BRIGADIER GENERAL GERALD G. FALL JR.

Brigadier General Gerald G. Fall Jr., is commander of the 4th Strategic Aerospace Division, with headquarters at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo. He has command over all four Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile wings and two B-52 strategic bombardment wings that provide a large part of the strategic deterrent force of the United States.

General Fall was born in 1923, in Boston, Mass., where he attended school. He graduated from Modesto Junior College in California and later attended the University of Maryland, Cambridge University in England, and The George Washington University. His military career began as an Army private during World War II. He completed aviation cadet training and earned his commission as a second lieutenant in the Army Air Corps and his pilot wings in October 1943.

He then served as a flight instructor and as a B-24 pilot. In February 1946 he was transferred to Smoky Hill Army Air Field, Kan., and became operations officer and pilot for the 829th Bombardment Squadron. As one of the original members of the Strategic Air Command, General Fall served as a B-29 instructor pilot for three of SAC's first B-29 bomber groups. From July 1947 to September 1954 he served as a select crew aircraft commander on B-29, B-50, and B-47 aircraft, instructor pilot, and operations staff officer in bomber groups at Smoky Hill Army Air Field; Andersen Air Force Base, Guam; and Castle Air Force Base, Calif.

In September 1954 he was transferred to Strategic Air Command headquarters at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., as chief, Combat Crew Branch, in the Directorate of Personnel. In this position, he was responsible for the manning, promotion and control of all SAC combat crewmembers. He later was executive officer for the Directorate of Personnel. From September 1957 to June 1958 he attended the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

General Fall began his career in the missile field when he was assigned to Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., in July 1958. There, during the early days of SAC's missile program, he served as a guided missile operations staff officer in the 704th Strategic Missile Wing. In October 1959 he became deputy commander of the first operational Atlas missile squadron, the 564th Strategic Missile Squadron, at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo. In February 1960 he was made commander of the 706th Missile Maintenance Squadron, providing maintenance support for three operational Atlas squadrons. During this period, General Fall attended the Atlas Guided Missile Maintenance and Operations courses, and the Titan Guided Missile Course.

From May 1961 to March 1963, General Fall served at Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., in missile staff assignments: first, as chief of the Atlas Section; next as chief of the Minuteman System; then chief of the Missile Systems Branch; and lastly, as deputy chief of the Missile Maintenance Division in the Directorate of Materiel. In these positions, General Fall gained wide experience in all missile systems of Strategic Air Command.

General Fall was assigned in June 1965 as deputy commander for maintenance for the 390th Strategic Missile Wing, equipped with Titan II missiles, at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. In August 1966 he entered the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort McNair, Washington, D.C. From July 1967 to May 1970 he commanded the 321st Strategic Missile Wing at Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D. He assumed command of the 341st Strategic Missile Wing, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., in May 1970.

In June 1972 General Fall took command of the 4th Strategic Missile Division, with more than 26,000 personnel in Minuteman and bombardment wings at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.; F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo.; Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D.; and Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo.

His variety of assignments in the strategic missile field, from its earliest days to the current, powerful force, make General Fall one of the few Air Force officers who possess such depth of experience in both strategic bomber and missile weapon systems. He is a command pilot with more than 10,000 flying hours, most of them in SAC bombers. He also holds a master missileman rating.

His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Army Commendation Medal, and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon with oak leaf cluster.

General Fall's hometown is Boston, Mass.

He was promoted to the grade of brigadier general effective May 1, 1971, with date of rank April 25, 1971.

(Current as of March 1, 1973)