MAJOR GENERAL WILLIAM C. LINDLEY JR.

Maj. Gen. William Cecil Lindley, Jr. born in Waynesboro, Mississippi on November 22, 1919 and died August 4, 2016, in San Antonio, Texas.

He graduated from Starkville High School in 1936, and Mississippi State College in 1940 with a bachelor of science degree in Civil Engineering. Soon after graduation, he entered pilot training with the Army Air Corps and in July 1941 received his pilot wings and commission as a second lieutenant at Kelly Field, Texas.

He served for a year at Brooks Field, Texas, as an observation instructor. He next received multi-engine training and in late 1942 joined the newly activated 95th Bombardment Group as a B-17 pilot. He flew 41 missions with the 95th Group in the European Theater of Operations, completing two B-17 combat tours for a total of 41 bombing runs in England during WWII.

In January 1945, he returned to the United States for an assignment with the Operations and Plans Division, and later as chief of the Reserve and National Guard Division, Headquarters Army Air Forces, Washington, D.C. He entered the Air Command and Staff School in 1947; and, after graduation a year later, he was assigned to the Public Information Office, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, as chief, Special Events Division.

During the Korean War the general flew the B-26 on night intruder missions as commander of the 17th Bombardment Group. He flew 50 missions and was credited with 112 plus trucks and three trains destroyed before returning to the United States in March 1953 as pilot training commander at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma. He later served with Headquarters Flying Training Air Force, as assistant deputy chief of operations, staff, and deputy chief of staff, installations.

In July 1958 General Lindley was assigned as deputy chief of staff, plans and operations, for the Fifth Allied Tactical Air Force in Italy. During this assignment he supervised and planned all North Atlantic Treaty Organization tactical operations for the Italian Air Force and U.S. Air Force rotational squadrons in Italy.

Following his tour of duty in Italy, General Lindley was named deputy commander of the 3525th Pilot Training Wing at Williams Air Force Base, Ariz., and in March 1963 he became commander. He was transferred to Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, as commander of the 3510th Flying Training Wing and in February 1965 assumed duties as deputy chief of staff, operations, Headquarters Air Training Command, where he was responsible for pilot/navigator and advanced flying training, communications and electronics, operations services, and the ATC Command Post.

Maj. Gen. Lindley assumed duties as deputy commander, Seventh Air Force/Thirteenth Air Force, Thailand in June 1967 until he retired in 1968.

The general was a member in the 95th Bomb Group Association that kept him in touch with friends from World War II until his death.

He was the last survivor of the 95th Bomb Group Association.

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Silver Star
Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters
Distinguished Flying Cross with five oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star
Air Medals with nine oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal,
Distinguished Unit Citations with four oak leaf clusters
Republic of Korea Unit Citation
French Croix de Guerre with Palm
South Vietnamese Medal of Merit

(Current as of June 2020)