Robert W. Bazley

General Robert W. Bazley

Robert Whitman Bazley (born December 5, 1925 in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , † December 16, 2012 in Chapel Hill , North Carolina ) was an American general in the US Air Force , who was last from 1984 to 1986 commander in chief of the US Air Force in the Pacific region PACAF ( Pacific Air Forces ) was.

Life

Training as an air force officer

Bazley joined the US Army Air Forces (USAAF) after completing his schooling at Brentwood High School in September 1943 and began active military service after completing the Air Cadet Program in January 1944. He was a Naval Aviation Observer (navigation) Badge worked as a navigator and was promoted to lieutenant in March 1945 . After training for flight crews for the Boeing B-29 "Superfortress" - long-range bombers had finished, he retired from active duty in February 1946 and began studying business administration at the University of Pittsburgh , which he in 1949 with a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc. Business Administration).

In November 1951 Bazley was appointed to the active military service of the of the USAAF emerged on September 18, 1947 US Air Force and served in the following years as a navigator of a Douglas RB-26 "Invader" - reconnaissance plane at the 12th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron ( 12th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron ) on the military airfield Kimpo Air Base in South Korea . During the Korean War he took part in 50 flight missions and began in August 1953 with the pilot training, which he completed in August 1954 with the pilot badge ( US Aviator Badge ). After completing an additional training in the Republic F-84 - a fighter-bomber , he became the Royal Air Force Station Wethersfield after England staggered where he successively as a pilot, flight training commander and deputy operations officer at the stationed there 77 tactical combat squadron ( 77th Tactical Fighter Squadron ) served . After his return to the United States, he found between May 1958 and June 1960 use in the 3502nd Air Force Recruiting Group in Pittsburgh, before he was transferred to the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs .

Bazley was transferred to England again in April 1965, where he was initially an operations officer in the 492nd Tactical Fighter Squadron at RAF Lakenheath and finally head of the operations department of the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing . On his return he attended from 1967 to 1968, the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF) in Fort Lesley J. McNair and took over during the Vietnam War in August 1968 the post of commander of the 531st Tactical combat squadron ( 531st Tactical Fighter Squadron ), a 3rd Tactical combat squadron ( 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing belonging) unit on the airbase Bien Hoa air Base. During the Vietnam War he flew 257 combat missions with North American F-100 "Super Saber" fighter jets before joining the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS ) between September 1969 and June 1970. was. He was then from June 1970 to November 1972 in command of Randolph Air Force Base and between November 1972 and October 1973 in command of the 38th Flying Training Wing stationed at Laredo Air Force Base .

Promotion to general

Bazley was then from October 1973 to August 1975 commander of the 323rd Flying Training Wing at Mather Air Force Base and then in August 1975 Inspector General at the headquarters of the US Air Forces in Europe USAFE ( United States Air Forces in Europe ) at Ramstein Air Base , where he became operational readiness assistant to the USAFE Commander in Chief in June 1976. He then took over the post of Commander of the Air Force Inspection and Safety Center at Norton Air Force Base in May 1978 and was Commander of the Technical Training Center at Sheppard Base between July 1979 and June 1980 Air Force Base . In June 1980 he was transferred back to England as commander of the 3rd US Air Force ( Third Air Force ) on the RAF Mildenhall .

In July 1981, Bazley became Deputy Commander of the US Air Forces in Europe USAFE at Ramstein Air Base and then in July 1983 Inspector General of the Air Force at US Air Force Headquarters. In this role he was responsible to the US Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force for the inspection, security, investigation, counter-terrorism, counter-espionage and complaint programs of the Air force.

Most recently, Bazley took over the post as Commander-in-Chief of the US Air Forces in the Pacific PACAF ( Pacific Air Forces ) at Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii in September 1984 and was promoted to General on November 1, 1984 . He was responsible for the Air Force operations in the Pacific with 38,000 people and ten main locations in Hawaii, Japan , South Korea and the Philippines . He retired on January 1, 1987.

Bazley was a pilot and navigator of more than 4,500 flight hours. He has received multiple awards for his military merits and bravery, including the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal , the Defense Superior Service Medal , the Legion of Merit with an oak branch, the Distinguished Flying Cross with an oak branch, the Bronze Star Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal , the Air Medal with 15 oak leaves and the Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaves. In May 1983 he became a member of the Order of the Sword .

Web links

• Biography on the US Air Force homepage