Major General George W. Larson Jr. is deputy assistant secretary, budget, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force Financial Management and Comptroller, Washington, D.C.
General Larson was born in 1940, in Minneapolis and graduated from Boise (Idaho) High School in 1958. He received a bachelor of science degree from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1962 and a master's degree in business administration from Golden Gate University in 1978. He completed Air War College in 1979.
Upon graduation from the academy, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in June 1962. The general received his pilot wings in August 1963 at Vance Air Force Base, Okla. His initial operational flying assignment was as a B-47 pilot with the 9th Strategic Aerospace Wing, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. While there he held positions as senior standardization and evaluation co-pilot and aircraft commander.
In February 1966 General Larson was assigned as an EB-66 an RB-66 aircraft commander at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., in preparation for a Southeast Asia assignment. He then was assigned to the 41st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Pacific Air Forces, based at Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. During this tour of duty, he flew 85 combat missions in North Vietnam. He returned to the United States in February 1967 and was assigned briefly as an instructor pilot in the undergraduate pilot training program at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas.
The general was selected to attend the Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base in April 1967. After graduation in August 1968 he was assigned to the Bomber/Transport Branch, Flight Test Operations, Air Force Systems Command, at Edwards. During this assignment he was instrumental in the completion of test programs such as the B-52G/H powered flight control system, C-1 19G/K performance testing, B-66 AIMS programs, FB-111 Category II testing, and advance tanker refueling investigations. From August 1972 to July 1978 he served with Strategic Air Command's 4200th Test and Evaluation Squadron at Edwards as a pilot representing SAC in initial operational test and evaluation of the B-1 weapons system.
After completing Air War College in June 1979, he became commander of the 4007th Combat Crew Training Squadron, Plattsburgh Air Force Base, N.Y., and was responsible for all FB-111 flight crew training. In November 1980 General Larson was assigned as chief, Advanced Concepts Division, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, at Strategic Air Command headquarters, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. In August 1981 he became executive officer to SAC's commander in chief. The general was assigned as vice commander of the 380th Bombardment Wing at Plattsburgh in May 1982 and took command of the wing in June 1983. While its commander, the wing was awarded the Saunders Trophy for best SAC air refueling performance, the Fairchild Trophy for best SAC bombing performance and the Omaha Trophy for best SAC wing. In June 1985 he returned to SAC headquarters as assistant deputy chief of staff for plans, and became deputy chief of staff for plans in September 1987. He assumed his present duties in August 1988.
The general is a command pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours in 38 different Air Force aircraft. His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Presidential Unit Citation with oak leaf cluster, and Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters. He is a member of the Air Force Association, Order of the Daedalians, Society of Experimental Test Pilots, National Eagle Scout Association and the Association of Graduates, U.S. Air Force Academy.
He was promoted to major general Oct. 1, 1988, with same date of rank.
(Current as of September 1989)