Melbourne W. Boynton Award

The Melbourne W. Boynton Award was established in memory of Dr. Boynton, a flight surgeon in the Army Air Corps in World War II, who devoted his career and gave his life in the development of flight safety and survival. His most notable work was in high altitude parachute experiments. He conducted many jumps in the Rockies to test not only safety in jumping, but in the subsequent survival under difficult conditions. His last test jump, which ended tragically, took place on August 9, 1944. In an attempt to determine survivability of parachute jumps by B-17 crews, Boynton jumped from a B-17 at an altitude of 43,000 feet wearing only regular clothing. He planned to free-fall to an altitude of 5,000 feet before opening his parachute. Something went wrong, however, and he was found in a cornfield, his chute unopened.

In recognition of Melbourne W. Boynton’s efforts in flight safety and survival, this award is conferred upon a physician who has made a significant contribution to the biomedical aspects of space flight.

2009 – Joan Vernikos
2008 – No Award Given
2007 – Craig L. Fischer
2006 – Richard Williams
2005 – No Award Given
2004 – No Award Given
2003 – No Award Given
2002 – No Award Given
2001 – No Award Given
2000 – Charles K. LaPinta
1999 – Dafydd (Dave) R. Williams
1998 – John A. Rummel
1997 – H. David Short
1996 – Anatoly I. Grigoriev
1995 – Michael Barratt, Norman Thagard, and David Ward
1994 – Roger D. Billica
1993 – Bernard A. Harris
1992 – Margaret Rhea Seddon and James P. Bagian
1990 – Ellen S. Baker
1989 – Manley L. Carter
1988 – Thomas Goodwin and Ray P. Schwarz
1987 – Victor S. Schneider
1986 – Margaret Rhea Seddon
1985 – Sam L. Pool
1984 – Norman E. Thaggard
1983 – Arnauld Nicogossian
1982 – No Award Given
1981 – No Award Given
1980 – No Award Given
1979 – Philip C. Johnson, Jr.
1978 – Cannon A. Owen
1977 – Heinz S. Fuchs
1976 – Robert L. Johnson
1975 – William E. Thornton
1974 – Lawrence F. Dietlin
1973 – Joseph P. Kerwin
1972 – Albert H. Schwichtenberg
1971 – Willard R. Hawkins and Harold J. von Beckh
1970 – A. Duane Catterson and Karl H. Houghton
1969 – Maj. Gen. James W. Humphreys, Jr.
1968 – William M. Helvey
1967 – Paul A. Campbell
1966 – William K. Douglas
1965 – Charles A. Berry
1964 – No Award Given
1963 – Hubertus Strughold
1962 – William Randolph Lovelace, III
1961 – Ashton Graybiel
1960 – Don D. Flickinger
1959 – Stanley C. White
1958 – Charles P. Gell
1957 – David G. Simons