GENERAL CURTIS EMERSON LEMAY
Retired Feb. 1, 1965. Died Oct. 3, 1990.
Official USAF Photo

General Curtis Emerson LeMay is the fifth chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.

The general was born at Columbus, Ohio, in 1906. He attended Columbus public schools and Ohio State University. In 1928 he entered the armed services as a flying cadet. He completed pilot training at Kelly Field, Texas, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Air Corps Reserve in October 1929. He received a regular commission in January 1930.

The general's first tour of duty was with the 27th Pursuit Squadron at Selfridge Field, Mich. He served in various assignments in fighter operations before transferring to bomber aircraft in 1937. General LeMay participated in the first mass flight of B-17 Flying Fortresses to South America in 1938. This won for the 2nd Bomb Group the Mackay Trophy for outstanding aerial achievement (also on that mission was then Capt. Neil B. "Chick" Harding, future CO of the 100 th BG). Prior to U.S. entry into World War II, he pioneered air routes over the South Atlantic to Africa and over the North Atlantic to England.

General LeMay organized and trained the 305th Bombardment Group in 1942 and led that organization to combat in the European Theater. He developed formation procedures (The Combat Box) and bombing techniques that were used by B-17 bomber units throughout the European Theater of Operations. These fundamental procedures and techniques were later adapted to the B-29 Super Fortresses which fought the war to its conclusion in the Pacific.

As commanding general of the 3rd Bombardment Division, (England), he led the famed Regensburg raid on August 17, 1943, a B-17 shuttle mission that originated in England, struck deep in Germany and terminated in Africa. In July 1944 he was transferred to the Pacific to direct the B-29 heavy bombardment activities of the 20th Bomber Command in the China-Burma-India Theater. He later commanded the 21st Bomber Command with headquarters on Guam, and still later became chief of staff of the Strategic Air Forces in the Pacific. At the conclusion of World War II he returned to the United States piloting a B-29 Super Fortress on a non-stop record flight from Hokkaido, Japan, to Chicago, Ill.

The general's first post-war assignment was to Headquarters Air Materiel Command. He was then transferred to the Pentagon at Washington, D.C., to be the first deputy chief of air staff for research and development.

In October 1947 General LeMay was selected to command the U. S. Air Forces in Europe with headquarters at Wiesbaden, Germany. He organized air operations for the famous Berlin Airlift. A year later he returned to the United States, assumed command of the newly formed Strategic Air Command, and established its headquarters at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. This central location was to become the nerve center of a worldwide bomber-missile force.

The general built, from the remnants of World War II, an all jet bomber force, manned and supported by professional airmen dedicated to the preservation of peace. The general commanded SAC for nearly 10 years, and under his leadership and supervision, plans were laid for the development and integration of an intercontinental ballistic missile capability.

In July 1957 General LeMay was appointed vice chief of staff of the United States Air Force and served in that capacity until July 1961, at which time he was appointed chief of staff.

General LeMay graduated with a bachelor of civil engineering degree and is a distinguished alumnus of the College of Engineering, Ohio State University. He holds honorary doctor of laws degrees from John Carroll University, Kenyon College, the University of Southern California, Creighton University and the University of Akron. He also holds honorary doctor of science degrees from Tufts, Ohio State University and the University of Virginia, and an honorary doctor of engineering degree from Case Institute of Technology. His fraternal organizations include Sigma Tau, Tau Beta Pi and Theta Tau.

His distinguished service has won him many awards and decorations from his government, as well as from foreign governments. The United States has awarded him the Distinguished Service Cross, the Distinguished Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Distinguished Unit Citation with oak leaf cluster, the American Defense Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three service stars, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with four service stars, the World War II Victory Medal, the Army of Occupation Medal with the Berlin Airlift emblem, the Medal for Humane Action and the National Defense Service Medal.

His foreign decorations include the British Distinguished Flying Cross; the French Legion of Honor-Degree of Commander, and the Croix de Guerre with Palm; the Brazilian Order of the Southern Cross, and the Order of Aeronautical Merit, the Russian Order of Patriotic War-1st Degree; the Belgian Croix de Guerre with Palm; the Moroccan Oissam Alaouite, the Chilean Order of Merit and Medalla Militar de Primera Clase; the Argentinean Order of Aeronautical Merit--Grade of Grand Official and Grade of Grand Cross; the Swedish Commander of the Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Sword; the Ecuadorian Order of Aeronautical Merit (Knight Commander) and the Uruguayan Aviador Militar Honoris Causa (Piloto Commandante).

General LeMay was an active, jet qualified command pilot. He also holds the aeronautical ratings of aircraft observer, combat observer and technical observer.

GEN. CURTIS E. LEMAY
3RD AIR DIVISION COMMANDER
RESTRICTED
HEADQUARTERS 3D BOMBARDMENT DIVISION
APO 559

23 April 1944

SUBJECT: Commendation
TO:Commanding Officer, 100th Bombardment Group (H), AAF Station 139, APO 559. U. S. Army

It is my pleasure and privilege officially to commend the officers and men of the 100th Bombardment Group (H) and all units serving therewith for their outstanding achievement in successfully completing between 25 June 1943 and 13 April 1944 one hundred (100) heavy bombardment missions against the enemy. Carrying the war home to Germany with unprecedented fury in spite of the world's most concentrated anti-aircraft and fighter defenses, our bombers and crews are gradually, but inevitably, breaking the Nazi war machine and the enemy's will to fight.

In less than three weeks, from 4 to 24 July 1943, your bombers wrought considerable destruction on the U-boat pens at La Pallice, the repair factory and air depot at Le Bourget, Paris, and the U-boat and refueling base at Trondhein, Norway, where in on minute three years of the enemy's work was blasted to ruin. At Regensburg, on 17 Aug 1943, the ME-109 plant, producing one-third of Germany's fighter planes, was destroyed. Results on the Arado FW-190 factory on 9 October 1943 proved that Marienburg was one of the best daylight bombings jobs of the war. Accuracy again characterized your bombing at Schweinfurt on 14 October 1943, wrecking the works producing about sixty-five percent (65%) of Germany's ball bearings. Requiring expert navigation to strike a small, distant target, on 16 November 1943, the 100th Group combined with others in crippling seriously the hydro-electric plant at Rjukan, Norway, an important source of vital chemicals for Nazi munitions. With utmost skill, severe damage was inflicted upon the Bauer and Schauerte works, a target of opportunity, at Nouse, on 5 January 1944, which supplied the enemy with about fifty percent (50%) of its high quality bolts and nuts. On 4 March 1944, refusing to be turned back when all the 1st Bombardment Division and twelve (12) Groups of this Division were unable to get through, the 100th Group with three others pushed on to Berlin for the first daylight bombardment of that target by American heavy bombers, a feat which already has been heralded as a turning point in the devastating aerial assault against Germany. After participating in four additional attacks on Berlin on 6, 8, 9 and 22 March 1944, the 100th proved its great endurance and fortitude from 26 March to 13 April 1944 by sending its bombers and crews aloft for ten (10) successive missions in eighteen (18) days.

The success of your bombing operations testifies indisputably to the meticulous care with which the missions have been planned and executed and to the discipline, skill and gallantry of your combat and ground personnel. Commended alike are the officers and men now present for duty and those whose absence is keenly regretted. To you and them are due eternal praise and gratitude for heroic accomplishment in battles well fought, worth of the highest traditions of the Army of the Unites States.

I am confident that you will bring added honor to yourselves and your country in the future great air engagements which must be fought to bring our common endeavor to a victorious conclusion.

CURTIS E. Le MAY
Major General, U.S. Army
Commanding
RESTRICTED