Brigadier General HARRY C. BAYNE

Brig. Gen. Harry C. Bayne is commander of the 45th Air Division with headquarters at Loring Air Force Base, Maine.

General Bayne was born in Collingswood, N.J., in 1921. He attended the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Omaha. After impatiently awaiting acceptance as an aviation cadet, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps in September 1941 and was sent to pilot training as an enlisted aviation student. He graduated in August 1942 as a staff sergeant pilot.

Within a few months, he received a direct commission and performed ferrying missions with the Air Transport Command both in the Zone of Interior and to overseas areas. In October 1944 he was transferred to India where he flew 60 combat missions over the "Hump."

Following World War II from January 1946 to February 1951 General Bayne served at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., and Scott Air Force Base, Ill., as the command auditor of Headquarters Air Training Command and later as budget officer for the Air Force portion of the Mutual Defense Assistance Program.

In March 1952 after completing triple-rated training as navigator-bombardier-radar operator, he began a series of assignments in Strategic Air Command. Beginning as an aircraft commander in B-29s with the 9th Bombardment Wing at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., he progressed to select crew commander of a B-47 with the 303d Bombardment Wing, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. In 1955 he was appointed chief, Standardization Division, 303d Bombardment Wing, advancing to director of operations in 1958.

General Bayne was transferred in February 1959 to Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., where he served in the Directorate of Plans as chief, War Plans Section, and later as chief, Force Plans Branch, with additional duties as the assistant commander in chief, Strategic Air Command representative to the Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff.

In July 1963 General Bayne assumed command of the 3909th Combat Support Group, Royal Air Force Station Greenham Command in England. After closing the base and turning it over to the Royal Air Force in June 1964, he was assigned as the commander of the 3920th Strategic Wing, Brize Norton Air Base, England. In June 1965 he was appointed as commander, 3970th Strategic Wing, Torrejon Air Base, Spain.

Upon his return from Europe in July 1966, General Bayne was assigned to the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff Programs and Resources in the Directorate of Aerospace Programs, as the assistant to the director for Joint Chiefs of Staff and Congressional Matters, and in June 1967 was appointed chief, Strategic Offensive and Defensive Division. In April 1968 he was assigned as chief, European Division, Directorate of Plans and Policy, J-5, Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

In April 1970 General Bayne was assigned as commander of the 45th Air Division, Loring Air Force Base, Maine.

His military decorations include the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Commendation Medal, and Air Force Combat Readiness Medal. He is a rated navigator and command pilot with 6,700 flying hours.

He was promoted to the temporary grade of brigadier general effective Aug. 1, 1968, with date of rank June 30, 1968.

(Current as of Feb. 15, 1971)