Kenneth L. Peek Jr.

Kenneth L. Peek, Jr.

Kenneth Leroy Peek, Jr. (born July 25, 1932 in Indianapolis , Indiana ; † July 20, 2020 in Waco , Texas ) was an American Lieutenant General in the US Air Force , who was last from 1987 to 1988 Deputy Commander in Chief of Strategic Affairs Luftwaffenkommandos SAC ( Strategic Air Command ) was.

Life

Training as an air force officer

After attending Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis, Peek began an undergraduate degree at Wabash College in Crawfordsville and a degree in business administration at Indiana State College in Terre Haute . In September 1953 he began his military training under the Air Force cadet program at the military airfield Lackland Air Force Base and completed his basic training at the Air Force Base Bartow Air Base and the basic pilot training at the military airfield Bryan Air Force Base, where he graduated with honors. After his promotion to lieutenant in February 1955, he attended the school for intelligence officers at Sheppard Air Force Base , which he finished in June 1955. He was then transferred as an intelligence officer to the 40th Bombardment Wing at Schilling Air Force Base, before he began training on the six- engine Boeing B-47 strategic bomber in April 1957 . After completing his training, he was co-pilot of a Boeing B-47, but also a pilot and flight instructor for the 40th Bombardment Wing at Schilling Air Force Base and Forbes Air Force Base, also in Kansas .

During this time, Peek was a graduate of the Squadron Officer School (SOS) in 1961, as well as the central flight instructor course at McConnell Air Force Base and the instrument instructor course at Randolph Air Force Base . Then began in 1962 as an officer for programs and scheduling in the staff of the 40th Bombardment Wing . A subsequent study of business administration and management at the University of Nebraska Omaha , he finished in September 1964 with a Bachelor of Arts (BA Business Administration and Management). In April 1965 he was transferred to the headquarters of the Strategic Air Force Command SAC ( Strategic Air Command ) and worked there successively as an officer for the tank units, assessment officer and finally as a deputy officer for officer assignments. After graduating from Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk from August 1969 to January 1970 , he began further training for the eight-engine long - range Boeing B-52 bomber at Castle Air Force Base .

In July 1970, Peek became an executive officer of the 307th Strategic Wing at U-Tapao Airfield , a naval base of the armed forces of Thailand . During this time he flew 101 air missions on a Boeing B-52. After his return to the United States, in August 1971, he became Deputy Commodore of the 5th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Minot Air Force Base , and as such was responsible for operations. He then moved in May 1972 to the headquarters of the US Air Force to Washington, DC , where he Administrative Assistant to the Vice-Air Force Secretary for Financial Management ( Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Financial Management and Comptroller) ) in the Air Ministry ( US Department of the Air Force ) was. He then attended the US Army War College in Carlisle from May 1973 to July 1974 and also completed postgraduate studies in mass communication at Shippensburg State College , which he completed in 1974 with a Master of Arts (MA Mass Communications).

Promotion to lieutenant general

In July 1974 Peek became site commander of Fairchild Air Force Base and then in April 1975 director of the operations department of the 47th Air Division stationed there , before he served as commodore of the 5th bomber squadron on Minot Air Force between July 1975 and February 1977 Base acted. He then became head of the department for ground and air commander posts in February 1977 at the headquarters of the Strategic Air Force Command. In March 1979 he was first deputy commander of the Air Force Manpower and Personnel Center (AFPC ) at Randolph Air Force Base and then took over in June 1980 as the successor to Major General LeRoy W. Svendsen, Jr. until his replacement Major General Robert D. Springer resigned as Commander of the Air Force Personnel Center in July 1982. At the same time he was in personal union between June 1980 and June 1982 assistant for military personnel at the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Air Force for employees and personnel. As such, he was responsible for the distribution and administration of all Air Force personnel with the exception of the generals.

In July 1982, Major General Peek returned to the US Air Force headquarters, where he was initially director of personnel planning in the office of the Deputy Chief of the Air Force Staff for Employees and Personnel. After his promotion to Lieutenant General on July 1, 1983, he finally became Deputy Chief of Staff Manpower and Personnel himself . He then took over in August 1984 the post of commander of the 8th US Air Force ( Eighth Air Force ) at Barksdale Air Force Base . Most recently, he succeeded Lieutenant General Monroe W. Hatch Jr. as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Strategic Air Command (SAC ) in January 1987, and held this position until his retirement on October 1, 1988. His successor was then Lieutenant General Donald O. Aldridge .

Peek, who completed around 5,000 flight hours as a pilot, has received several awards. He was awarded the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal , the Legion of Merit with oak leaf, the Bronze Star Medal , the Meritorious Service Medal , the Air Medal with five oak leaves and the Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaves. In addition, he was awarded the Order of the Sword on November 5, 1982 .

Web links

• Biography on the US Air Force homepage

Individual evidence

1. ^ Obituary legacy.com, accessed on August 16, 2020
2. ↑ Former AFPC-Commanders ( Memento of the original from June 28, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. on the homepage of the Air Force Personnel Center