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OMAR N. BRADLEY “SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENCE” AWARD
2024 Recipient: General Bryan P. Fenton
This prestigious award has been given out annually at the Independence Bowl after the Sports Foundation directors decided to recognize an outstanding American citizen with the “Spirit of Independence Award”. The first recipient was General Omar N. Bradley, the only living five-star general in the United States at that time. The following year, and until his death, General Bradley presented the “Spirit of Independence Award” to his fellow recipients. After his death, the General’s name was added to the award.
Since the award’s inception, this honor has been bestowed upon outstanding American citizens, or organizations, which symbolize the spirit of freedom and independence on which our country was founded.
Following are the recipients of the Spirit of Independence Award, by year:
1977: General Omar N. Bradley
1978: John Wayne
1979: Bob Hope
1980: Paul Harvey
1981: President Ronald Reagan
1982: Art Linkletter
1983: Danny Thomas
1984: U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, Demonstration Squadron
1985: Vietnam Veterans
1986: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
1987: Brigadier General (USAF Retired) Charles E. Yeager
1988: Coach Eddie Robinson
1989: Harlem Globetrotters
1990: Boy Scouts of America
1991: Barksdale Air Force Base
1992: Shriner’s Hospital for Children
1993: Sandra Day O’Connor
1994: YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Assoc.)
1995: American Red Cross
1996: Veterans of Foreign Wars
1997: Fallen Law Enforcement Officers
1998: Firefighters of America
1999: World War II Veterans
2000: General Gabriel P. Disosway
2001: Heroes of New York City
2002: Congressional Medal of Honor Society
2003: Hal Sutton
2004: General Tommy Franks
2005: General Russel Honore
2006: General Harold Moore
2007: Shreveport-Bossier Community Renewal
2008: Team Hoyt
2009: National Football Foundation
2010: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
2011: General Charles C. “Hondo” Campbell
2012: Wounded Warrior Project®
2013: Doolittle Raiders
2014: Tuskegee Airmen
2015: Berlin Airlift Veterans
2016: Veterans of the Battle of Chosin Reservoir
2017: Jacob Schick, USMC (ret.)
2018: Brigadier General Jeannie M. Leavitt
2019: Lieutenant General James M. Kowalski, USAF (ret.)
2021: Lieutenant General Joseph M. Cosumano, USA (ret.)
2022: Veterans of Operation Senior Surprise
2023: Women Airfare Service Pilots
2024: General Bryan P. Fenton
Independence Bowl Foundation
425 Ashley Ridge Blvd, Suite 360, Shreveport, LA 71106 | P.O. Box 6834, Shreveport, LA 71136
318.221.0712 | 888.414.BOWL | info@independencebowl.org