US Air Force General. He received his early education in the public schools of South Carolina and Georgia, and studied for a year at the Marion Military Institute, Marion, Alabama. He was then appointed to attend the US Military Academy at West Point, New York, graduating in 1931. After completing his flying training with the Army Air Corps, he became a flying instructor. When the United States entered World War II, he had already been promoted to the rank of colonel and was the chief of staff for flight training at Army Air Corps Headquarters in Washington DC. In July 1942, he joined the Air Corps Advisory Council and served on the staff of General Henry "Hap" Arnold, Chief of Staff of the Army Air Force, and was directly involved with the planning of the invasion of Europe and actively participated in the meeting between President Franklin Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in Casablanca, Morocco, in 1943. He was awarded the Legion of Merit for his services. In 1943, he was assigned to the 9th Bomber Command in the Middle East. He was the architect of Operation Tidal Wave, in which 178 B-24 Liberator heavy bombers flew a 2,400-mile round trip from their bases near Benghazi, Libya, to perform a low-level bombing raid on the oil refineries at Ploiesti, Romania, on 1 August 1943. Although nearly 40 percent of the oil refineries were destroyed, it took a heavy toll on US aircraft with 55 planes lost and another 50 were severely damaged. For his planning efforts, he received the Distinguished Service Medal. He returned to the United States to attend the Army-Navy Staff College, graduating in February 1944. He then joined the 15th Air Force in the Mediterranean Theater, commanding the 97th Bomb Group in Italy. He was allowed to fly bombing missions over enemy territory despite his knowledge of top secret issues, such as plans for the Normandy invasion. On May 10, 1944, his 29th mission, his B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft was on a mission to bomb aircraft factories near Wiener Neustadt, Austria, when his aircraft was hit be anti-aircraft fire and exploded, he was thrown from the aircraft and managed to engage his parachute despite the shrapnel wounds he received from the explosion. After landing, he was captured by German forces and held as a prisoner of war until freed by General George S. Patton's Army in April 1945. While held prisoner, he managed to evade all questions from his interrogators and divulged no information concerning his top secret knowledge. He was repatriated to the United States and returned to duty as a top aide to General Arnold, continuing in that role as the US Air Force was officially formed in 1947. He attended the National War College, graduating in June 1950, and was assigned to Stewart Air Force Base (now Stewart Air National Guard Base), New York, where he commanded the 32nd Air Division, and later became the vice commander of the eastern Air Defense Force. During the Korean War, he served as deputy for operations in the Far East Air Force and flew several sorties and was injured. In June 1955, he was assigned to Headquarters Air Force in Washington DC, where he was assistant vice chief of staff. In September 1959, he became the commander of 12th Air Force, Tactical Air Command. and was promoted to vice commander of Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, in January 1960. In August 1961, he was assigned as the commander in chief of the Pacific Air Forces at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, until August 1963, with promotion to the rank of general on 5 June 1963. He became the deputy commander in chief of the US European Command in July 1964, serving in that position until July 1966, when he retired with 35 years of continuous active military duty with the Army Air Corps and Air Force. His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Cross, the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters. After his military retirement, he served as an administrator with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for several years, where he worked on the Hubbell Space Telescope project. He died from congestive heart failure.

US Air Force General. He received his early education in the public schools of South Carolina and Georgia, and studied for a year at the Marion Military Institute, Marion, Alabama. He was then appointed to attend the US Military Academy at West Point, New York, graduating in 1931. After completing his flying training with the Army Air Corps, he became a flying instructor. When the United States entered World War II, he had already been promoted to the rank of colonel and was the chief of staff for flight training at Army Air Corps Headquarters in Washington DC. In July 1942, he joined the Air Corps Advisory Council and served on the staff of General Henry "Hap" Arnold, Chief of Staff of the Army Air Force, and was directly involved with the planning of the invasion of Europe and actively participated in the meeting between President Franklin Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in Casablanca, Morocco, in 1943. He was awarded the Legion of Merit for his services. In 1943, he was assigned to the 9th Bomber Command in the Middle East. He was the architect of Operation Tidal Wave, in which 178 B-24 Liberator heavy bombers flew a 2,400-mile round trip from their bases near Benghazi, Libya, to perform a low-level bombing raid on the oil refineries at Ploiesti, Romania, on 1 August 1943. Although nearly 40 percent of the oil refineries were destroyed, it took a heavy toll on US aircraft with 55 planes lost and another 50 were severely damaged. For his planning efforts, he received the Distinguished Service Medal. He returned to the United States to attend the Army-Navy Staff College, graduating in February 1944. He then joined the 15th Air Force in the Mediterranean Theater, commanding the 97th Bomb Group in Italy. He was allowed to fly bombing missions over enemy territory despite his knowledge of top secret issues, such as plans for the Normandy invasion. On May 10, 1944, his 29th mission, his B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft was on a mission to bomb aircraft factories near Wiener Neustadt, Austria, when his aircraft was hit be anti-aircraft fire and exploded, he was thrown from the aircraft and managed to engage his parachute despite the shrapnel wounds he received from the explosion. After landing, he was captured by German forces and held as a prisoner of war until freed by General George S. Patton's Army in April 1945. While held prisoner, he managed to evade all questions from his interrogators and divulged no information concerning his top secret knowledge. He was repatriated to the United States and returned to duty as a top aide to General Arnold, continuing in that role as the US Air Force was officially formed in 1947. He attended the National War College, graduating in June 1950, and was assigned to Stewart Air Force Base (now Stewart Air National Guard Base), New York, where he commanded the 32nd Air Division, and later became the vice commander of the eastern Air Defense Force. During the Korean War, he served as deputy for operations in the Far East Air Force and flew several sorties and was injured. In June 1955, he was assigned to Headquarters Air Force in Washington DC, where he was assistant vice chief of staff. In September 1959, he became the commander of 12th Air Force, Tactical Air Command. and was promoted to vice commander of Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, in January 1960. In August 1961, he was assigned as the commander in chief of the Pacific Air Forces at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, until August 1963, with promotion to the rank of general on 5 June 1963. He became the deputy commander in chief of the US European Command in July 1964, serving in that position until July 1966, when he retired with 35 years of continuous active military duty with the Army Air Corps and Air Force. His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Cross, the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters. After his military retirement, he served as an administrator with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for several years, where he worked on the Hubbell Space Telescope project. He died from congestive heart failure.

Bio by: William Bjornstad