MAJOR GENERAL ROBERT L. WALSH

Robert LeGrow Walsh was born in Walla Walla, Wash., in 1894. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy June 13, 1916, and was commissioned a second lieutenant of cavalry. His first service was on border patrol duty with the Third Cavalry, between September 1916, and February 1917, when he moved to Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

General Walsh went to France with the American Expeditionary Forces in November 1917, for duty at the First Corps School at Gondrecourt, France. In February 1918, he moved to Issodun with the Air Service. He was attached to the 22nd Aero Squadron during the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne offensives and then moved to headquarters of the Air Service of the First Army.

In March 1919, General Walsh was assigned to the Division of Military Aeronautics at Washington, D.C., where he served for one year before moving to Mather Field, Sacramento, Calif. In July 1921, he enrolled in the Air Corps Engineering School at Dayton, Ohio, and graduated a year later. He was then assigned to Bolling Field, D.C., as an engineering officer.

In January 1924,General Walsh joined the Office, Chief of Air Corps, as Engineering Division representative in Washington, D.C., and later was chief of its Information Division and assistant military aide to the White House. He enrolled in the Air Corps Tactical School at Langley Field, Va., and after graduation a year later entered the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. He graduated in June 1929, and became assistant attache for air in the American Embassy at Paris, France and Madrid, Spain.

General Walsh, in July 1931, was assigned to Wright Field, Ohio, in the Air Corps Materiel Division, and in January 1933, became chief of the Administrative Branch, Field Service Section there. In July 1933, he assumed command of Albrook Field, Panama Canal Zone, and in September became commanding officer of the 16th Pursuit Group in addition to his other duties.

In September 1935, he was assigned in the Office, Chief of Air Corps, and chief of the Reserve Division. In September 1938, he enrolled in the Army Industrial College and graduated in June 1939. The following September he was detailed to the Amy War College from which he graduated in June 1940. He then was assigned at Langley Field where he became assistant chief of staff for intelligence at General Headquarters Air Forces and Air Force Combat Command at Langley Field, and Bolling, Field, D.C.

General Walsh, in February 1942 was appointed assistant chief of staff for intelligence at Air Force headquarters, and in June became commander of the South Atlantic Wing, Air Transport Command, with station in Brazil. In November 1942, he was made commanding general, U.S. Army Forces in the South Atlantic, continuing as wing commander of the South Atlantic Wing of ATC. He subsequently was assigned overseas and in June 1944, was announced as commanding general of the Eastern Command of the U.S. Strategic Air Forces in the U.S.S.R. and Air Member of the U.S. Military Mission to Moscow.

In November 1944,General Walsh was appointed special assistant to the commanding general of the Army Air Force at Washington, D.C., and in December was given additional duty as U.S. air member of the Inter-American Defense Board. In March 1946, he became U.S. Army air member on the Joint Brazil-United States Defense Commission, in addition to his other duties. In October 1946 he joined the U.S. Air Forces in Europe, and the following month was designated commanding general of headquarters and headquarters squadron of the 12th Tactical Air Command. In April 1947 he became director of intelligence of the European Command, with station at Ber1in, Germany.

General Walsh was assigned, in October 1948 to Air Force headquarters, Washington, D.C., and soon afterward to the Central Control Group as Air Force steering and coordinating member for the military representation on the Permanent Joint Board on Defense for Canada and the United States and the Joint-Mexico-United States Defense for Canada and the United States and the Joint Mexico-United States Defense Commission. In addition, he was named senior Air Force member on the Joint Brazil-United States Commission and senior Air Force delegate to the Inter-American Defense Board. On July l, 1952, he was given another additional duty as director of the Continental U.S. Defense Planning Group.

On Jan. 22, 1953, General Walsh was appointed chairman of the Inter-American Defense Board at Washington, D.C.

General Walsh has been awarded the Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster and the Legion of Merit. He is rated a command pilot, combat observer and aircraft observer.

(Up to date as of Jan. 30, 1953)