This Military Service Page was created/owned by
SSgt Robert Bruce McClelland, Jr.
to remember
Anderson, Orvil Arson, Maj Gen USAF(Ret).
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Contact Info
Home Town Butte, Montana
Last Address Maxwell AFB, Montgomery, Alabama
Date of Passing Aug 23, 1965
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
He was born Orvil Orson but an Army clerical error changed his middle name to Arson. As a young officer he was a pioneer in balloon flight. Later in his career he was a great combat leader in WWII and then a prolific and creative thinker in the planning of the future USAF.
His ADSM (2nd of 2) citation: Awarded for actions during World War II The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Major General Orvil Arson Anderson (AFSN: 32A/ASN: 0-11479), United States Army Air Forces, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility as Deputy Commander for Operations, EIGHTH Air Force, from June 1944 to April 1945. Displaying rare professional skill, General Anderson planned and supervised the operations of the Air Force during the crucial period when its mission was to maintain air superiority and supremacy over the German Air Force while simultaneously continuing the basic mission of destroying the enemy production and transportation facilities so vital to the German war machine all of which activities were designated to make possible successful ground operations with a minimum of loss. He coordinated and carefully timed the attacks against enemy airfields within striking distance of the front to cover the Allied armies crossing the Rhine, and by close cooperation with the Royal Air Force and the United States NINTH Air Force, sealed off the Ruhr by the destruction of enemy railroad bridges. The ability, foresight and astute judgment displayed by General Anderson contributed materially to the successful outcome of the campaign.
General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 48 (1945)
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Captain (Air Corps) Orvil Arson Anderson, U.S. Army Air Corps, for extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight. Captain Anderson was scientific observer of the National Geographic Society Army Air Corps Stratosphere Balloon Flight, which took of from the vicinity of Rapid City, South Dakota, July 29, 1934, and landed near Loomis, Nebraska, that same date. He assisted in piloting the balloon into the stratosphere to an altitude of 60,613 feet, and in making continuous scientific observations en route, and when the balloon became disabled through circumstances beyond human control, did attempt, under most adverse and hazardous conditions, to land successfully the disabled aircraft in order to preserve the scientific records that had been obtained. By the exercise of cool judgment and foresight under these conditions, certain scientific records were saved and the disabled aircraft was abandoned only when it was clearly evident not to do so would prove disastrous to human life.
General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 3 (1935)
Base, Station or City
Philippines, OH, VA, NY, & SD
State/Country
United States
Patch
United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) Details
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.
Other Memories He was a balloon unit commander, air ops officer, test pilot, instructor in navigation and instrument flying, balloon pilot, and staff officer.
