Captain William J. Kossler, USCG Award
The Kossler Award, established in 1951, is given for the greatest achievement in the practical application or operation of a vertical flight aircraft, the value of which has been demonstrated by actual service during the preceding year. The award honors the memory of a US Coast Guard airman, aeronautical engineer, and early advocate of helicopters in search and rescue operations.
Award winners
2012 - C Company 1-52nd Aviation Regiment, U.S. Army
2011 - Bravo Company 1-52nd Aviation Regiment, US Army
2010 - U.S. Coast Guard Station / Air Station Kodiak, Alaska
2009 - Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 162 (VMM-162), US Marine Corps
2008 - US Coast Guard HH-60J Jayhawk Air Station Astoria (Oregon) Team
2007 - Hong Kong Government Flying Service (GFS)
2006 - Army National Guard Aviation, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
2005 - Norrlandsflyg S-76 SAR Helicopter Crew, Lifeguard 996, Baltic Sea Rescue
2004 - West Virginia Army National Guard, 146th Medical Co. (Air Ambulance) HH-60L Black Hawk Crew, Hamlin, West Virginia Flood Rescue
2003 - U.S. Army 101st Regiment, 101st Airborne Div. Air Assault, Operation Anaconda (Afghanistan)
2002 - U.S. Air Force 56th Rescue Squadron, Keflavik, Iceland HH-60G Pave Hawk Rescue
2001 - The South African Air Force Mozambique (Operation Lichi) Helicopter Aircrews
2000 - USMC VMR-1, Search and Rescue Detachment, Cherry Point, NC (Pedro)
1999 - Australian Search and Rescue Helicopters/Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race
1998 - The U.S. Coast Guard Flight Crew Members of Air Station Clearwater and the U.S. Air Force Reserve's 920th Rescue Group at Patrick Air Force Base for the rescue of the Merchant Patriot
1997 - Canadian Air Force Flight Crew of Labrador 303, 413 Squadron
1996 - U.S. Marine Corps TRAP Rescue Team
1995 - New York Air National Guard's 106th Air Rescue Group
1994 - Walter Greaves, Era Aviation and Eric Penttila, Evergreen Helicopters
1993 - U.S. Army Task Force 159
1992 - Desert Storm First Strike U.S. Army Apache Team
1991 - USSR Military and Civilian Helicopter Pilots Flying Initial Operations at Site of Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster, April-May, 1986
1990 - ADM Paul A. Yost, USCG
1989 - U.S. Coast Guard Crew #1472
1988 - LTG Crosbie E. Saint, U.S. Army
1987 - U.S. Coast Guard Crew #1467
1986 - Colombian Helicopter Pilots
1985 - U.S. Coast Guard Crew #1469
1984 - U.S. Coast Guard Crew #1437
1983 - CW3 Charles Hemphill, USA and CW4 Frederick Loehmer, USA
1982 - Donald W. Usher and Melvin (Gene) E. Windsor, U.S. Park Police
1981 - U.S. Coast Guard 17th District
1980 - CAPT John Crowe, Canadian Armed Forces
1979 - Columbia Helicopters
1978 - British Airways Helicopters
1977 - U.S. Army UTTAS Test Command (Provisional) 101st Avn GP., 101st Airborne Div.
1976 - MG Manoucherh Khosrodad, Iranian Army Aviation
1975 - No Award Presented
1974 - Colombia Air Force, HELICOL., S.A.
1973 - Ralph P. Pass
1972 - Erickson Air-Crane Co.
1971 - KLM North Sea Helicopters
1970 - 58th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron
1969 - The Petroleum Industry
1968 - Armed Forces in Southeast Asia
1967 - MG Keith B. McCutcheon, USMC
1966 - MG Harry W.O. Kinnard 1st Air Cav. Div., USA
1965 - Persons Participating in NW US Rescue 12/64
1964 - BG John Tolson, USA Helicopter Units, Vietnam
1963 - USA Tactical Mobilization Requirement Board, Ft. Bragg
1962 - USAF Air Rescue Svc., Scott AFB
1961 - 56th Medical Platoon, USA, Ft. Bragg and 57th Medical Platoon, USA, Ft. Meade
1960 - LTC William A. Howell, USA and COL Victor A. Armstrong, USMC
1959 - New York Airways
1958 - USA Trans. Aircraft Test and Supply Activity
1957 - Robert L. Suggs, Petroleum Helicopters
1956 - Don R. Berlin; T.P. Gerrity, USAF: LTG James M. Gavin, USA, VADM A.C. Richmond, USCG; LTG C.F. Schilt, USMC; and RADM J.S. Russell, USN
1955 - Carlyle C. Agar, Okanagan Helicopters
1954 - RADM Clarence E. Ekstrom, USN
1953 - LTC George W. Herring, USMC
1952 - LTC Jack Marinelli, USA
1951 - COL Richard T. Knight, USAF