Maj. Gen. Jack Bellamy is the vice commander of the Ninth Air Force, with headquarters at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.
General Bellamy was born in Gate City, Va., in 1924, and graduated from high school in Watseka, Ill., in 1942. He entered active military service as a private in January 1943, later entered pilot training and received his pilot wings and commission as a second lieutenant at Waco Army Air Field, Texas, in April 1944.
His first operational assignment was as a C-47 pilot at Sedalia, Mo. In December 1944 he joined the 37th Troop Carrier Group in France. While in Europe, he flew on the first combat double glider tow mission and also flew 77 combat hours in 17 missions during the invasion of Germany.
After World War II, General Bellamy served as an aircraft maintenance officer at Sedalia Army Air Field, Mo., and as a glider instructor at Greenville Army Air Base, S.C. He left active duty in December 1946 and returned to active service as a Regular officer in November 1947.
He was assigned to the 37th Troop Carrier Squadron at Greenville Air Force Base, S.C., and during that period he attended Aircraft Maintenance Officer School at Chanute Air Force Base, Ill., and in May 1949, the Air Tactical School at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
During the Korean War in June 1950, General Bellamy was transferred to Johnson Air Base, Japan, where he served as maintenance supervisor of the field maintenance squadron, air base group operations officer, and flew 104 combat hours in 30 combat missions in Korea.
General Bellamy returned to the United States in June 1952 and went to Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, as a pilot and base operations officer. He was transferred to General Billy Mitchell Field, Wis., in March 1953, and served as chief of Flying Training Division of the 2473d Air Reserve Flying Center.
In January 1957 he was assigned to Headquarters Continental Air Command, Mitchel Air Force Base, N.Y., as an operations staff officer. In September 1959 General Bellamy entered the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
After graduation in July 1960, he was transferred to Sembach Air Base, Germany, as operations support officer for the 38th Air Base Group, and later chief of the Flying Training Branch. He went to Chambley Air Base, France, in July 1962, as a tactical fighter pilot with the 390th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing. In August 1963, the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing was relocated at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., where General Bellamy was a flight commander, operations officer and then commander of the 390th Squadron. In October 1965 he led the squadron to Da Nang Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, where he flew more than 100 combat missions in the F-4C Phantom II.
In July 1966 he was assigned to Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations as operations staff officer; in October 1966 became chief, Tactical Division; later was deputy director of requirements; in February 1967 was named deputy director for operations plans; and in September 1967 became director of operations plans.
He was transferred to George Air Force Base, Calif., in June 1969 as vice commander of the 479th Tactical Fighter Wing. In April 1970 General Bellamy returned to Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., where he commanded the 49th Tactical Fighter Wing. He led the wing on three deployments, the last of which was a combat deployment to Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, as part of Constant Guard V.
In June 1972 General Bellamy was assigned as assistant deputy chief of staff, logistics, Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va. He returned to the Republic of Vietnam in September 1972 to serve as deputy chief and later chief of the Air Division, U.S. Military Assistance Command Vietnam with additional duties as assistant director of operations for Seventh Air Force at Tan Son Nhut Airfield.
In February 1973 General Bellamy was transferred to Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, where he served in a dual capacity as director of operations, Headquarters Seventh Air Force, and as assistant chief of staff, operations, U.S. Support Activities Group. In October 1973 he became deputy commander of Seventh Air Force and chief of staff, U.S. Support Activities Group.
General Bellamy was assigned as vice commander, Ninth Air Force, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., in April 1974.
His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal; Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster; Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster; Meritorious Service Medal; Air Medal with seven oak leaf clusters; Air Force Commendation Medal; Combat Readiness Medal; and from the Republic of Vietnam the Air Service Medal, Class of Honor; and the Air Force Distinguished Service Order, First Class. He is a command pilot with more than 6,000 flying hours, and has flown more than 450 combat hours in three wars.
He was promoted to the grade of major general effective Sept. 1, 1973, date of rank Feb. 1, 1971.
(Current as of Jan. 15, 1975)