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MAJ Mark E Cooper
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Werbeck, Donald L., Maj Gen.
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Contact Info
Home Town Queens, N.Y.
Date of Passing Jul 27, 1995
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Major General Donald L. Werbeck is commander of the Air Force Communications Service, with headquarters at Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base, Mo. The command's mission includes engineering, installing, operating and maintaining communications-electronics-meteorological facilities for all Air Force commands. AFCS is also responsible for operating long-haul intercontinental and local base communications, air traffic control, and navigational aid facilities and services for the Air Force and selected government and civilian agencies.
General Werbeck was born in Queens, N.Y., on July 10, 1924. He received a bachelor of science degree in business administration, 1960, and a master's degree in international affairs, 1965, from The George Washington University. He is also a graduate of the one-year Advanced Management Program of the Air Force Institute of Technology, the Air Command and Staff College, 1957, and Air War College, 1965.
He entered aviation cadet training during September 1942 and received his pilot wings and commission as a second lieutenant in December 1943. Subsequently, he went to the European Theater of Operations where he flew 25 combat missions as a pilot of troop carrier and pathfinder aircraft. He returned to the United States and from December 1945 served in various assignments at squadron and group level.
In December 1950 General Werbeck went to Alaska and was assigned to the 1804th Airways and Air Communications Service Group at Elmendorf Air Force Base. From December 1952 to June 1956, he served in Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., as a member of the Weapon Systems Phasing Group.
From July 1957 to November 1959, General Werbeck was chief, personnel plans and policy, and director, manpower and organization, of the Western Development Division, Inglewood, Calif., a unit of the old Air Research and Development Command, later redesignated the Air Force Systems Command. In 1959 that unit was reorganized as the Ballistic Missile Division (AFSC), with General Werbeck as assistant to the chief of staff. In June 1960 he entered The George Washington University.
In June 1961 General Werbeck was assigned as chief of Satellite Recovery Operations, 6594th Recovery Control Group, at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, and in 1962 became deputy commander of the group. He entered the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., in August 1964.
General Werbeck returned to Los Angeles in July 1965 where he was initially assigned as chief of the Current Planning Office of the Air Force Satellite Control Facility; then became chief, plans and operations for Space Systems Division, AFSC, and its successor organization, the Space and Missile Systems Organization.
In July 1968 General Werbeck was assigned as director of assignments, deputy chief of staff, personnel, Headquarters Air Force Systems Command, Andrews Air Force Base, Md.; became assistant deputy chief of staff, operations, in July 1969; was named executive to the AFSC commander, General George S. Brown, in September 1970; and was assigned as deputy chief of staff, personnel, in April 1971.
General Werbeck was assigned to Air Force Communications Service with headquarters at Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base, Mo., in July 1971, as chief of staff; in October 1971 was appointed AFCS vice commander, and in November 1973 became commander.
His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit, Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Army Commendation Medal, Presidential Unit Citation Emblem with oak leaf cluster, and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon. He is a command pilot with more than 4,500 flying hours, and wears the Master Missileman Badge.
General Werbeck is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; a member and director of the Kansas City Chapter of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association and a vice president and director of the national organization; and a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the Air Traffic Control Association.
He was promoted to the grade of major general effective May 1, 1974, with date of rank July 1, 1971.
WWII - European Theater of Operations/Central Europe Campaign (1945)
From Month/Year
March / 1945
To Month/Year
May / 1945
Description On March 22, 1945, the U.S. Third Army established a second salient, in addition to the one at Remagen, across the Rhine River at Oppenheim, 288 miles southwest of Berlin. The next day its troops also crossed the river at Boppard, 40 miles northwest of Oppenheim. Farther north, British and Canadian forces went across near Wesel, 65 miles northwest of Bonn. Ninth Air Force and Royal Air Force troop carriers and gliders dropped an American and a British airborne division north of Wesel on March 24, while the U.S. Ninth Army crossed the river 10 miles southeast of Wesel. The next day the U.S. First Army began an advance into Germany from Remagen, just south of Bonn, and on March 26 the Seventh Army crossed the Rhine River north of Mannheim, about 25 miles south of Oppenheim. Five days later, on March 31, French troops crossed the Rhine 10 miles south of Mannheim.
Before the Allied armies began crossing the Rhine in force, Allied air forces bombed and strafed German positions in the contested areas along the river. Heavy bombers also flew battlefield interdiction missions between March 21 and 24, before returning to strategic bombardment missions against targets in Germany. Although little of strategic value remained because of the destruction wrought by the
combined bomber offensive, oil refineries and fuel depots remained primary targets.
The Luftwaffe could no longer effectively oppose the heavy bombers nor could it provide close air support for retreating German troops.
When fuel was available, the enemy continued to intercept Allied bomber formations with a few fighter aircraft. On the battle front, AAF fighter-bombers flew close air support and tactical reconnaissance missions for Allied forces, while medium bombers attacked bridges, trucks, troop concentrations, railroads, and airfields. Troop carrier and transport aircraft flew critically needed supplies to forward airfields that had been rebuilt by aviation engineers behind the advancing Allied armies. After delivering supplies, the pilots loaded wounded soldiers and liberated prisoners of war and returned them to the rear areas. The last mission of the AAF's heavy bombers in Europe involved flying supplies to the starving population in The Netherlands.
