MAJOR GENERAL EDWARD B. GILLER

Major General Edward B. Giller is assistant general manager for military application, Atomic Energy Commission, Germantown, Md.

General Giller was born in Jacksonville, Ill., in 1918. He graduated from Kemper Military School, Mo., and from the University of Illinois with a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering in 1940. After graduation he worked in Houston, Texas, for the Sinclair Oil Refining Company as a chemical engineer. In September 1941 he entered active military duty and entered flying school. He earned his pilot wings and commission as second lieutenant in April 1942 at Lubbock, Texas.

During World War II, he served in the European Theater of Operations with the 55th Fighter Group in the Eighth Air Force, and became commander of the 343d Fighter Squadron and later was Deputy Commander of the 55th Group. He participated in the campaigns of Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; and Central Europe. As a fighter pilot, he completed 115 aerial combat missions, accumulated 465 combat hours in P-38 and P-51 aircraft, and is credited with three enemy aircraft destroyed.

After World War II, General Giller again attended the University of Illinois under the Air Force Institute of Technology Program, where he earned a master of science degree in chemical engineering in 1948 and his doctorate degree in chemical engineering in 1950.

From March 1950 to May 1954, he was executive, Weapons Effects Division, and chief, Radar Branch, Armed Forces Special Weapons Project, Washington, D.C., previously known as the Manhattan Project. During this period, major programs in military nuclear weapons effects were started at the Nevada Testing Grounds.

From June 1954 to June 1959, General Giller was assistant director and then director of the Research Directorate, Air Force Weapons Center at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. This center pioneered in the high altitude nuclear weapons effects program.

In June 1959 General Giller was assigned as special assistant to the commander, Air Force Office of Scientific Research in the Air Force Systems Command, at Washington, D.C. In January 1961 he became special assistant to the commander, Office of Aerospace Research, Washington, D.C. He was transferred in May 1964 to Headquarters U.S. Air Force in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Research and Development, where he served as director of science and technology.

General Giller joined the Atomic Energy Commission in Germantown, Md., in June 1967 in the position of director, Division of Military Application. He assumed duties as assistant general manager for military application, in December 1967.

His military decorations and awards include the Silver Star, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with 17 oak leaf clusters, Purple Heart, Distinguished Unit Citation Emblem, and the Croix de Guerre (France).

General Giller's hometown is Jacksonville, Ill.

He was promoted to the temporary grade of major general effective July 13, 1968, with date of rank Feb. 8, 1964.

(Current as of May 1, 1971)