BRIGADIER GENERAL EDWARD JOSEPH TRACY

Edward Joseph Tracy was born in St. Paul, Minn., in 1902. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Thomas College in St. Paul in 1924. The following year he taught sciences and coached football and basketball at Dassell (Minn.) High School. He then entered the University of Minnesota, from which he received his Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Medicine degrees in 1929, and his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1930.

In July 1929, General Tracy was commissioned a first lieutenant in the Medical reserve of the Army and assigned to Fitzsimmons Army Hospital in Denver, Colo. Upon completion of his internship a year later he received his Regular Commission as a first lieutenant in the Medical Corps.

During 1932 and 1933, General Tracy attended a number of military service schools, including the Army Medical School, Washington, D.C.; Medical Field Service School, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.; and the School of Aviation Medicine at Randolph Field, Texas. The following five years he served a various installations in the United States as a flight surgeon, and in February 1938 became flight surgeon at Clark Field, Philippine Islands. In March 1940, he was named Chief of Surgical Service at Selfridge Field, Mich., and a year later became the post surgeonĀ in Albuquerque, N.M.

General Tracy went to Europe in May 1942 as staff surgeon of the Eighth Bomber Command, and in January 1944 became staff surgeon of the Eighth Air Force in that theater. Two months later he was appointed assistant staff surgeon of the AAF in the Mediterranean theater, and in July 1944 became staff surgeon there.

In February 1945, General Tracy was assigned to Bolling Field, D.C., as surgeon of the Continental Air Forces. He became deputy air surgeon in the Air Surgeon's Office at AAF Headquarters, Washington, D.C., in August 1945, and in September 1946, was named base surgeon at Mitchel Field, N.Y. In October 1948, he transferred to March Air Force Base, Calif., where he served as surgeon for the First Air Wing until August 1949; commander of the 22nd Medical Group until May 1951; and air surgeon for the 15th Air Force until July 1953.

General Tracy was appointed surgeon of Air Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, in September 1953.

He has been awarded the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal, Commendation Ribbon with two oak leaf clusters.