According to the AFAA publication, HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN FIGHTER ACES ASSOCIATION, 50TH ANNIVERSARY, SEPTEMBER 1960-SEPTEMBER 2010, the precursor of the “Top Gun Award” began in 1963. It states: “An awards and incentive program was initiated whereby distinguished AFROTC cadets destined for pilot training from each of the Air Forces’s geographic districts were awarded plaques in the name of distinguished deceased aces. Additionally, a scholarship fund was set up to grant cash awards to Aces’ sons and daughers who had distinguished themselves in their high school careers. In 1981, the Air Force ROTC awards and Scholarship Fund (different from the present Scholarship program) were disbanded and replaced with awards to outstanding young fighter pilots from the three services, who had just completed lead-in training in their respective branches of service. These awards were named for the three prominent living aces at that time, the David McCampbell Award (USN), the Joe Foss Award (USMC) & the Francis S. Gabreski Award (USAF) – the first recipients were presented their commemorative plaques at the annual convention banquet in Washington, D.C.”
Top Gun Award Winners
| 1981 | Lt(jg) Scott M. Provow, USN |
|---|---|
| 1981 | 1st Lt Curtis E. Manzic, USMC |
| 1982 | Lt(jg) Neill Golightly, USN |
| 1982 | Lt John P. Bickenback, USMC |
| 1982 | Lt Jarrett D. Jordan, USAF |
| 1984 | Lt(jg) Michael Hamele, USN |
| 1984 | 1st Lt Stephen Wood, USMC |
| 1984 | 1st Lt Arnold Clark, USAF |
| 1985 | Lt(jg) Jim Bacci, USN |
| 1985 | Lt Kevin Bjorge, USMC |
| 1985 | Lt Mark Miller, USAF |
| 1986 | Lt Russell Handy, USAF |
| 1987 | Lt(jg) Barry Behnfeld, USN |
| 1987 | Capt Rolf Siegel, USMC |
| 1987 | 1st Lt Scott Stacy, USAF |
| 1989 | Lt(jg) Richard R. Robinson, USN |
| 1989 | 1st Lt Harry G. Constant, USMC |
| 1989 | 1st Lt William D. Herron, USAF |
| 1990 | Lt(jg) Steve Harfst, USN |
| 1990 | 1st Lt Jeffrey R. Woods, USMC |
| 1990 | 1st Lt George W. McClendon, USAF |
| 1991 | Lt(jg) Jeff Lunsford, USN |
| 1991 | Capt Phillip C. Tissue, USMC |
| 1991 | 1st Lt Trent Davey, USAF |
| 1992 | Lt Scott K. Kelly, USN |
| 1992 | 1st Lt Robert A. Bishop, USMC |
| 1992 | 1st Lt Nathaniel C. Dickman, USAF |
| 1993 | Lt(jg) Colin Farrar, USN |
| 1993 | Capt Andrew J. Dingee, USMC |
| 1993 | 1st Lt James Bong, USAF |
| 1994 | Ens Kevin Wolfe, USN |
| 1994 | Capt Kevin McLaughlin, USMC |
| 1994 | 1st Lt David R. Iverson, USAF |
| 1995 | Lt(jg) Keith M. Henry, USN |
| 1995 | Capt James W. Ward, USMC |
| 1995 | 1st Lt Eric D. Rydberg, USAF |
| 1996 | Lt(jg) David J. Montgomery II, USN |
| 1996 | 1st Lt Michael J. Schulte, USMC |
| 1996 | 1st Lt James S. Leffel, USAF |
| 1997 | Lt(jg) James Bates |
| 1997 | 1st Lt Marty A. Moore, USMC |
| 1997 | 1st Lt Mike Kensick, USAF |
| 1998 | Lt John Silver, USN |
| 1998 | Capt Simon N. Doran, USMC |
| 1998 | Capt James M. Abatti, USAF |
| 1999 | Lt(jg) David S. Baird, USN |
| 1999 | Lt Jason A. Lower, USMC |
| 1999 | Capt Thomas B. Shank, USAF |
| 2000 | Lt(jg) Thomas S. Koelbl, USN |
| 2000 | Capt David P. Smay, USMC |
| 2000 | Capt Robert D. Davis, USAF |
| 2001 | Lt(jg) Todd Holman, USN |
| 2001 | Capt Clint C. Harris, USMC |
| 2001 | Capt Jack F. Harman, USAF |
| 2002 | Lt(jg) Matthew Culp, USN |
| 2002 | 1st Lt Andrew Miller, USMC |
| 2002 | Capt John F. Getgood, USAF |
| 2003 | Lt(jg) Lucas C. Roberton, USN |
| 2003 | 1st Lt Trent Kingery, USMC |
| 2003 | 1st Lt Martin A. Mentch, USAF |
| 2004 | Lt(jg) Michael Ryan Harris, USN |
| 2004 | 1st Lt David R. Stark, USMC |
| 2004 | Capt Andrew D. Poorman, USAF |
| 2005 | Lt(jg) Eric H. Disher, USNR |
| 2005 | Capt Brad Wimsatt, USMC |
| 2005 | 1st Lt John D. Caldwell, USAF |
| 2006 | Lt Shawn C. Kirlin, USN |
| 2006 | 1st Lt Jonathan D. Schaafsma, USMC |
| 2006 | Capt Brad E. Orgeron, USAF |
| 2007 | Lt(jg) Ian P. Sprenger, USN |
| 2007 | 1st Lt Yates F. Minner, USMC |
| 2007 | Capt Thomas Graham, USAF |
| 2008 | Lt(jg) Davis A. Kane, USN |
| 2008 | 1st Lt Michael A. Fox, USMC |
| 2008 | Capt Shannon Lippert, USAF |
| 2009 | Lt(jg) Michael R. Oldenborg, USN |
| 2009 | Capt Andrew B. Greer, USMC |
| 2009 | Capt Jeffey A. Searcy, USAF |
| 2010 | Lt(jg) Albert T. Flor, USN |
| 2010 | 1st Lt Kevin P.Bowler, USMC |
| 2010 | Capt Nathan D. Heguy, USAF |
| 2011 | Lt(jg) Dan Horgan, USN |
| 2011 | Capt Jay Alspach, USMC |
| 2011 | Capt Gregory Hunger, USAF |
| 2013 | Lt(jg) James A. Gibbons, USN |
| 2013 | 1st Lt Devin S. Taylor, USMC |
| 2013 | Capt Jamie H. Mun, USAF |
| 2014 | Lt(jg) Zachary A. Hutchings, USN |
| 2014 | Lt Daniel A. Lane, USMC |
| 2014 | Lt Matthew B. Park, USAF |
| 2015 | Lt(jg) Boris A. Roslow, USN |
| 2015 | 1st Lt Daniel M. Belet, USMC |
| 2015 | Capt Robert W. Grimes, USAF |
| 2016 | Lt(jg) Nathan A. Goodall, USN |
| 2016 | 1st Lt David T. Noss, USMC |
| 2016 | 1st Lt Michael A. Broch, USAF |
| 2017 | Lt Cameron Thornberry, USN |
| 2017 | 1st Lt Evan Slusser, USMC |
| 2017 | 1st Lt Brian Davis, USAF |
| 2018 | Lt Andrea Kaltenbach, USN |
| 2018 | Capt John Leonis, USMC |
| 2018 | Capt Andrew Gutowski, USAF |
| 2019 | Lt Conner O’Donnell, USN |
| 2019 | Capt Michael J. Pence, USMC |
| 2019 | Capt Kevin M. McKeown, USAF |
| 2021 | Lt(jg) James E. Tucker, USN |
| 2021 | 1st Lt Benjamin R. Felhofer, USMC |
| 2021 | Capt John M. Joern, USAF |
| 2022 | Lt(jg) Hunter Koltes, USN |
| 2022 | Capt Alex P. Robertson, USMC |
| 2022 | 1st Lt Jacob Vaughan, USAF |
| 2023 | Lt Matthew R. Lauck, USN |
| 2023 | Capt Matthew Hundt, USMC |
| 2023 | Capt Charles P. Jax, USAF |