US Air Force General. He was the former commander of Pacific Air Forces, Air Mobility Command, and the United States Transportation Command. After graduating from Luling High School in 1957 where he was an outstanding athlete, he attended Southwest Texas State University in Marcos, Texas and entered their Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Program. In 1961 he earned a Bachelor's Degree in business administration as well as a distinguished graduate from ROTC and entered the US Air Force where he and attended undergraduate pilot training at Reese Air Force Base, Texas and was soon assigned as an instructor pilot. In 1964 he graduated from the Squadron Officer School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama and from October 1966 to April 1967, he was a F-4 Phantom pilot with the 479th Tactical Fighter Wing, at George Air Force Base, California. In April 1967 he was assigned to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida and served as was an F-4 aircraft commander with the 4th Tactical Fighter Squadron until July 1967 when he was transferred to Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, and performed duty as a Phantom commander with the 435th Tactical Fighter Squadron until May 1968. During this time he flew 161 combat missions in Vietnam, including 101 over North Vietnam. He then returned to the US where he became the operations staff officer, Airspace and Air Traffic Control Division, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Headquarters Air Training Command, at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. In January 1971 he attended the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia, graduating in July 1971. He then served as the staff officer, Colonels Group, Directorate of Personnel, at Headquarters US Air Force, Washington, DC until May 1972, when he became the chief, critical skill management division, of the Colonels Group. From May 1973 to February 1975, he was assigned as the chief, Regular General Officer Assignment Division, Directorate of Personnel, Headquarters Air Force. In February 1975 he was a T-38 instructor pilot and commander of the 71st Flying Training Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, and from September 1975 to July 1978, he served in multiple positions at Moody, first as the deputy commander for operations, 38th Flying Training Wing, then as assistant deputy commander for operations, 347th Tactical Fighter Wing, then as commander of the 339th Tactical Fighter Squadron, and finally as commander of the 347th Combat Support Group. In August 1978 he attended the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, graduating in July 1979 and he also he earned a Master's Degree in business administration at Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama in the same year. In July 1979 he was assigned to Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, where he served as the deputy colonel for operations, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, followed in June 1980 with an assignment to Kadena Air Base, Japan, as the vice commander, 18th Tactical Fighter Wing, then the commander, 18th Tactical Fighter Group, and finally the commander, 18th Tactical Fighter Wing. In September 1982 he returned to the US and became the vice commander, Air Force Military Personnel Center, and assistant deputy chief of staff for military personnel at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, and was promoted to the rank of brigadier general. From September 1983 to January 1985 he was the commander of the Air Force Recruiting Service, and deputy chief of staff for recruiting, Headquarters Air Training Command at Randolph. In January 1985 he returned to Headquarters US Air Force to become the deputy director of programs and evaluation, director of manpower and organization, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Programs and Resources, during which time he was promoted to the rank of major general. In 1986 he graduated from the National and International Security Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government. In March 1987 he was assigned to Ramstein Air Base, Germany where he served as the deputy chief of staff for operations, and deputy director of operations for the European Air Combat Operations Staff, Headquarters United States Air Forces in Europe, and from April 1988 to October 1989, he became the commander of the 17th Air Force, Allied Sector Three, and Allied Tactical Operations Center, at Sembach Air Base, Germany. In October 1989 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general and he returned to the US to become the deputy chief of staff for programs and resources, deputy chief of staff for productivity and programs, at Headquarters US Air Force. Between May 1991 and May 1992 he served as the vice commander of the Military Airlift Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois and from May 1992 to October 1994 he was assigned to Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii where he served as the vice commander, and then commander of the Pacific Air Forces, during which time he was promoted to the rank of general. In October 1994 he was assigned back to Scott Air Force Base and served as the commander in chief for the United States Transportation Command and Air Mobility Command, during which time he directed airlift humanitarian missions in Rwanda, Bangladesh, and Croatia. In 1996, he retired at the rank of general with 35 years of continued active military service. Among his military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with one oak leaf cluster, the Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Air Medal with eleven oak leaf clusters, the Vietnam Service Medal with two service stars, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with palm, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. During his Air Force career he attained over 4,000 flying hours in various Air Force airlift, tanker, fighter, and trainer aircraft. He died of natural causes at the age of 74.