US Air Force Lieutenant General. A World War II quadruple ace, he was a highly decorated fighter pilot who rose to become the vice commander of Tactical Air Command (now Air Combat Command) and Military Airlift Command (now Air Mobility Command). After completing high school, en enrolled at Texas Agriculture and Mining College and graduated with a commission as a 2nd lieutenant through the Reserve Officers Training Program. In February 1941 he entered active duty with the US Army Infantry but soon afterwards he transferred to the US Army Air Force and completed his pilot training at Randolph Field (now Randolph Air Force Base, part of Joint Base San Antonio), Texas and received his wings in July 1942. He was then assigned to the 55th Fighter Squadron, 20th Pursuit Group at Morris Field, North Carolina and Drew Field, Florida, transitioning to fighter aircraft. In October 1942 he joined the 80th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group, 5th Air Force, in the Southwest Pacific Theater of Operations. In January 1944 he became commander of the squadron and in September 1944 became deputy commander of the group. He flew 607 hours on 181 combat missions in P-39 and P-38 aircraft and scored 22 aerial victories, all of which were Japanese fighter-type aircraft. In February 1945 he returned to the US and was assigned as commander of the 434th Army Air Forces Base Unit at Santa Rosa Field, California until November 1945. He then served as squadron operations officer with the 412th Fighter Group (later redesignated 1st Fighter Group), at March Field (now March Air Reserve Base), California. In June 1947 he was assigned to Headquarters Tactical Air Command (TAC) at Langley Air Force Base (now Joint Base Langley-Eustis), Virginia, where he held key staff positions in plans and operations. In 1949 he served in operational posts in Headquarters 12th Air Force, Brooks Air Force Base, Texas (now closed). In 1950 he attended the Air Command and Staff School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama and after graduation in June, he returned to 12th Air Force. In August 1950 he was assigned as assistant chief, Tactical Air Operations Branch, Headquarters Continental Air Command, Mitchel Air Force Base, New York (now closed), and in January 1951, joined the operational staff of the newly established Air Defense Command at Ent Air Force Base, Colorado (now closed). In June 1953 he was assigned to Headquarters US Air Force in Washington DC and served as plans and programs officer of the War Plans Division, Directorate of Plans, and became a member of the Joint Strategic Plans Group of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. While in this position, he represented the Joint Chiefs of Staff on a special continental defense subcommittee of the National Security Council. From July 1957 until August 1961 he served as deputy commander and later commander of the 20th Tactical Fighter Wing in England. He then returned to the US and attended the National War College at Fort McNair, Washington DC. After graduating in July 1962 he became the Director of Flight Safety at Headquarters US Air Force. In January 1963 he became the Director of Aerospace Safety at Norton Air Force Base, California (now closed). In July 1965 he became commander of the 313th Air Division and in March 1967 he was assigned to Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii and served duty as the Chief of Staff, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces. In July 1968 he became commander of the 12th Air Force at Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas (now closed) and in February 1970 he was named vice commander of TAC at Langley, where he remained until August 1972 when he was appointed as vice commander of Military Airlift Command (now Air Mobility Command) at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. In September 1972, when Lieutenant General George B. Simler was killed in an airplane crash while on his way to assume the Commander-in-Chief of Military Airlift Command, he became its interim commander until a replacement was chosen shortly afterwards. He retired in that position in 1974, with 33 years of continuous military service. Among his military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Cross with 1 oak leaf cluster, the Distinguished Service Medal with 1 oak leaf cluster, the Silver Star with 1 oak leaf cluster, the Legion of Merit with 1 oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with 3 oak leaf clusters, the Air Medal with 6 oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal with 1 oak leaf cluster, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. He was a rated command pilot with nearly 5,000 flying hours, mostly in fighter-type aircraft. He died at the age of 81.