MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- The Order of Daedalians hosted an event honoring the heritage and legacy of retired Air Force Maj. Gen. James “Jimmy” Stewart at the Maxwell Club, on Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, July 22, 2021.
Daedalian national commander, retired Maj. Gen. Jerrold Allen, recognized Stewart as a Daedalian Distinguished Colleague during the event.
“Maj. Gen. Jimmy Stewart epitomized the tenets of the Deadalians,” said Allen. “He has certainly earned Daedalian recognition as a distinguished aviator.”
Founders’ Flight, the local chapter of Daedalians, organized the event with support from Daedalians’ National Headquarters in San Antonio, Texas.
The Order of Daedalians is a fraternal organization made up of a range of commissioned aviators across the U.S. military. The organization encourages and inspires youth to pursue aviation by providing opportunities for flight training.
While the Order of Daedalians regularly hosts events to honor and commemorate Air Force history, this type of recognition is rare and exciting.
“Most folks know Jimmy Stewart for his amazing roles as an actor, but we want to recognize his accomplishments as an aviator and an officer,” said Maj. Travis Neal, Daedalians Founders’ Flight flight captain and KC-135 Stratotanker pilot. “Not only was he a selfless and skilled pilot, but he was the kind of officer that people wanted to follow. His prowess as an aviator and his character as an officer embody what it means to be a Daedalian.
Stewart’s daughter, Kelly Stewart Harcourt, expressed her family’s appreciation for their father’s recognition at the event.
“I, my brother Mike and my sister Judy, are beyond thrilled and honored by this tribute to our father and we know that he would feel exactly the same way,” said Stewart Harcourt. “It is especially meaningful to us because the two aspects of dad’s life that he held closest to his heart, almost sacred, were flying and his military service.”