US Air Force General. He rose in rank to become the Commander of Air Mobility Command, located at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. He began his military career when he enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1940, graduating with a commission as a second lieutenant in May 1941. During World War II, he was the commander of the 777th Bombardment Squadron in Italy, where he flew 35 combat missions in B-24 Liberator aircraft. CA. During the Korean War, he was the commander of the 3rd Bombardment Group at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, from where he flew 65 combat missions in B-26 Marauder bomber aircraft. Following the Korean War, he did a toud of duty at the Pentagon in Washigton DC, then was assigned to Headquarters US Air Forces in Europe. Following several stateside tours, he served in South Vietnam where he organized the airlift effort, then reactivated and commanded the 834th Air Division at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, where he had the overall responsibility for all tactical airlift operations in Vietnam. In February 1970, he became commander of the 22nd Air Force, Military Airlift Command, at Travis Air Force Base CA, where he flew over 900 hours in the C-141 Starlifter aircraft. It was during this time that the US Air Force's largest aircraft, the C-5 Galaxy, entered the Military Airlift Command inventory and a C-5 airlift squadron was activated at Travis AFB. In September 1972, he became the commander of the 13th Air Force at Clark AB Philippines, Pacific Command, where he oversaw the return of the American prisoners of war from Hanoi, North Viet Nam. He was then assigned as Chief of Staff, Pacific Command, in October 1973, where he participated in the planning and execution of the evacuation of American forces from Phnom Penh (Operation Eagle Pull) and Saigon (Operation Frequent Wind), Operation Babylift, Operation New Life, the resupply of Cambodia, and the USS Mayaguez operation. In October 1976, he became the assistant Vice Chief of Staff United States Air Force, with the additional duty of senior Air Force member, Military Staff Committee, United Nations. He was nominated for his 4th star which was confirmed by the Senate on 1 April 1977 and assumed the duty of Commander, Military Airlift Command (now Air Mobility Command) at Scott Air Force Base IL, where he served until he retired 1979, with 38 years of continuous military service. Among his military decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal (with two oak leaf clusters), the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit (with four oak leaf clusters), the Distinguished Flying Cross (with one oak leaf cluster), the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Air Medal (with nine oak leaf clusters), and the Croix de Guerre (with palm). Afterwards, he became president of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority in Nashville, Tennessee and was active in many charities and received numerous civic awards. He died at the age of 81.