BRIGADIER GENERAL LAWRENCE A. FOWLER

Brigadier General Lawrence A. Fowler is the inspector general for Air Force Logistics Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

General Fowler was born in DeWitt, Ark., in 1921, and graduated from high school in North Hollywood, Calif., in 1940. He received a bachelor of science degree from Mississippi Southern College in 1961. He enlisted in the California National Guard in January 1940, was ordered to active duty in March 1941 and served as an aircraft mechanic and radio operator. He entered the aviation cadet training program at Pampa Army Air Field, Texas, in March 1943, and received his pilot wings and commission as second lieutenant in January 1944.

He served as an instructor pilot in the advanced flying school at Pampa Army Air Field until December 1944 when he was sent to Lowry Field, Colo., for technical training as a B-29 aircraft flight engineer. General Fowler was subsequently assigned to the 464th Bombardment Squadron, Salina, Kan., as a flight engineer and served as a first pilot of B-29 aircraft. In December 1945 he was released from active military service and became a member of the Reserve.

In September 1946 he joined the California Air National Guard and served as a communications officer. From February 1947 to June 1947 he was in active duty status to attend the Air Command and Staff School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

In August 1948 General Fowler returned to extended active duty and was assigned as project officer in the Program Analysis and Schedules Branch Industrial Planning Division, Headquarters Air Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. In February 1949 he was sent to Europe where he served in the Berlin airlift as a C-54 transport pilot operating out of Fossberg, Germany.

In August 1949 he returned to the Air Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, and served as a buyer in the Procurement Division. In July 1951 he was transferred to Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe as chief, Aircraft and Accessories Section, Procurement and Industrial Planning Division, Assistant Chief of Staff, Materiel. He was responsible for the development of European sources and placement of contracts for the overhaul and modification of U.S. Air Force and Military Assistance Program aircraft and equipment.

In August 1954 General Fowler was assigned as chief, Procurement Division, Directorate of Procurement and Production, Mobile Air Materiel Area, Brookley Air Force Base, Ala. He was transferred in April 1958 to the Air Force Jupiter Liaison Office, Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Ala., where he was responsible for planning overseas installation and checkout of Jupiter missiles. In December 1958 he was reassigned to Mobile Air Materiel Area, with duties in the B-66 weapon system as chief, Prime Weapons and Support Branch of the Plans and Programs Office, and later served as chief, B-66 Weapon System Management Division, Directorate of Logistics Support Management. In September 1960 an additional weapon system, the Q-2 drone, came under his management. In June 1961 he enrolled in Mississippi Southern College.

General Fowler was assigned in January 1962 to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Systems and Logistics, and served successively as project officer, Contract Planning Branch, Directorate of Procurement Management; production planning officer, Production and Development Resources Division; and staff planning officer, Assistant for Logistics Plans. He served as executive officer to the U.S. Air Force auditor general, from April through August 1964.

He then was transferred to Defense Supply Agency with duties as executive officer to the deputy director, Defense Contract Administration, Cameron Station, Va., and in August 1965 became commander, Defense Contract Administrative Service District, Phoenix, Ariz.

In November 1967 General Fowler was transferred to the Air Defense Command as director of Procurement Management for the Fourteenth Aerospace Force, Ent Air Force Base, Colo. He became director of production for Air Force Contract Management Division, Air Force Systems Command, Los Angeles, Calif., in June 1969.

In May 1970 General Fowler was assigned to the Sacramento Air Materiel Area, Air Force Logistics Command, McClellan Air Force Base, Calif., and in September 1970 became director of materiel management. He was transferred to Headquarters Air Force Logistics Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, in December 1971 and assumed duties as the inspector general.

His military decorations and awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Commendation Medal, and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon. He holds the aeronautical rating of command pilot.

He was promoted to the temporary grade of brigadier general effective Feb. 1, 1972, with date of rank Jan. 16, 1972.

(Change in assignment to commander, Defense General Supply Center, Defense Supply Agency, Richmond, Va., effective Feb. 28, 1973.)

(Current as of Feb. 1, 1972)