191 | Gen Richard E. Hawley | ACC | April 17, 1999 |
192 | Gen Lloyd W. Newton | AETC | June 18, 1999 |
193 | Col | AFOSI | October 21, 1999 |
194 | Maj Gen Paul A. Weaver Jr. | ANG | November 22, 1999 |
195 | Gen. Charles R. Holland | AFSOC | January 22, 2000 |
196 | Gen George T. Babbitt | AFMC | March 27, 2000 |
197 | Gen John P. Jumper | USAFE | April 8, 2000 |
198 | Brig Gen (Ret) | AMC | April 14, 2000 |
199 | Lt Gen Tad J. Oelstrom | AFSOC | June 7, 2000 |
200 | Brig Gen | AFSFC | August 24, 2000 |
201 | Honorable F. Whitten Peters | HQ USAF | December 16, 2000 |
202 | Brig Gen (Ret) Heinie Aderholt | AFSOC | January 18, 2001 |
203 | Gen Patrick Gamble | PACAF | April 6, 2001 |
204 | Maj Gen | AFRES | June 2, 2001 |
205 | Gen Charles T. Robertson | AMC | November 3, 2001 |
206 | Gen Ralph E. Eberhart | AFSC | January 25, 2002 |
207 | Lt Gen | AFSOC | March 15, 2002 |
208 | Gen Lester L. Lyles | AFMC | November 7, 2002 |
209 | Gen Gregory S. Martin | USAFE | March 30, 2003 |
210 | Maj Gen | ACC | October 22, 2004 |
211 | Honorable James G. Roche (SECAF) | HQ USAF | September 13, 2004 |
212 | Gen William J. Begert | PACAF | June 30, 2004 |
213 | Gen Hal M. Hornburg | ACC | October 22, 2004 |
214 | Gen Paul V. Hester | AFSOC | November 5, 2004 |
215 | Lt Gen | AETC | December 10, 2004 |
216 | Gen Donald G. Cook | AETC | June 14, 2005 |
217 | Maj Gen | 11th Wing | July 22, 2005 |
218 | Gen. John W. Handy | AMC | July 29, 2005 |
219 | Gen Robert H. "Doc" Foglesong | USAFE | August 26, 2005 |
220 | Brig Gen Francis X. Taylor | AFOSI | September 16, 2005 |
221 | Lt. Gen. Daniel James III | ANG | November 16, 2005 |
222 | Gen Lance W. Lord | AFSPC | February 11, 2006 |
223 | Gen Duncan McNabb | AMC | September 16, 2007 |
224 | Lt Gen Michael W. Wooley | AFSOC | September 21, 2007 |
225 | Gen William T. Hobbins | USAFE | November 17, 2007 |
226 | Gen Bruce Carlson | AFMC | December 6, 2007 |
227 | Gen William R. Looney III | AETC | May 30, 2008 |
228 | Col. | USAFR | October 24, 2008 |
229 | Lt Gen | AFMC | June 20, 2008 |
230 | Lt Gen | USAFE | July 19, 2008 |
231 | Lt Gen Craig R. McKinley | ANG | November 1, 2008 |
232 | Gen Stephen R. Lorenz[4] | AETC | July 16, 2010 |
233 | Gen Roger A. Brady | USAFE | September 7, 2010 |
234 | Gen Gary L. North[5] | PACAF | August 26, 2011 |
235 | Lt. Gen Michael C. Gould[6] | USAFA | March 19, 2012[7] |
236 | Gen Donald J. Hoffman[8] | AFMC | March 30, 2012 |
237 | Maj Gen Alfred K. Flowers[9] | AETC | April 6, 2012 |
238 | Gen Raymond E. Johns, Jr. | AMC | November 28, 2012 |
239 | Gen Norton A. Schwartz[10] | AFSOC | February 1, 2013 |
240 | Brig Gen Kevin J. Jacobsen | AFOSI | July 8, 2013 |
241 | Honorable Michael B. Donley (SECAF)[11] | USAF | September 13, 2013 |
242 | Lt. Gen. James M. Kowalski[12] | AFGSC | November 6, 2014 |
243 | Gen Frank Gorenc[13] | USAFE | April 7, 2016 |
244 | Lt. Gen Stanley E. Clarke III[14] | ANG | April 17, 2016 |
245 | Gen Mark A. Welsh III[15] | USAF | April 22, 2016 |
246 | Lt. Gen James F. Jackson[16] | USAFR | July 13, 2016 |
247 | Gen Herbert J. "Hawk" Carlisle[17] | ACC | October 27, 2016 |
248 | Brig Gen Keith M. Givens | AFOSI | May 19, 2017 |
249 | Gen Lori J. Robinson[18] | USAF | August 25, 2019 |
250 | Gen Maryanne Miller[19] | AMC | April 23, 2021 |
References[]
- ^ Boone Nicolls, Airman's Guide. Stackpole Books, 2004 (ISBN 0-8117-3153-7), p. 12.
- ^ "Noncommissioned officers recognize Air National Guard director", press release from the Texas National Guard Public Affairs Office, retrieved 1 September 2006.
- ^ Names 1 through 231 taken from Members of the Order of the Sword Archived 2011-09-30 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Kilgallon, Paul (21 July 2010). "AETC inducts newest member into Order of the Sword". US Air Force Public Affairs. Archived from the original on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 21 July 2010.
- ^ Gonzalez, Gustavo (1 September 2011). "COMPACAF presented Order of the Sword". US Air Force Public Affairs. Archived from the original on 16 July 2012. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
- ^ Gould, Michael (13 December 2011). "AFA superintendent invited to join Order of the Sword". US Air Force Public Affairs. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
- ^ Gino Mattorano, Enlisted bestow highest honor on Academy superintendent, 26 March 2012, Air Force Academy Public Affairs
- ^ "Enlisted corps honors AFMC commander with Order of the Sword". Air Force Materiel Command. Retrieved 2020-02-18.
- ^ Atkins, Clinton (7 April 2012). "General Flowers presented with Order of the Sword". Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs. Archived from the original on 28 July 2012. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
- ^ Ricks, Markeshia (6 February 2013). "Former CSAF Inducted into AFSOC Order of the Sword". Military Times. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
- ^ "Donley becomes 9th inductee into AF Order of the Sword". U.S. Air Force. Retrieved 2020-02-18.
- ^ Raatz, Joseph (7 November 2014). "Kowalski first AFGSC Order of the Sword inductee". Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
- ^ "COMUSAFE inducted into Order of the Sword". Kaiserslautern American. 2016-04-14. Retrieved 2020-02-18.
- ^ "ANG director to be inducted into Order of the Sword".
- ^ "CMSAF Bestows CSAF with Air Force Order of the Sword". DVIDS. Retrieved 2020-02-18.
- ^ "Order of the Sword". DVIDS. Retrieved 2020-02-18.
- ^ "COMACC inducted into Order of the Sword". Air Combat Command. Retrieved 2020-02-18.
- ^ "Retired Gen. Lori Robinson receives Order of the Sword". DVIDS. Retrieved 2020-02-18.
- ^ "Leader Among Leaders: AMC inducts Gen. Miller to Order of the Sword". JBMDL. Retrieved 2021-05-30.
External links[]
- Media related to Order of the Sword (United States Air Force) at Wikimedia Commons
- Awards and decorations of the United States Air Force
- Awards established in 1967
- 1967 establishments in the United States