Valor Articles Index

In February 1983, Air Force Magazine began a series of on-page stories about Air Force heroes. We called the new series "Valor." It ran monthly and was enormously popular from the start. By the time the fourth "Valor" story was published in May 1983, we had recruited Col. John L. Frisbee, USAF (Ret.), and a former editor of Air Force Magazine, as the regular author. He has written all of the episodes that appeared after that. The final "Valor" article was published in December 1999.

The full collection of "Valor" articles presented here is, without a doubt, the most extensive body of material in existence anywhere about heroism in the US Air Force and its predecessor organizations.

Valors by Name	Valors on Medal of Honor Recipients
Valors From World War I Era	Valors on Air Force Cross Recipients
Valors From World War II Era	Valors on Distinguished Flying Cross Recipients
Valors from Korean War Era	Valors on Distinguished Service Cross Recipients
Valors from Vietnam War Era	Valors on Aces

Verbatim

End of the Rainbow
"Volunteering for [unmanned aerial systems] could get me in the fight where I want to be, supporting combatant commanders and troops on the ground. That was what I wanted to do when I became an Air Force pilot. If volunteering to fly a [unmanned aerial vehicle] betters my chances for fulfilling my dream, I'll do what it takes."
—An unnamed student pilot selected for the tanker/airlifter track who believes he will have another chance to get fighters or bombers after he completes a tour as a UAV pilot, from Laughlin AFB, Tex., Oct. 9, 2008 release.

Verbatim

Meeting the Challenge
"There's a tremendous amount of responsibility placed on these young sensor operators, but even the youngest airmen have met that challenge head on. I think they welcome it. … Rather than the rank on their sleeve, it's about the motivation, experience, and dedication these airmen bring to the table and I think each and every one of them is proving their worth."
—CMSAF Rodney J. McKinley, talking about the enlisted sensor operators on the unmanned aerial vehicle team during a visit to Creech AFB, Nev., Oct. 6-7, 2008.