Toppins is considered one of the best pilots to have emerged from the Tuskegee program. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with 5 clusters, a Victory Medal, an Eastern Theater Offensive Ribbon with 7 battle stars, and an American Defense recognition. Known among by his peers as a "pilot's pilot" and "almost a daredevil," Toppins completed 141 missions, destroying four enemy aircraft with one probable. Toppins, "Buddy" Lee Archer, and Joseph Elsberry each destroyed four enemy aircraft during World War II aerial missions in Europe. None of these Tuskegee Airmen were officially credited with the coveted fifth “kill” which would place a fighter pilot in the “ace” category. Black Past. "BLACK HISTORY MONTH, 2014: THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN ON BLACKPAST.ORG." https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/tuskegee-airmen-blackpast-org/ “TUSKEGEE EXPERIENCE”. Theopolis W. Johnson. https://www.tuskegee.edu/Content/Uploads/Tuskegee/files/TuskegeeExperience(1).pdf Francis, Charles E. The Tuskegee Airmen. Boston: Bruce Humpries, Inc., 1955. pp. 92, 194. "Tuskegee Airmen Ace of World War II, Dies." CBS News, January 29, 2010. Retrieved: December 25, 2012. The History Channel. "Dogfights: The First Tuskegee Ace of WWII.". Feb 17, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr7nzvwm2Z4 Stardust Studios. “Red Tails.” https://www.starduststudios.com/tuskegee-airmen-332nd-fighter-group.html
