Campbell, Harold Norman, Maj Gen

MAJOR GENERAL H.N. CAMPBELL
Retired June 30, 1993, Died November 18, 1996 

Major General H.N. Campbell wass deputy chief of staff for plans and programs, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. 

General Campbell was born in East Liverpool, Ohio, in 1940, and later became a resident of Florida. He was appointed to the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1957 and graduated with a bachelor of science degree in 1961. He earned a master of science degree in systems management from the University of Southern California in 1974. The general completed Air War College as a distinguished graduate in 1975, the Stanford Executive Senior Management Program in 1981, and the Harvard Program for National and International Security in 1988.

Upon graduation from the academy, the general received undergraduate pilot training at Reese Air Force Base, Texas. He remained there as an instructor pilot in T-33s, T-37s and T-38s until August 1966, when he was assigned to Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., for combat crew training. In March 1967 he began a combat tour at Bien Hoa, Da Nang and Khe Sanh air bases, South Vietnam, flying 300 missions in 0-1s and 0-2s, including 100 over North Vietnam. From January 1968 to July 1969 General Campbell was assigned to the academy as an air officer commanding. He then became a tactical officer there. In January 1971, after completing F-4 operational training at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., he returned to Southeast Asia with the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing, Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. There he flew 150 more combat missions in F-4Es while serving as flight commander, chief of the command post and wing executive officer.

His next assignment was as a tactical forces programs officer, Directorate of Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., in January 1972. After completing Air War College in July 1975, General Campbell was assigned as deputy commander for maintenance, 50th Tactical Fighter Wing, Hahn Air Base, West Germany. He remained there for a year and then was transferred to the 36th Tactical Fighter Wing, Bitburg Air Base, West Germany, where he successively served as deputy commander for operations, vice commander and commander, flying F-4s and F-15s.

Returning to Air Force headquarters in February 1981, General Campbell was assigned to the Directorate of International Programs, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Programs and Resources, He served successively as assistant director for bases and units, director of forces, deputy director of international programs, deputy
director of programs and chairman of the Program Review Committee. In October 1984 he was assigned as vice commander of the Ogden Air Logistics Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah. In September 1985 General Campbell became deputy chief of staff for logistics, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein Air Base, West Germany. He became deputy director of the Defense Logistics Agency, Cameron Station, Alexandria, Va., in October 1987. In October 1988 he was assigned as assistant deputy chief of staff for logistics and engineering, Air Force headquarters. He became deputy chief of staff for plans and programs, Headquarters Air Force Logistics Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, in March 1991. He assumed his current position in July 1992. 

The general is a command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours, of which nearly 1,000 were in combat. His military awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, Distinguished Flying Cross with four oak leaf clusters, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with 29 oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, Republic of Vietnam Air Gallantry Cross with silver wings and Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm. He holds an Army parachutist rating, and wears the Senior Missile and Senior Maintenance badges.

He was promoted to major general July 1, 1987, with same date of rank.

General Campbell died on 18 Novembr 1996 and was buried in Section 7-A of Arlington National Cemetery.

I served under the General (then a Colonel) in Bitburg Germany 1979-1981. Col Campbell was the Wing Commander of the 36th Tactical Fighter Wing. Campbell was a patriotic American with a commanding presence. Even though it was the Cold War during that time and the Soviet Union was only a matter of minutes flight time away, one still felt secure knowing that Col Campbell was in charge. Many times while pulling duty at the Entry Control Point at Bitburg, Col Campbell would enter the area to get in flight time. His mind would be on other things as he silently returned my salute .... but when he returned from flying his F-15 Eagle, he'd be like a kid in a candy store as he exited my control point. Often he would stop and talk about the beauty he'd just been a part of as he had taken his jet up and "touched the face of God". I had and still have a great respect for General H.N. Campbell ... a man that was born to fly!
Rest in Peace, Sir.