World Food Prize Ambassador Quinn - Awards

Bausch and Lomb Science Award

kquinn@worldfoodprize.org (World Food Prize Ambassador Quinn) — Fri, 01 Jan 1960 00:00:00 +0000

Ambassador Quinn was presented this award at Wahlert High School in Dubuque, Iowa for being judged as the most outstanding science student in the Senior Class.

Chicago Tribune Silver Scholastic Award

kquinn@worldfoodprize.org (World Food Prize Ambassador Quinn) — Mon, 01 Feb 1960 00:00:00 +0000

Ambassador Quinn was presented this award at Wahlert High School in Dubuque, Iowa for having the highest grade point average among all ROTC cadets. During his senior year, Ambassador Quinn was chosen to be the Cadet Colonel and Battalion Commander of the entire ROTC Corps of Cadets.

American Legion Medal

kquinn@worldfoodprize.org (World Food Prize Ambassador Quinn) — Sun, 01 May 1960 00:00:00 +0000

Ambassador Quinn was presented this award for being the top student in military subjects at Wahlert High School during his senior year.

State Department Vietnam Service Medal

kquinn@worldfoodprize.org (World Food Prize Ambassador Quinn) — Wed, 01 Oct 1969 00:00:00 +0000

Ambassador Quinn received this medal for his service as a Foreign Service Officer in Vietnam from 1968 to 1974 during the Vietnam War.

U.S. Consulate General Can Tho, Superior Honor Award

kquinn@worldfoodprize.org (World Food Prize Ambassador Quinn) — Mon, 08 Oct 1973 00:00:00 +0000

Ambassador Quinn was presented this award by the U.S. Consul General for his exceptional political reporting while stationed along the Cambodian border in Chau Doc Province of South Vietnam. Among his reports was his landmark Airgram, submitted in February 1974, in which he was the first person in the world to outline the genocidal plans and programs of the radical Khmer Rouge communists. Of the 16 State Department officers deployed in the Mekong Delta following the January 1973 ceasefire, Ambassador Quinn was recognized by the Consul General as the “finest” reporting officer.

The National Security Council: The White House | Meritorious Honor Award

kquinn@worldfoodprize.org (World Food Prize Ambassador Quinn) — Thu, 01 Jan 1976 00:00:00 +0000

Ambassador Quinn was personally presented this recognition by General Brent Scowcroft, National Security Advisor to the President, in a ceremony in the West Wing of the White House. He received this award for his exceptional role in arranging for thousands of refugees to escape from South Vietnam as the country collapsed during the war in April 1975. Ambassador Quinn was a part of the Presidential Mission sent to Saigon just four weeks before the North Vietnamese forces seized the capital on April 30th, 1975. Seeing no action by the Ambassador nor plan to evacuate refugees, Quinn put in place a secret, unauthorized plan to assist and rescue the most endangered individuals. Then returning to Washington, he personally requested and obtained the President’s approval to begin the evacuation, which eventually led to thousands of endangered persons escaping from the country.

U.S. State Department Superior Honor Award

kquinn@worldfoodprize.org (World Food Prize Ambassador Quinn) — Sun, 01 Jan 1978 00:00:00 +0000

Ambassador Quinn was presented this award by Assistant Secretary Richard Holbrooke for his key role in identifying and successfully prosecuting two persons engaged in espionage against the United States. He worked closely with the Department of Justice while interacting directly with one of the spies whom he identified. Ambassador Quinn was the chief government witness in federal court, and his testimony led to the conviction of both spies for espionage.

American Foreign Service Association William R. Rivkin Award

kquinn@worldfoodprize.org (World Food Prize Ambassador Quinn) — Mon, 01 Oct 1979 00:00:00 +0000

Ambassador Quinn was presented this award by the American Foreign Service Association for “his extraordinary contributions to the practice of diplomacy, exemplified by his intellectual courage and a zeal for creative dissent.” Quinn led the Group of 46, a band of mid-level Foreign Service Officers concerned about declining excellence in the State Department, that confronted the Secretary of State in his office with a list of grievances. This protest led to the enactment of the completely revised 1980 Foreign Service Act, which enshrined a renewed commitment to excellence as the basis for promotion and job selection throughout the Foreign Service.

State of Iowa Employee of the Month

kquinn@worldfoodprize.org (World Food Prize Ambassador Quinn) — Fri, 01 Jan 1982 00:00:00 +0000

Ambassador Quinn was presented this award by Iowa Governor Robert D. Ray for his role in multiple important events, including his decisive actions during the Fort Madison prison riot; advocacy on behalf of the Vietnamese Boat People refugees; coordinating security during the visit of Pope John Paul II; and leadership as the Director of the Iowa SHARES relief campaign for Cambodian genocide victims, which raised money to rush life-saving food, medicine and Iowan doctors and nurses to the Cambodian-Thailand border. Quinn served from 1978 to 1982 as an Administrative Assistant to the Governor while on assignment from the State Department.

National Guard Bureau Eagle Award

kquinn@worldfoodprize.org (World Food Prize Ambassador Quinn) — Fri, 01 Oct 1982 00:00:00 +0000

Nominated by Iowa Adjutant General Robert Gilbert, Ambassador Quinn was presented the Pentagon’s National Guard Bureau’s highest civilian recognition for his leadership in reforming the Iowa National Guard and recruiting a new leadership team that reversed a period of scandal and decline.