Antonio Maldonado: Difference between revisions
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|caption='''Brigadier General Antonio Maldonado''' |
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Revision as of 03:18, 16 October 2007
Antonio Maldonado | |
|---|---|
Brigadier General Antonio Maldonado | |
| Allegiance | United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1964-1991 |
| Rank | File:USAF.insignia.o7.collar.wag.png Brigadier General |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
| Awards | Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters Air Medal with 10 oak leaf clusters Air Force Commendation Medal |
Brigadier General Antonio Maldonado (born in 1941), was an officer of the United States Air Force, who in 1965 became the youngest person to pilot a B-52 aircraft. He also served as chief, U.S. Office of Defense Cooperation, Madrid, Spain. He was the senior Department of Defense representative to Spain.[1]
Early years
Maldonado was born in Comerio, a town located in the center-eastern region of Puerto Rico. His family moved to the capital of the island, San Juan and there he attended Central High School. Maldonado graduated from high school in May 1960 and continued his academic education in the University of Puerto Rico where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration in May 1964. Upon his graduation, Maldonado received the commission of second lieutenant in the United States Air Force as a result of his participation in the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program.[1]
Military career
Maldonado was sent to Moody Air Force Base in Georgia where he completed his undergraduate pilot training in August 1965. He was then assigned as a B-52 pilot,becoming at the age of 24 the youngest person to pilot said aircraft, with the 34th Bombardment Squadron, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.[2] On May 1967, he was reassigned to Ramey Air Force Base in Puerto, where he served as a B-52 aircraft commander until May 1970. During his stay in the island he earned his master of business administration degree at the Inter American University of Puerto Rico in May 1969.
In 1970,he was assigned to the 67th Tactical Fighter Wing at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, where he trained as an RF-4C pilot at the Squadron Officer School.
Vietnam War
In January 1971, Maldonado was transferred to the 432nd Tactical Fighter Reconnaissance Wing, Udon Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand. His active participation in the Vietnam War included 183 air combat missions over North and South Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia with nearly 400 combat flying hours.
Return to the United States
In December 1971, Maldonado returned to the United States upon completing his tour of duty in Vietnam. He was assigned to Bergstrom Air Force Base in Texas, as an RF-4C pilot. In December 1972 he served in a special assignment as an international politico-military affairs officer to the U.S. Southern Command, Albrook Air Force Base in the Panama Canal Zone. Maldonado attended the Army Command and Staff College from July 1976 to July 1977.
Among the assignments which he held from 1977 to 1982 were the following: B-52 aircraft commander and chief of the Command Control Division (1977-1979) for the 42nd Bombardment Wing at Loring Air Force Base, Maine; command of the 28th Bombardment Squadron and later assistant deputy commander for operations, 19th Bombardment Wing at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia (1979-1981). He continued his military academic education by attending the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama.
Pentagon assignments
Upon his graduation from the Air War College, Maldonado was assigned to Headquarters, United States Air Force at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., as chief, Western Hemisphere Division, Office of the Deputy Director for Plans and Policy. In June 1983 he was named chief, Strategic Offensive Forces Division, Directorate of Plans.[1]
In April 1984, Maldonado was transferred to K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base in Michigan. During the years which he spent there (1984-1987) he assumed the variuos duties: deputy commander (1984) for operations, 410th Bombardment Wing; vice commander (Spet. 1984) of the wing and commander(July 1985). While commanding the 410th, General Maldonado won numerous awards including the Coveted Omaha Trophy (best wing in SAC) and the 390th Bombardment Group Memorial Trophy (best wing commander).
On May 1987, Maldonado was reassigned once more to Headquarters, United States Air Force where he served as chief, Strategic Operations Division, Operations Directorate, Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In June 1988 he became deputy director for operations, National Military Command Center, the Pentagon. On September 1 of that same year, he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General.
On July 1989, Maldonado was named chief, U.S. Office of Defense Cooperation, Madrid, Spain, becoming the senior Department of Defense representative to that country. His responsibilities included providing overall direction to U.S. elements in Spain on status of forces, security assistance programs and other defense and base agreement matters. [1] Brigadier General Maldonado retired from the United States Air Force on September 1, 1991 with 4,000 hours of flight, after 25 years of service.
Later years
After Maldonado retired from the Air Force, he was named President of "Fomento Industrial de Puerto Rico" (Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company) by the Government of Puerto Rico, a position which he held until 1997.[2]
Awards and Recognitions
Among Brigadier General Antonio Maldonado's decorations and medals were the following:
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross,
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters,- File:Us airmedal rib.png Air Medal with 10 oak leaf clusters,
Air Force Commendation Medal
National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star,
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with bronze service star,- File:Vietnam Service Ribbon.gif Vietnam Service Medal with bronze service star
- File:VietCamp.gif Vietnam Campaign Medal
Badges:
See also
Notes and references
- ^ a b c d USAF BIO, Retrieved June 7, 2007. Cite error: The named reference "USAF BIO" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ a b Ildelfonso Lopez, Tras las Huellas de Nuestro Paso, Pg. 34, Publisher: AEELA, 1998, Retrieved June 6, 2007. Cite error: The named reference "Lopez" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).