BRIGADIER GENERAL EDWARD L. ELLIS

Brigadier General Edward L. Ellis is commander of the 23rd North American Air Defense Command Region and the 23rd Aerospace Defense Command Region, Duluth International Airport, Minn.

General Ellis was born in 1925, at Drumright, Okla., and graduated from Capitol Hill High School in 1942. He attended the University of Oklahoma in 1948-49 and studied business at Oklahoma City University in 1950-51. He received a bachelor of arts degree in 1965 from Park College, Parkville, Mo. He is a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College and has completed the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

He entered military service as an aviation cadet in June 1943 at Sheppard Field, Texas, and received his pilot wings and commission as a second lieutenant in August 1944 at Brooks Field, Texas. General Ellis served in the Western Pacific with the 3rd Attack Group, flying the A-26 until he separated from the service in August 1946.

Recalled to active duty in March 1951, General Ellis was a B-29 pilot with the 6th Bombardment Wing, Walker Air Force Base, N.M., until he entered navigator-observer training at Mather Air Force Base, Calif., in September 1952.

From May 1953 to May 1958, General Ellis was a pilot and aircraft commander with the 22nd Bombardment Wing, March Air Force Base, Calif., flying the B-47. In May 1958 he was transferred to Barksdale Air Force Base, La., and served as a B-47 aircrew evaluator until he entered the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., in September 1960.

General Ellis was a member of the Seventeenth Air Force operations staff at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, from June 1961 to June 1965. He then returned to the United States and entered Park College under Operation Bootstrap.

After graduation he was assigned to Headquarters Air Training Command, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, serving first as a manpower and organization management staff officer and then us chief, Training Branch, under the deputy chief of staff for plans. In May 1967 he became commander of the 3300th Support Squadron, also at Randolph Air Force Base.

General Ellis' next tour of duty was in the Republic of Vietnam where he flew A-37 jet aircraft and was squadron operations officer and chief of the Plans Division for the 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing at Bien Hoa Air Base.

General Ellis was assigned to Headquarters Aerospace Defense Command in November 1970 and served briefly as chief, Management Engineering Division, Directorate of Manpower and Organization. He then became assistant deputy chief of staff for personnel and later deputy chief of staff for personnel for Headquarters North American Air Defense Command and Headquarters Aerospace Defense Command, which were collocated in Colorado Springs, Colo. In August 1976 he was named commander of the 46th Aerospace Defense Wing at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.

General Ellis assumed command of the 23rd NORAD Region with additional duty as commander, 23rd Air Division, ADCOM, of Duluth International Airport, in March 1977. In January 1979 his command responsibilities were redesignated as commander, 23rd NORAD Region, and commander, 23rd ADCOM Region.

He is a command pilot. His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with 11 oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal and the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal, 1st Class.

General Ellis was promoted to the grade of brigadier general May 1, 1977, with date of rank April 30, 1977.

(Current as of March 1979)