Douglas B. Netherwood was born in Birmingham, England, on February 4, 1885. Following graduation in 1908 from the Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College with the degree of Bachelor of Science, he enlisted in the Army, serving as a private, corporal and sergeant with the 20th Company, Coast Artillery Corps, from July 31, 1908 to August 6, 1911. He was commissioned a second lieutenant, Coast Artillery Corps, on July 20, 1911.
SERVICE
General Netherwood first served on Coast Artillery duty but was attracted to flying as one of aviation’s pioneers, becoming a Junior Military Aviator in August 1914, after completing the flying course at the Signal Corps Aviation School at San Diego, California. He was on duty with the 1st Company, 2nd Aero Squadron, in the Philippines. He returned to the United States in the summer of 1917, and served in the Airplane Division, Office of the Chief Signal Officer, until November 10, 1917. In the meantime he received the rating of Military Aviator on August 20, 1917.
General Netherwood was transferred to Love Field, Dallas, Texas in November 1917, became its Commanding Officer, and served there until April 27, 1918, when he was transferred to the San Antonio Air Depot, Texas for duty as Executive Officer.
From June 1921 to February 17, 1922, General Netherwood was in command of the Air Depot at Americus, Georgia. He was then assigned to duty with the Organized Reserves of the Second Corps Area in New York City. In February 1925, he was assigned to the Army Industrial College in Washington, D.C. and following graduation on June 30, 1925, pursued a two-year course at the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration, being awarded the degree of Master in Business Administration.
Assigned to the Office of the Chief of the Air Corps, Washington, D.C., he was on duty in the Executive Office from July 7 to September 14, 1927, and for four years thereafter was Chief of the Finance Division.
From September 1931 to June 1932, General Netherwood was at the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Field, Alabama, and upon his graduation was ordered to duty in the Philippines, where he served as Department Air Officer, and later assumed the additional duty of Commanding Officer at Nichols Field and of the 4th Composite Group. Upon his return to the United States he was on duty in the Plans Division, Office of the Chief of the Air Corps from December 1, 1934 to July 16, 1935, when he was assigned to the Army War College in Washington, D.C. Following his graduation in June 1936, he was assigned as Assistant Director and later as Director of the Air Corps Board at Maxwell Field, Alabama. He served in that capacity until February 1940, when he was ordered to Mitchel Field, New York to serve as Commanding Officer of the Air Base. On October 4, 1940, he was ordered to Albrook Field in the Panama Canal Zone for duty as Commanding General of the 19th Wing. He was assigned to San Juan, Puerto Rico on July 19, 1941, before becoming Commanding General of Borinquen Field, Puerto Rico, and of the 13th Composite Wing from September 7, to October 25, 1941.
In December 1941, General Netherwood returned to the United States and went to Baer Field at Fort Wayne, Indiana as Commanding Officer. In October 1942, he was assigned to the Engineer School at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
General Netherwood and his passenger, Corporal Kelley M. Cates, died on August 19, 1943, in the crash of an A-25 aircraft he was piloting on a flight from Orlando Army Air Base, Florida, to Pope Field, North Carolina. Despite extensive searching, the aircraft or its two-man crew could not be found.
He was rated a Command Pilot, Combat Observer, and Aircraft Observer.
PROMOTIONS
He was promoted to Private, Corporal, and Sergeant, 20th Company, Coast Artillery Corps, July 31, 1908, to August 6 1911; to Second Lieutenant, Coast Artillery Corps, on July 20, 1911; to First Lieutenant, Aviation Section, Signal Corps, on August 20, 1914; to Captain on May 15, 1917; to Major (temporary), July 17, 1918, to August 23, 1918; to Lieutenant Colonel, Air Service, U.S.A., August 20, 1918, to February 19, 1920. He reverted to his permanent rank of Captain on February 19, 1920, and was promoted to Major on July 1, 1920; relieved from Aviation Section, Signal Corps, on June 30, 1920; transferred to Air Service on July 1, 1920; to Lieutenant Colonel on August 1, 1935; to Colonel (temporary), August 26, 1936, to August 1, 1940; to Colonel on August 1, 1940; to Brigadier General, A.U.S., on October 1, 1940. He vacated the rank of Brigadier General, A.U.S., on December 25, 1941, and reverted to his permanent rank of Colonel.
DECORATIONS
World War I Victory Medal, American Defense Service Medal with Foreign Service Clasp, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal.