The Gray Eagle Award is presented to the Naval Aviator

Naval Aviator

A United States Naval Aviator is a qualified pilot in the United States Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard.-Naming Conventions:Most Naval Aviators are Unrestricted Line Officers; however, a small number of Limited Duty Officers and Chief Warrant Officers are also trained as Naval Aviators.Until 1981...

 on continuous active duty in U.S. Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

 or Marine Corps

United States Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...

 who has held that designation for the longest period of time.
A similar trophy, the Ancient Albatross Award, is given by the United States Coast Guard

United States Coast Guard

The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...

.

History

The Gray Eagle Trophy made its first appearance in 1961 during the Navy's celebration of the Fiftieth Anniversary of Naval Aviation.

The original idea

In 1959, while serving as Commander in Chief, Allied Forces, Southern Europe, Admiral Charles R. Brown

Charles R. Brown

Charles R. Brown was a United States Navy four-star admiral.As a Vice-Admiral, he commanded the United States Sixth Fleet. He became the Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Southern Europe , 1959–1961, as a full admiral. It was in this role in 1959 that he instigated the creation of the Gray Eagle...

, USN, wrote to the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Air), Vice Admiral Robert B. Pirie

Robert B. Pirie

Robert B. Pirie was a vice admiral in the United States Navy. He was Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for air when he retired in 1962....

, USN, telling of certain discussions he had with Vice Admiral George W. Anderson

George Whelan Anderson Jr.

George Whelan Anderson, Jr. was an Admiral in the United States Navy. He served as the Chief of Naval Operations between 1961 and 1963, and was in charge of the U.S. blockade of Cuba during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.-Early life and career:A native of Brooklyn, New York, George Whelan...

, then serving as Commander, Sixth Fleet.

"We suggest that it be determined from official records who, at all times, is the senior aviator in point of service in flying; that a baton or similar token be awarded him, and that, with due ceremony, this symbol be handed on down to the next man with the passing years."

Admiral Pirie took the matter from there. For a time the title “Bull Naval Aviator” was a leading contender for the choice of names for the senior aviator’s title. Various cups, statuettes, plaques and medals were proposed. Finally, a competition was conducted between
aircraft companies desiring to sponsor the award. The design from the Chance Vought Aircraft Company

Vought

Vought is the name of several related aerospace firms. These have included, in the past, Lewis and Vought Corporation, Chance Vought, Vought Sikorsky, LTV Aerospace , Vought Aircraft Companies, and the current Vought Aircraft Industries. The first incarnation of Vought was established by Chance M...

 (later LTV Corporation, Ling-Temco-Vought

Ling-Temco-Vought

Ling-Temco-Vought was a large U.S. conglomerate which existed from 1969 to 2000. At its peak, its component parts were involved in the aerospace industry, electronics, steel manufacturing, sporting goods, the airline industry, meat packing, car rentals and pharmaceuticals, among other...

) was selected, and the Gray Eagle Award was brought into reality.

The first ceremony

On 5 January 1961, at Naval Aviation’s Fiftieth Anniversary Ball, held at the Sheraton Park Hotel, Washington, D.C., Admiral Charles R. Brown received the Gray Eagle Trophy from Admiral James S. Russell, then serving as Vice Chief of Naval Operations.

While Admiral Brown was the first “active” aviator to receive the Trophy, replicas of the award were presented to all previous holders of the distinction, or their representative, during the ceremony. The recipients included Mrs. T. G. Ellyson, widow of Naval Aviator Number One, Commander Theodore G. Ellyson. Commander Ellyson would have held the Gray Eagle title from 1911 to 1928, if the award had been in existence.

The Trophy

The Trophy, donated by Chance Vought Aircraft (now Ling-Temco-Vought) depicts a silver eagle landing into the arresting gear of the Navy’s first aircraft carrier, USS Langley (CV-1)

USS Langley (CV-1)

USS Langley was the United States Navy's first aircraft carrier, converted in 1920 from the collier USS Jupiter , and also the U.S. Navy's first electrically propelled ship...

. The inscription reads:

“The Venerable Order of the Gray Eagle. The Most Ancient Naval Aviator on Active Duty. In recognition of a clear eye, a stout heart, a steady hand, and a daring defiance of gravity and the law of averages.”

Names of those who have held the title, either actively or prior to the 1961 ceremony, are inscribed on the trophy’s plaque.

The Gray Eagle Trophy may be kept in possession of and displayed by the command to which the Gray Eagle is assigned. Otherwise, it may be placed in the custody of the National Museum of Naval Aviation

National Museum of Naval Aviation

The National Museum of Naval Aviation is a military and aerospace museum located at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. The museum opened in 1962....

 on a temporary basis until required for presentation to the successor. The ceremony date for the presentation of the Gray Eagle Award and the retirement date are not always the same.

The award is passed down from the previous holder of the award on his or her retirement, or in case of death. A miniature replica is presented to each incumbent as a personal memento.

Eligibility

Eligibility for the Gray Eagle Award is determined by the official active-duty precedence list for Naval Aviators, on continuous service, not recalled, who has held that designation for the longest period of time. The date of designation as a Naval Aviator is the governing factor for determining who will receive the award from the list of active duty officers. In the event that two or more aviators on active duty have been designated on the same date, the senior one qualified as the Gray Eagle.

Recipients

Name	Rank (death/retire)	Naval Aviator No.	Date as Naval Aviator	Dates as Gray Eagle
Theodore G. Ellyson	CDR	1	2 Jun 1911	2 Jun 1911 - 27 Feb 1928
John H. Towers John H. Towers John Henry Towers was a United States Navy admiral and pioneer Naval aviator. He made important contributions to the technical and organizational development of Naval Aviation from its very beginnings, eventually serving as Chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics...	ADM	3	14 Sep 1911	27 Feb 1928 - 1 Dec 1947
George D. Murray George D. Murray George Dominic Murray was a vice admiral of the United States Navy and early naval aviator.-Biography:Murray was born in Boston, Massachusetts, attended the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1910 and became a naval aviator in 1915...	VADM	22	20 Sep 1915	1 Dec 1947 - 1 Aug 1951
DeWitt C. Ramsey DeWitt Clinton Ramsey Admiral DeWitt Clinton Ramsey was a U.S. Navy officer and pioneer Naval aviator who served as an aircraft-carrier commander during World War II, notably at the Battles of the Coral Sea and Midway. Post-war assignments including command of the U.S...	ADM	45	31 May 1917	1 Dec 1947 - 1 May 1949
Henry T. Stanley	CAPT	186	17 Dec 1917	1 May 1949 - 1 Sep 1950
William W. Townsley	CAPT	320	13 Feb 1918	1 Aug 1951 - 1 Jul 1955
Alvin O. Preil	CAPT	538	11 Mar 1918	1 Jul 1955 - 1 Jan 1959
Irving M. McQuiston	RADM	905	12 Jun 1918	1 Jan 1959 - 1 Jul 1959
Alfred M. Pride Alfred M. Pride Alfred Melville Pride was a United States Navy admiral and pioneer Naval aviator, who distinguished himself during World War II as an aircraft-carrier commander....	VADM	1119	17 Sep 1918	1 Jul 1959 - 1 Oct 1959
Thomas S. Combs	VADM	3064	21 Dec 1922	1 Oct 1959 - 1 Apr 1960
Charles R. Brown Charles R. Brown Charles R. Brown was a United States Navy four-star admiral.As a Vice-Admiral, he commanded the United States Sixth Fleet. He became the Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Southern Europe , 1959–1961, as a full admiral. It was in this role in 1959 that he instigated the creation of the Gray Eagle...    *	ADM	3159	15 Aug 1924	1 Apr 1960 - 2 Jan 1962
Frank Akers	RADM	3228	11 Sep 1925	2 Jan 1962 - 1 Apr 1963
Wallace M. Beakley	RADM	3312	24 Nov 1926	1 Apr 1963 - 31 Dec 1963
Robert Goldthwaite	RADM	3364	20 May 1927	31 Dec 1963 - 1 Oct 1965
Richard C. Mangrum Richard C. Mangrum Richard C. Mangrum was a United States Marine Corps lieutenant general who served as Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps from 1965 to 1967...	LtGen (USMC)	4447	20 May 1929	1 Oct 1965 - 30 Jun 1967
Fitzhugh Lee	VADM	3512	16 Sep 1929	30 Jun 1967 - 31 Jul 1967
Charles D. Griffin Charles D. Griffin Admiral Charles Donald Griffin was a four-star admiral in the United States Navy who served as commander in chief of United States Naval Forces Europe from 1963 to 1965 and as commander in chief of Allied Forces Southern Europe from 1965 to 1968.-Early career:Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to...	ADM	3647	6 Jun 1930	31 Jul 1967 - 1 Feb 1968
Alexander S. Heyward, Jr.	VADM	3867	23 Nov 1931	1 Feb 1968 - 1 Aug 1968
Robert J. Stroh	RADM	3888	25 Jan 1932	1 Aug 1968 - 28 Nov 1969
George P. Koch	RADM	4085	2 Jan 1935	28 Nov 1969 - 31 Jul 1971
Alfred R. Matter	RADM	4164	30 Oct 1935	31 Jul 1971 - 29 Feb 1972
Francis D. Foley	RADM	4178	1 Feb 1936	29 Feb 1972 - 29 Jun 1972
Thomas H. Moorer Thomas Hinman Moorer -External links:...	ADM	4255	12 Jun 1936	29 Jun 1972 - 30 Jun 1974
Leroy V. Swanson	RADM	5921	9 Dec 1938	30 Jun 1974 - 29 Aug 1975
Noel A. M. Gayler Noel Gayler Noel Arthur Meredyth Gayler was an Admiral in the United States Navy, who served as the sixth Director of the National Security Agency from 1969 to 1972, and ninth Commander of Pacific Command from 1972 to 1976. Gayler was awarded three Navy Cross medals as a World War II flying ace and is credited...	ADM	6879	14 Nov 1940	29 Aug 1975 - 31 Aug 1976
Martin D. Carmody	RADM	10911	22 Jan 1942	31 Aug 1976 - 27 May 1977
George L. Cassel	RADM	11262	3 Feb 1942	27 May 1977 - 31 Aug 1977
Henry Wildfang	CWO4 (USMC)	12766	16 Apr 1942	31 Aug 1977 - 31 May 1978
Frank C. Lang	MajGen (USMC)
12 Mar 1943	31 May 1978 - 30 Jun 1978
Thomas H. Miller, Jr.	LtGen (USMC)
24 Apr 1943	30 Jun 1978 - 28 Jun 1979
Maurice F. Weisner Maurice F. Weisner Maurice Franklin Weisner was a United States Navy four-star admiral who served as Vice Chief of Naval Operations from 1972 to 1973; Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet from 1973 to 1976; and Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Command from 1976 to 1979...	ADM
May 1943	28 Jun 1979 - 31 Oct 1979
Andrew W. O’Donnell	LtGen (USMC)
8 Jul 1944	31 Oct 1979 - 26 Jun 1981
Robert F. Schoultz	VADM
26 Jun 1981 - 17 Feb 1987
Cecil J. Kempf	VADM
25 Feb 1987 - 6 Jun 1987
James E. Service	VADM
6 Jun 1987 - 21 Aug 1987
Frank E. Petersen, Jr. Frank E. Petersen Frank E. Petersen Jr. is a retired United States Marine Corps Lieutenant General. He was the first African-American Marine Corps aviator and the first African-American Marine Corps general....	LtGen (USMC)
21 Aug 1987 - 15 Jun 1988
Ronald J. Hays Ronald J. Hays Ronald Jackson Hays is a retired United States Navy four star admiral who served as Vice Chief of Naval Operations from 1983 to 1985; and as Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Command from 1985 to 1988....	ADM
15 Jun 1988 - 15 Sep 1988
Robert F. Dunn	VADM
15 Sep 1988 - 25 May 1989
Huntington Hardisty Huntington Hardisty Huntington Hardisty was a United States Navy four star admiral who served as Vice Chief of Naval Operations from 1987 to 1988; and Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Command from 1988 to 1991....	ADM
25 May 1989 - 1 Mar 1991
Jerome L. Johnson Jerome L. Johnson Jerome Lamarr Johnson is a retired United States Navy four star admiral who served as commander of the U.S. Second Fleet, Joint Task Force 120, and NATO's Striking Fleet Atlantic from 1988 to 1990 and as Vice Chief of Naval Operations from 1990 to 1992.He graduated from Texas A&M University in...	ADM
1 Mar 1991 - 26 Jul 1992
Edwin R. Kohn	VADM
Jun 1956	26 Jul 1992 - 1 Jul 1993
Jerry O. Tuttle	VADM
1 Jul 1993 - 19 Nov 1993
Stanley R. Arthur	ADM
19 Nov 1993 - 21 Mar 1995
David R. Morris	RADM
21 Mar 1995 - 28 Feb 1996
Walter Davis	VADM
28 Feb 1996 - 1 Jan 1997
Luther Schriefer	RADM
1 Jan 1997 - 1 Feb 1997
Andrew Granuzzo	RADM
1 Feb 1997 - 24 Mar 2000
James I. Maslowski	RADM
24 Mar 2000 - 20 Dec 2000
Arthur K. Cebrowski Arthur K. Cebrowski Vice Admiral Arthur K. Cebrowski was a retired United States Navy admiral who served from October 2001 to January 2005 as Director of the Office of Force Transformation in the U.S. Department of Defense...	VADM
20 Dec 2000 - 16 Aug 2001
Robert M. Nutwell	RADM
16 Aug 2001 - 26 Sep 2001
Michael D. Haskins	VADM
26 Sep 2001 - 1 Jan 2003
Charles W. Moore, Jr.	VADM
1 Jan 2003 - 1 Oct 2004
Gregory G. Johnson Gregory G. Johnson Admiral Gregory G. Johnson is a retired United States Navy admiral, and former commander U.S. Naval Forces, Europe and Allied Forces, Southern Europe.-Military career:...	ADM
1 Oct 2004 - 29 Nov 2004
Robert Magnus	Gen (USMC)
29 Nov 2004 - 17 Jul 2008

  * Charles R. Brown was the first to receive the award while on active duty; earlier awards were retroactive.

  ** Naval Aviator designation numbers were not issued after the beginning of WWII.