The Aero Club of Southern California (ACSC) has announced that it will present the Howard Hughes Memorial Award to Richard “Dick” Rutan in a virtual ceremony next month. Born in 1938, Rutan joined the U.S. Air Force after high school, going on to fly 325 combat missions in the Vietnam War and earn decorations and medals including the Silver Star, five Distinguished Flying Crosses, 16 Air Medals and the Purple Heart. Following his retirement from the service in 1978 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Rutan went on to pilot the first nonstop, unrefueled flight around the world in 1986 and has set multiple aviation records over the course of his career.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/air-shows-events/dick-rutan-to-receive-howard-hughes-memorial-award