BRIGADIER GENERAL ROBERT A. DUFFY

Brigadier General Robert A. Duffy is vice commander, Space and Missile Systems Organization of the Air Force Systems Command, Los Angeles Air Force Station, Calif.

General Duffy was born in Buck Run, Pa., in 1921. After his graduation from Pottsville Public High School in 1939, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps and served at France and Albrook fields in the Canal Zone, Panama. He received his commission as a second lieutenant in September 1942 after completion of Officer Candidate School.

During World War II, General Duffy participated in the invasion of North Africa as an armament/ordnance officer with the 92d Fighter Squadron, 81st Fighter Group. He spent the major part of the war in Italy as group ordnance officer with the 99th Bombardment Group.

Upon his return to the United States at the end of World War II, General Duffy was assigned to Eglin Field, Fla., as a project officer for bombing systems at the Air Proving Grounds and on rocket development at the Air Force Armament Center. In 1948 he entered the Georgia Institute of Technology and received a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering in 1951.

He returned to Eglin Air Force Base where he served in the Armament Center as a rocket development engineer until August 1952 when he was admitted as a special student in instrumentation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Upon completion of a year of studies at MIT, General Duffy joined the General Motors Corporation for a year of industry training. He was transferred to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and during his three-year tour of duty there, served in the Weapons Guidance Laboratory, Wright Air Development Center, as chief, Inertial Bombing Systems Section; Technical Assistant to the chief, Navigation Branch; and staff engineer for missile guidance systems.

From August 1957 to July 1958, General Duffy attended Air Command and Staff School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. In August 1958 he joined the Air Force Ballistic Missile Division in Los Angeles, Calif., working in the Directorate of Guidance and Control.

In August 1963 General Duffy was assigned to the Office of the Director of Defense Research and Engineering, Office of the Secretary of Defense, as staff officer and in December 1964 became military assistant to the special assistant, Electronics and Information Systems. During this tour of duty, General Duffy spent approximately one year in Southeast Asia on temporary duty in the Republic of Vietnam, Thailand, and with the Seventh Fleet on special assignment as assistant to the director of defense research and engineering, Office of the Secretary of Defense.

General Duffy was appointed deputy for Re-entry Systems with the Space and Missile Systems Organization stationed at Norton Air Force Base, Calif., in August 1967. He assumed duties as vice commander, Space and Missile Systems Organization of the Air Force Systems Command, Los Angeles Air Force Station, Calif., in August 1970.

In 1964 he was awarded the Thurlow Award by the Institute of Navigation for work in the application of inertial guidance equipment to military vehicles. His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit, Army Commendation Medal, and the Distinguished Unit Citation Emblem with oak leaf cluster.

General Duffy's hometown is Chambersburg, Pa.

He was promoted to the temporary grade of brigadier general effective Nov. 1, 1967, with date of rank Oct. 29, 1967.

(Current as of May 1, 1971)