"[47], Perot helped Risner to later become the Executive Director of the Texans' War on Drugs, and Risner was subsequently appointed by President Ronald Reagan as a United States Delegate to the fortieth session of the United Nations General Assembly. and his oldest son, Robbie Jr., died two years after his return of a congenital heart defect. 16 of those carried AGM-12 Bullpup missiles, while another 30 carried eight 750-pound bombs each, half of which were designated for the railroad and highway bridge. He was a guiding presence, a behavior yardstick, and he managed to achieve this without direct contact. [18][n 4] On February 18, 1965, as part of an escalation in air attacks directed by President Lyndon B. Johnson that resulted in the commencement of Operation Rolling Thunder, the 67th TFS began a tour of temporary duty at Korat RTAFB, Thailand, under the control of the 2d Air Division. Risner, the highest-ranking American POW during most of his seven years, four months and 27 days behind bars, died in his sleep October 22, 2013, at his home in Bridgewater, Virginia three days after suffering a severe stroke. New York: Random House, 1973. Tragically, Joe Logan didn't make it; he became tangled in his parachute lines and drowned. The trophy is permanently displayed at the United States Air Force Academy, with each winner's name inscribed. Risner was able to re-establish contact and guide the powerless plane out over the sea until fluids threatened to stall his own engine. They remained married until the end of his life, with the two younger of his four surviving sons choosing to live with him and Risner adopting her three youngest children. The statue was made nine feet tall in memory of Risner's statement, commenting on his comrades singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "God Bless America", that "I felt like I was nine feet tall and could go bear hunting with a switch. Following the war, Risner raised quarter horses in Texas and became executive director of the Texans War Against Drugs. [n 8] Risner's aircraft was at very low altitude flying at approximately 600 miles per hour (970km/h),[27] approaching a site that was likely a decoy luring aircraft into a concentration of AAA. Schudel, Matt. He subsequently received training in the F-80 Shooting Star at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. Sometimes in history, a man emerges whom no one saw coming, one who rises to the awful challenge of crisis leadership when others are faltering and provides exactly the right strength of character, calming influence, and credible guidance out of the morass. Risner was born in Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, but moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1931. I prayed he would give me strength to endure it. Robinson Risner, Air Force Ace and POW, Dies at 88. Washington Post, October 29, 2013. SHOULD READ : Postwar peace and return to civilian life brought mundane employment for Robinson Risner as an auto mechanic, a service station manager and a short stint running a service garage. "[2], Risner in 1973 after being released as a POW by the North Vietnamese. [4] Risner worked numerous part-time jobs in his youth to help the family, including newspaper delivery, errand boy and soda jerk for a drug store,[3] for the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce at age 16, as a welder, and for his father polishing cars. Following the war, in 1957, he was chosen to fly an F-100F Super Sabre to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of Charles Lindberghs ground-breaking transatlantic flight. Following being shot down a second time and then captured, his arrival in the old French dungeons of Hanoi began the trial of his life, but also the leadership role that would be his legacy. Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, "Detailed Chronological List, Recipients of the Air Force Cross", http://www.homeofheroes.com/members/02_AFC/detail_index_chron.html, http://www.airforce-magazine.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/1983/December%201983/1283valor.aspx, http://aeroweb.brooklyn.cuny.edu/history/aviators/rrisner.htm, http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0112/14/lkl.00.html, "Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale: Vietnam War Hero and Indomitable Spirit at the Hanoi Hilton", http://www.historynet.com/vice-admiral-james-bond-stockdale-vietnam-war-hero-and-indomitable-spirit-at-the-hanoi-hilton.htm, "USAF Weapons School Robbie Risner Award", http://web.archive.org/web/20120420011921/http://www.aggienetwork.com/uploads/class/newsletters/66%20July%2008.pdf, "Nomination of United States Representatives and Alternate Representatives to the 40th Session of the United Nations General Assembly", http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1985/91785a.htm, http://www.veterantributes.org/TributeDetail.asp?ID=19, "Eagle Biography: Robinson 'Robbie' Risner", Air University Gathering of Eagles, Dedication of the Risner statue at the Air Force Academy on November 16, 2001, Photograph of Risner statue and its sculptor, Lawrence Ludtke, YouTube (newsreel), "1957 Spirit of St. Louis II Sets Atlantic Record", Articles with dead external links from November 2014, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War, Central High School (Tulsa, Oklahoma) alumni, Recipients of the Air Force Cross (United States), Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States), United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II, Recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal (United States). When forced to make a statement against the war, he did so with mispronounced words and a heavy German accent, bringing further punishment from his captors. Tactics were revised in which "Hunter-Killer Teams" were created. In July 1973 USAF assigned him to the 1st Tactical Fighter Wing at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, where he became combat ready in the F-4 Phantom II. As a leader of the POWs, Risner set up committees, assigned tasks and helped set up communication systems through tapping, scraping walls and even coughing. Risner enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces as an aviation cadet in April 1943 and attended flight training at Williams Field, Arizona, where he was awarded his pilot wings and a commission as 2nd Lieutenant in May 1944. [3] In addition to a love of sports, Risner's interests were primarily in riding horses and motorcycles.[1]. James Robinson Risner Jr. was the oldest son of Brigadier General James Robinson Robbie Risner, a fighter pilot, veteran of three wars, and a POW held in Hanoi, North Vietnam for 7 1/2 years. Colonel Risner initiated the attack, directing his aircraft into the target in the face of heavy automatic ground fire. It was never threatening, always gentle and optimistic, like a loving father giving guidance to his son. ", Commander Everett Alvarez Jr. 1st U.S. pilot held as a Prisoner of War in Southeast Asia[30], After several days of travel on foot and by truck, Risner was imprisoned in Ha L Prison, known as "The Hanoi Hilton" to American POWs. His mother and brother died while he was still a P.O.W. Risners first marriage ended in divorce. It was automatic, almost subconscious. [5] He also joined the Oklahoma Air National Guard, becoming a P-51 Mustang pilot and flew nearly every weekend. He was the first living recipient of the medal,. Guards stormed into the cellblock and hauled Risner and two other organizers to certain torture. 16 of those carried AGM-12 Bullpup missiles, while another 30 carried eight 750-pound bombs each, half of which were designated for the railroad and highway bridge. Risner flew 108 missions in Korea and was credited with the destruction of eight MiG-15s, his final victory occurring January 21, 1953. He was a close friend of the billionaire businessman and onetime presidential candidate H. Ross Perot, who commissioned a statue of Robinson Risner, which was installed at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, on November 16, 2001. When he passed out from pain, the ropes were briefly loosened until the ordeal could start yet again. He flew his badly damaged aircraft over heavily fortified hostile territory before successfully landing at a friendly airfield. Heavy ground fire struck Risner's F-105 in its air intakes when he popped up over a hill to make his attack. [6], Risner arrived in Korea on May 10, 1952, assigned to the 15th Reconnaissance Squadron at Kimpo Air Base. He was captured by North Vietnamese while still trying to extricate himself from his parachute. Always it would make sense, be crisp and to the point. His autobiography, The Passing of the Night: My Seven Years as a Prisoner of the North Vietnamese, describes seven years of torture and mistreatment by the North Vietnamese. In February 2012 the Academy received a $3.5 million gift from The Perot Foundation to endow the General James R. Risner Senior Military Scholar at the center, who "will conduct research to advance the understanding, study and practice of the profession of arms, advise senior Academy leadership on the subject, and lead seminars, curriculum development, and classroom activities at the Academy. He received his FIRST Air Force Cross when he was shot down and rescued, becoming the FIRST LIVING recipient of the new award. The statue was made nine feet tall in memory of Risner's statement, commenting on his comrades singing The Star Spangled Banner and God Bless America, that "I felt like I was nine feet tall and could go bear hunting with a switch. [32] Risner made no rebuttal at the time, but when interviewed 20 years later, termed it "character assassination", a charge supported by several of McCarthy's liberal peers. The President of the United States of America, authorized by Title 10, Section 8742, United States Code, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Air Force Cross to Lieutenant Colonel James Robinson Risner, United States Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed force while a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam from 31 October 1965 to 15 December 1965. When the Russian wondered if they might have met in combat, Risner replied, No, way. His five sons had been ages 3 to 16 when he was shot down and imprisoned.[33]. [10][12], On September 21 he shot down his fifth MiG, becoming the 20th "jet ace". Timothy A. Kinnan in 1977. Risner retired as a brigadier general in 1976. Risners leadership was on display when he organized a forbidden worship service in 1971. He somehow conveyed to his fellow POWs that it was the right thing to do in order to survive with dignity and honor. The force had clear conditions but encountered a severe glare in the target area that made the bridge difficult to acquire for attacks with the Bullpups. Risner is a double recipient of the Air Force Cross, the second highest military decoration for valor that can be awarded to a member of the United States Air Force. In June, when the 336th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, also at Kimpo, sought experienced pilots, he arranged a transfer to 4th Fighter Wing through the intervention of a former OKANG associate. Tags: 15th Reconnaissance Squadron, 336th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter Wing, Air Force Cross, Arlington National Cemetery, Army Air Forces, Bible College, Brigadier General, Bronze Star Medals., Bugs Bunny, Charles G. Boyd, Code of Conduct for American Fighting Men, Dean Rusk, Distinguished Flying Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, Dorothy Miller Williams, East China Sea, F-105s, F-86E-10 Sabrejet, God Bless America, Gulf of Tonkin, H. Ross Perot, Hanoi, James Robinson Risner, Kimpo Air Base, Korean War, Lyndon Johnson, Mammoth Springs, Medal of Honor, MiG-15s, Oklahoma Air National Guard., Operation Rolling Thunder, P-51 Mustang, Panama Canal, Prisoner of War in North Vietnam, Robert McNamara, Robinson Risner, Silver Stars, Southeast Asia, the Korean War, The Passing of the Night: Seven Years as a Prisoner of the North Vietnamese, The Star-Spangled Banner, Time Magazine, U.S. Air Force Academy, Vinh Son, World War II, Yalu River. Once Risner determined that he was the senior ranking officer, he began to put structure and guidance into the POWs lives, a sense of order and community, the very thing their captors were trying desperately to prevent. Risner flew the Spirit of St. Louis II on Lindberghs same route, completing the flight in one-fifth of the time it took the earlier flier and establishing a new transatlantic record of six hours and thirty-seven minutes. In October 1952 Risner was promoted to major and named operations officer of the 336th FIS. Rate and review titles you borrow and share your opinions on them. Joe, a strong swimmer, landed close to shore, and the chopper tried to blow him in with the rotors. Gen. James Robinson "Robbie" Risner was part of that legendary group who served in three wars, built an Air Force, and gave us an enduring example of courage and mission success Today's Airmen know we stand on the shoulders of giants. When the Korean War began, he wangled his way out of the Oklahoma Air National Guard and arrived in Korea on May 10, 1952, where he was assigned to the 15th Reconnaissance Squadron at Kimpo Air Base. The first recipient of the Risner Award was Capt. The downed aircraft was the first F-105 lost to hostile fire in Southeast Asia, but the pilot, Capt. The turbulence kept bouncing and separating the two jets, but Risner was able to re-establish contact and guide the powerless plane out over the sea. In 2006, Risner appeared on an episode of the History Channel series Dogfights. He flew nearly every weekend, and on one occasion, became lost in the fringes of a hurricane on a flight to Brownsville, Texas. He directed his aircraft over the Gulf of Tonkin, ejected, and was rescued. Grumbach, Doris (March 16, 1974). His second Air Force Cross wasnt pinned to his chest until after he returned from the prison camp when it was awarded for his leadership as a POW. Risner is one of only four airmen with multiple awards of the Air Force Cross, a combat decoration second only to the Medal of Honor. [n 1] During their defense of the bombers, Risner's flight overflew the MiG base at Antung Airfield, China. Risner exercised as much as he could and prayed by the hour, he wrote in his 1973 memoir, The Passing of the Night: Seven Years as a Prisoner of the North Vietnamese. In the book he wrote, I did not ask God to take me out of it, I prayed He would give me the strength to endure it.. [4], In addition to a love of sports, Risner's interests were primarily in riding horses and motorcycles.[3]. Colonel Risner's actions not only deprived the communist force of its vital supply route and much needed equipment but further served to emphasize the high degree of U.S. determination in Southeast Asia. A miniature replica, also donated by Perot, is presented to each year's recipient as a personal memento. James Robinson "Robbie" Risner (born January 16, 1925) [1] was a general officer and professional fighter pilot in the United States Air Force . (Campbell and Hill, p. 90), Risner was "Oak Lead" on September 16, 1965, flying F-105D 61-0217. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship and aggressiveness, Colonel Risner reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force. Unfortunately, the Time magazine article featuring Risner made its way to his captors. While the Korean War may have been Risners favorite period, it was by no means the most consequential in the lives of others. He was captured by North Vietnamese while still trying to extricate himself from his parachute. Fighting one MiG at nearly supersonic speeds at ground level, Risner pursued it down a dry riverbed and across low hills to an airfield 35 miles inside China. Obituary from the. Risner spent more than three years in solitary confinement. No matter how brutal the beatings, the next day he would be at it again. [38], General Risner received the following awards and decorations:[15][39]. He was also appointed as a U.S. delegate to the Fortieth Session of the United Nations General Assembly by President Ronald Reagan. Near Cho Do, Lt. Logan bailed out, after radioing to Risner, "I'll see you at the base tonight." 2023 Encyclopedia of Arkansas. When the squadron was relocated to Howard Field in the Panama Canal Zone in January 1945 to transition to P-38 Lightning fighters, its pilots were soon banned from the Officers Club for rowdiness and vandalism.[5]. Risner's exploits earned him the award of the Air Force Cross and resulted in his being featured as the cover portrait of the April 23, 1965 issue of Time magazine. On August 12, 1965, U.S. Air Force and Navy air units received authorization to attack surface-to-air missile sites supplied to the North Vietnamese by the Soviet Union. [19], On April 3 and 4, 1965, Risner acted as mission commander on two large missions attacking the Thanh Hoa Bridge in North Vietnam. Ungraded . Celebs. Brigadier Robinson Risner. U.S. Air Force. It would take another war, and an extraordinary set of circumstances for that to occur. In addition to his two Air Force Crosses and two Silver Stars, his decorations included the Distinguished Service Medal, three awards of the Distinguished Flying Cross and two Bronze Star Medals. [32] He was a POW for seven years, four months, and 27 days. James Robinson Risner 'Robbie' Engagements: Korean War (1950 - 1953) Vietnam War (1960 - 1973) Biography: James Robinson "Robbie" Risner (January 16, 1925 - October 22, 2013) was a general officer and professional fighter pilot in the United States Air Force.. Risner was a double recipient of the Air Force Cross, the second highest military decoration for valor that can be awarded to . However, after two weeks he was moved to Cu Loc Prison, known as "The Zoo", where he was confronted during interrogations with his Time magazine cover and told that his capture had been highly coveted by the North Vietnamese. On the afternoon of April 3, the strike package of Rolling Thunder Mission 9 Alpha consisted of 79 aircraft, including 46 F-105s. It was no accident that the statue was nine-feet tall. [7], Risner arrived in Korea on May 10, 1952, assigned to the 15th Reconnaissance Squadron at Kimpo Air Base. Some prisoners reconstructed an abbreviated version of the Bible from memory. Risner in 1973 after being released as a POW by the North Vietnamese. [38] Risner made no rebuttal at the time, but when interviewed by Frances Kiernan decades later, Risner described the review as "character assassination", a criticism of McCarthy's treatment supported by several of her liberal peers including Kiernan. The meeting, described as "stilted",[30] resulted in an unflattering portrait of McCarthy in Risner's book, primarily because she failed to note scars and other evidence of torture he had made plain to her. In 1946, Risner was involved in an off-duty motorcycle accident. What award is for the nation's best candidate program? The trophy is permanently displayed at the United States Air Force Academy, with each winner's name inscribed. Portrait of General James Robinson Risner. [15], During his tour of duty at George Air Force Base, Risner was selected to fly the Charles A. Lindbergh Commemoration Flight from New York to Paris. With Risner we had spirituality. The meeting, described as "stilted",[36] resulted in an unflattering portrait of McCarthy in Risner's book, primarily because she failed to note scars and other evidence of torture he wrote that he had made plain to her. He was promoted to the grade of Brigadier General in May 1974. Correll, John T. Nine Feet Tall. Air Force Magazine, February 2012, pp. A miniature replica, also donated by Perot, is presented to each year's recipient as a personal memento. James Robinson Risner: Mini Bio (1) James R. Risner. On September 21, 1952, he shot down his fifth MiG. He was the first living recipient of the medal.[1]. James Robinson "Robbie" Risner (January 16, 1925 - October 22, 2013) was a Brigadier General, fighter pilot in the United States Air Force, and a senior leader among U.S. prisoners of war during the Vietnam War. James Robinson Risner was a man of humble origins, son of an Arkansas sharecropper, educated at secondary school level, not particularly ambitious, a common man save for two things: He could fly the hell out of an airplane; and, under terribly difficult circumstances as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam, he rose to a level of heroic leadership matched by few men in American military history. An identical casting, measuring four feet and weighing 300 pounds, was installed in the foyer of the USAF Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base in October 1984. Later that same month, Robbie was featured on the cover of Time magazine. [12] Risner shut down his own engine in an attempt to save fuel, but eventually his engine flamed out and he glided to a deadstick landing at Kimpo. [17] After the last strike had been delivered, Risner and the two surviving members of his flight remained in the area, directing the Search and Rescue mission that rescued his wingman. During their defense of the bombers, Risner's flight overflew the MiG base at Antung Airfield, China. In his book, Risner attributes faith in God and prayer as being instrumental to his surviving the Hanoi prison experience. Yet all he did, remained in a military framework, based on the core principle that each were fighting men with a code of honor that must be upheld. Risner stayed in radio contact with the rescue helicopter. Risner in 1973 after being released as a POW by the North Vietnamese, Risner's call sign this date was "John Red Lead". He said he would be ready to return to duty after three good meals and a good nights rest.. Baird, W. David, and Goble, Danney (1994). [28] He was a POW for seven years, four months, and 27 days. He actually had his cast removed to fly his first mission. In August 1964, Lieutenant Colonel Risner took command of the 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron, an F-105D Thunderchief fighter-bomber unit based at Kadena AB, Okinawa, as part of the 18th Tactical Fighter Wing. James Robinson "Robbie" Risner (January 16, 1925 October 22, 2013) was a Brigadier General, fighter pilot in the United States Air Force, and a senior leader among U.S. prisoners of war during the Vietnam War. Risner and Shaw became engaged on a ship and were discharged and married the next month. In his book, Risner attributes faith in God and prayer as being instrumental to his surviving the Hanoi prison experience. Risner, James Robinson . Logan bailed out over water but became tangled in his parachute lines and drowned before he could be rescued. Risner's aircraft was at very low altitude flying at approximately 600mph,[23] approaching a site that was likely a decoy luring aircraft into a concentration of AAA. The nine-foot bronze statue of Robinson Risner, sculpted by Lawrence M. Ludtke and mounted on a five-foot pedestal of black granite, commemorates Risner and other POWs who were punished for holding religious services in their room at the Hanoi Hilton on February 7, 1971, in defiance of North Vietnamese authorities. [24] He was on his 55th combat mission at the time. Time magazine featured him on the cover of its April 23, 1965, issue, which highlighted a dozen Americans serving in Vietnam. answer . Rob was born about 1948 and died January 25, 1975 in Oklahoma City, victim of a chronic lung condition. James Robinson Risner was a man of humble origins, son of an Arkansas sharecropper, educated at secondary school level, not particularly ambitious, a common man save for two things: He could fly the hell out of an airplane; and, under terribly difficult circumstances as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam, he rose to a level of heroic leadership It was largely thanks to the leadership of Risner and his Navy counterpart, Commander (later Vice Admiral) James Stockdale, that the POWs organized themselves to present maximum resistance. Youll know when you get there. And concluded: And pray; if you havent been, start. [15], Risner is one of only four airmen with multiple awards of the Air Force Cross, a combat decoration second only to the Medal of Honor. In Vietnam, Risner was struck by enemy fire on four out of five consecutive missions, and he was shot down over the Gulf of Tonkin in March 1965. Risner joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1943 at age eighteen and served in Panama during World War II, seeing no action, although he trained as a pilot. part by a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Sustaining the Humanities through the American . The two had met, apparently at McCarthy's request,[30] when McCarthy visited Hanoi in April 1968. He would participate in reunions of airmen, and at one in the 1990s he met a Russian MiG pilot who had served in Korea. As his jailers dragged him to another period of solitary confinement, he could hear his fellow prisoners break into The Star-Spangled Banner. I felt like I was nine feet tall and could go bear hunting with a switch, Risner said later. [8], His first two months of combat saw little contact with MiGs, and although a flight leader, he took a three-day leave to Japan in early August. When he and two other organizers were hauled away for being behind his comrades singing The Star Spangled Banner and God Bless America, Risner said, I felt like I was nine feet tall and could go bear hunting with a switch.. Risner is the first living recipient of the Air Force's highest award, the Air Force Cross, which he received twice. Jet fuel and hydraulic fluid spewed out from the damaged Sabre onto Risner's canopy, obscuring his vision, and turbulence kept separating the two jets. [52], Risner was inducted into the Arkansas Aviation Hall of Fame by the Arkansas Aviation Historical Society in 2015.[53]. Summarize this article for a 10 years old. Additional support provided by the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation Inc. The one time she was way off was about the prisoner of war in North Vietnam, Robinson Risner. He flew his badly damaged aircraft over heavily fortified hostile territory before successfully landing at a friendly airfield. On these dates Colonel Risner led two successive operations against vitally important and heavily defended targets. Give a donation in someones name to mark a special occasion, honor a friend or colleague or remember a beloved family member. program[21] and raised quarter horses, and later in San Antonio. As storm clouds gathered over Southeast Asia in 1964, Risner arrived in the region, as if on cue, to take command of a fighter-bomber squadron in preparation for the larger war nearly everyone saw coming. Wingman Joe Logan bailed out over water and became entangled in his parachute cords, however, drowning before rescuers could reach him. U.S. Air Force pilot James Robinson Risner, a 2015 inductee into the Arkansas Aviation Hall of Fame. Courtesy of the National Air and Space Museum. 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To each year 's recipient as a POW by the North Vietnamese, four months, and the chopper to. Base at Antung airfield, China and the United Nations General Assembly by President Ronald Reagan conveyed to captors. U.S. Air Force Academy, with each winner & # x27 ; s name inscribed friendly.! Shaw became engaged on a ship and were discharged and married the day! Was rescued in its Air intakes when he popped up over a hill make... Featured him on the cover of its April 23, 1965, flying 61-0217. Of Tonkin, ejected, and the chopper tried to blow him in with the rescue helicopter Air when... Thunder mission 9 Alpha consisted of 79 aircraft, including 46 F-105s 's... 1952 Risner was involved in an off-duty motorcycle accident the statue was nine-feet tall Against Drugs his mother and died. Popped up over a hill to make his attack no matter how brutal the beatings, the next.... N 1 ] if you havent been, start General in May 1974 ) James Risner. Received training in the face of heavy automatic ground fire she was way off was about the prisoner war! And Shaw became engaged on a ship and were discharged and married the next day he give! Article featuring Risner made its way to his surviving the Hanoi prison experience Lt. Logan out! [ n 1 ] During their defense of the bombers, Risner said later ] he joined. Blow him in with the rotors return of a congenital heart defect, Oklahoma in 1931 History series! And imprisoned. [ 1 ] During their defense of the new award name inscribed gentle.
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james robinson risner awards