Hale, Willis Henry, Maj Gen

Deceased
 
 Service Photo   Service Details
109 kb
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Final Rank
Major General
Last AFSC
AAF MOS 1060-Bombardment Unit Commander
Last AFSC Group
Pilot (Officer)
Primary Unit
1942-1942, 2, VII Bomber Command
Service Years
1917 - 1952
Major General

 Last Photo   Personal Details 

287 kb


Home State
Kansas
Kansas
Year of Birth
1893
 
This Military Service Page was created/owned by SSgt Robert Bruce McClelland, Jr. to remember Hale, Willis Henry, Maj Gen USAF(Ret).

If you knew or served with this Airman and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
 
Contact Info
Home Town
Pittsburg, Kansas
Last Address
Sonoma, California
Date of Passing
Mar 24, 1961
 

 Official Badges 

Headquarters Air Force Commander Air Force Retired


 Unofficial Badges 

Cold War Medal




 Additional Information
Last Known Activity:

The location of his remains is unknown.

His Navy Cross citation:

Awarded for actions during World War II

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Major General Willis H. Hale (ASN: 19A), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism and courageous devotion to duty as Commanding General of the SEVENTH Air Force, U.S. Army Air Forces, while leading a heavy Bombardment Squadron during attacks against strongly held enemy bases on Nauru Island and the Tarawa Island during the period 20 to 23 April 1943. Participating in a daring flight over enemy-controlled territory, Major General Hale led his squadron in a brilliantly executed bombing attack upon securely fortified enemy positions and succeeded in inflicting severe damage upon Japanese personnel and material. His forceful and inspiring leadership throughout a vital and hazardous mission, and his superior airmanship combined with the gallant fighting spirit of his command, reflect great credit upon the United States Armed Service.

Action Date: April 20 - 23, 1943

Service: Army Air Forces

Rank: Major General

Company: Commanding General

Division: 7th Air Force

   
Other Comments:

Sources:
USAF bio
http://www.dmairfield.org/20091022_HaleBiog_Nelson.pdf
http://pwencycl.kgbudge.com/H/a/Hale_WH.htm
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=52530529
http://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient.php?recipientid=20482 

   

  1926-1941, United States Army Air Corps (USAAC)

Colonel
From Month/Year
July / 1926
To Month/Year
June / 1941
Unit
United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) Unit Page
Rank
Colonel
AFSC/MOS
Not Specified
Base, Station or City
Not Specified
State/Country
Not Specified
   
 Patch
 United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) Details

United States Army Air Corps (USAAC)
The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the military aviation arm of the United States of America between 1926 and 1941. The statutory administrative forerunner of the United States Air Force, it was renamed from the earlier United States Army Air Service on 2 July 1926 and part of the larger United States Army. The Air Corps was the immediate predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), established on 20 June 1941. Although discontinued as an administrative echelon during World War II, the Air Corps (AC) remained as one of the combat arms of the Army until 1947, when it was legally abolished by legislation establishing the Department of the Air Force. The Air Corps was renamed by the United States Congress largely as a compromise between the advocates of a separate air arm and those of the traditionalist Army high command who viewed the aviation arm as an auxiliary branch to support the ground forces. Although its members worked to promote the concept of air power and an autonomous air force between the years between the world wars, its primary purpose by Army policy remained support of ground forces rather than independent operations. On 1 March 1935, still struggling with the issue of a separate air arm, the Army activated the General Headquarters Air Force for centralized control of aviation combat units within the continental United States, separate from but coordinate with the Air Corps. The separation of the Air Corps from control of its combat units caused problems of unity of command that became more acute as the Air Corps enlarged in preparation for World War II. This was resolved by the creation of the Army Air Forces (AAF), making both organizations subordinate to the new higher echelon. The Air Corps ceased to have an administrative structure after 9 March 1942, but as "the permanent statutory organization of the air arm, and the principal component of the Army Air Forces," the overwhelming majority of personnel assigned to the AAF were members of the Air Corps.
Type
HQ/ Command Element
 
Parent Unit
Major Commands
Strength
Command
Created/Owned By
Not Specified
   

Last Updated: Feb 20, 2023
   
   
Yearbook
 
My Photos For This Unit
No Available Photos
238 Members Also There at Same Time
United States Army Air Corps (USAAC)

Adams, Hughie Darell, Maj, (1941-1964) [Other Service Rank]
Alexander, Lynn, TSgt, (1940-1970) [Other Service Rank]
Bell, Hardy Lee, CMSgt, (1940-1966) [Other Service Rank]
Bertrandias, Victor Emile, Maj Gen, (1917-1955) [Other Service Rank]
Bowman, Charles Henry, Lt Col, (1939-1944) A33 AAF MOS 770 [Other Service Rank]
Brown, Leroy F., MSgt, (1929-1958) [Other Service Rank]
Chapman, Leonard John, MSgt, (1928-1959) 00 [Other Service Rank]
Craw, Demas Thurlow, Col, (1918-1942) A33 AAF MOS 770 [Other Service Rank]
Crook, John Marshall, Lt Col, (1938-1958) [Other Service Rank]
Douglas, Paul Page, Brig Gen, (1941-1970) [Other Service Rank]
Fincher, Deltis Herman, Maj, (1941-1952) [Other Service Rank]
Garrison, Eskelle Victor, Lt Col, (1940-1963) [Other Service Rank]
Grismore, George Willard, Capt, (1938-1945) [Other Service Rank]
Haskell, Willard Lincoln, SSgt, (1940-1945) A25 AAF MOS 177 [Other Service Rank]
Haynes, Nathan C., Capt, (1941-1950) [Other Service Rank]
Hewes, Vernard A., SSgt, (1936-1956) [Other Service Rank]
Hiatt, William Holmes, Maj, (1941-1950) [Other Service Rank]
Hill, Ployer Peter, Maj, (1918-1935) [Other Service Rank]
Hooe, Roy W., MSgt, (1920-1950) [Other Service Rank]
Hornsby, Thomas William, Col, (1937-1964) [Other Service Rank]
Kaczmarczyk, Alexander T., Sgt, (1939-1942) [Other Service Rank]
Kegelman, Charles Clark, Col, (1936-1945) A33 AAF MOS 770 [Other Service Rank]
Kelly, Oakley George, Col, (1917-1948) [Other Service Rank]
Lacy, Lucius Gleason, Lt Col, (1940-1963) [Other Service Rank]
Ledbetter, Warren G., CWO4, (1936-1962) [Other Service Rank]
Lozito, Vincent James, Col, (1940-1972) [Other Service Rank]
Malone, James H., Cpl [Other Service Rank]
McKennon, Pierce Winningham, Maj, (1942-1947) [Other Service Rank]
Michael, Edward Stanley, Lt Col, (1940-1971) 00 [Other Service Rank]
Millett, Lewis Lee, Col, (1938-1973) A07 AAF MOS 611 [Other Service Rank]
Mrizek, Emil August, Lt Col, (1935-1955) [Other Service Rank]
Nichols, Pershing Loveland, MSgt, (1940-1945) [Other Service Rank]
Olbinski, Joseph M., Capt, (1941-1944) [Other Service Rank]
Petrovich, John R., Lt Col, (1938-1968) [Other Service Rank]
Seidenberg, Jack L., (1938-1968) [Other Service Rank]
Sluder, Amos Leslie, Maj, (1940-1950) [Other Service Rank]
Stockdale, James Walton, MSgt, (1939-1963) [Other Service Rank]
Stramare, Arthur Charles, MSgt, (1939-1960) [Other Service Rank]
Tibbets, Paul Warfield, Brig Gen, (1937-1966) [Other Service Rank]
Tilley, Thomas Marshall, Col, (1941-1970) [Other Service Rank]
Watkins, Norman Edward, Capt, (1941-1950) [Other Service Rank]
Wilkinson, Robert Kabel, CWO4, (1934-1962) [Other Service Rank]
Witt, James Woodrow, 1st Lt, (1941-1945) [Other Service Rank]
Yochim, Frederick A., Lt Col, (1939-1964) A25 AAF MOS 941 [Other Service Rank]
Page, Jerry Dentler, Maj Gen, (1938-1972) AFROTC Cadet 4th Class
Agan, Arthur Columbus, Lt Gen, (1937-1970) AFA Cadet 4th Class
Wade, David, Lt Gen, (1935-1967) AFA Cadet 4th Class
Andrews, Frank Maxwell, Lt Gen, (1902-1943) Major General
Andrews, Frank Maxwell, Lt Gen, (1902-1943) 200 2 Major General
Patrick, Mason Mathews, Maj Gen, (1882-1927) Major General
Westover, Oscar M., Maj Gen, (1901-1938) Major General
Robins, Augustine Warner, Brig Gen, (1904-1940) Brigadier General
Smith, Joseph, Lt Gen, (1923-1958) Brigadier General
Ackerman, John Bevier, Maj Gen, (1932-1960) Colonel
Carmichael, Richard Henry, Maj Gen, (1928-1961) Colonel
Davidson, Howard Calhoun, Maj Gen, (1913-1946) Colonel
Hensley, William Nicholas, Col, (1901-1929) Colonel
MacDill, Leslie, Col, (1912-1938) A33 AAF MOS 770 Colonel
McChord, William Caldwell, Col, (1907-1937) Colonel

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