Maj. Gen. Jonas L. Blank is assistant deputy chief of staff, systems and logistics, Headquarters U.S. Air Force.
General Blank was born in Greensburg, Pa., in 1921. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., and also received his pilot wings in June 1943.
In December 1943 he was assigned to the 483d Bombardment Group and went to the European Theater of Operations with the group, which was assigned to the Fifteenth Air Force. During World War II, he flew 48 combat missions over Europe as a B-17 pilot before his airplane went down in Yugoslavia. He was detained in Yugoslavia, Hungary and Germany as a prisoner of war until Germany's surrender. After his release in June 1945, he returned to the United States.
In September 1945 General Blank went to Washington, D.C., where he served as chief, Classification Section, Personnel Requirements Division, Army Air Forces; and in November 1947 he was appointed as the U.S. Air Force member of the secretariat to the Munitions Board. From August 1949 until July 1951, he was a student at Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration.
In July 1951 General Blank was assigned to the Industrial Resources Division of Headquarters Air Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. He served as assistant chief, Operations Branch, Plans and Operations Office; in September 1951 became chief, Operations Branch; and in July 1954 became chief, Plans and Operations Office. He attended the Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., from August 1954 to July 1955.
He next was assigned to the Directorate of Procurement and Production, Headquarters Middletown Air Materiel Area, Olmsted Air Force Base, Pa. He served as chief, Production Division and Contract Administration Division, and later as chief, Procurement Division. In October 1958 he was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Materiel where he served as assistant to director, Materiel Programs, and chief, Programs Integration Office. In April 1960 he was assigned as executive to the assistant secretary of the Air Force (materiel).
General Blank entered the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Washington, D.C., in August 1962. He was assigned to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Paris, France, in August 1963, as chief, Plans and Policy Branch, Logistics Division.
In August 1966 General Blank went to Norton Air Force Base, Calif., where he assumed duties as chief, Procurement and Comptroller Division of the Director of Inspection, Headquarters 1002d Inspector General Group, and in April 1967 became chief, Resources Management Division.
He was named commandant of the Squadron Officers School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., in August 1967, and assumed duties as commandant of the Air Command and Staff College of the Air University in August 1968.
General Blank was transferred to Headquarters U.S. Air Force in June 1970 as director of supply and services, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Systems and Logistics. In addition, he served on the Armed Forces Exchange and Motion Picture Services boards, and was chairman of the Permanent Air Force Uniform Board. In January 1973 he was appointed assistant deputy chief of staff, systems and logistics.
His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Purple Heart and Distinguished Unit Citation Emblem. He is a command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours.
He was promoted to the grade of major general effective March 1, 1972, with date of rank Aug. 1, 1968.
(Current as of Jan. 15, 1973)