International Order of Characters

History

In the South Pacific theater, in the early days of World War II, a United States Army Air Forces flight surgeon, Captain James E. Crane, organized a group of American and Allied pilots under his care into a fraternal order that came to be called the International Order of Characters. At their induction into the order, each member received a private nickname known only to the other members. The private nicknames soon became public call-signs for the aviators as they recovered and returned to the war. By 1943, the IOC had grown to nearly one thousand members, but activity in the order stopped when Crane was reassigned to the United States.

In the early 1950s, Dr. Crane, then a flight examiner for the Federal Aviation Administration, reactivated the IOC at the urging of former members. The reborn IOC became an education foundation that provided scholarships and grants to children of deceased or disabled pilots as well as to former members of the armed forces who studied for a degree in aviation-related fields of research.

Publications

The order publishes the IOC Memorial Log commemorating those friends, family, or IOC members that have died. The Memorial Log is presented at every meeting of the IOC.

Conferences

The IOC typically hosts two meeting a year—an aviation symposium in the spring and a meeting in the fall. These events have been held at locations throughout the world.

Awards

During its annual meetings, the IOC recognizes aviation personalities and aviation achievement with the following trophies. The IOC trophies are awarded on the basis of achievement in aviation, aerospace and associated fields of activity. Recipients are not required to be IOC members.

Aero Space Trophy Award

Recipients of the IOC Aero Space Trophy Award include:

Character of the Year Award

Recipients of the IOC Character of the Year Award include:

Pilot of the Year Award

Recipients of the IOC Pilot of the Year Award include:

Scholarship fund

The IOC Scholarship Fund provides educational assistance to the descendants of pilots and to those pursuing careers in aviation or related industries. The IOC also provides funding to organizations that issue individual scholarships to deserving candidates in fields related to aviation and other technology industries.

Notable members

The following is an incomplete list of notable individuals who are or were members of the IOC. If available, the individual's IOC nickname is also shown.