BRIGADIER GENERAL MORGAN S. TYLER JR. Brigadier General Morgan S. Tyler Jr., is the assistant deputy chief of staff for combat operations for the North American Air Defense Command with headquarters at Ent Air Force Base, Colo. He is responsible for operations of the NORAD Combat Operations Center and management of the Cheyenne Mountain Complex which houses the underground center. General Tyler was born in Three Rivers Mich., in 1920. He graduated from Santa Monica High School, Santa Monica, Calif., entered the University of California in 1939 and Santa Monica Junior College in 1940, majoring in history. General Tyler entered the aviation cadet program in the Army Air Corps in March 1941. He completed basic and advanced pilot training and received his commission as a second lieutenant in October 1941, at Luke Field, Ariz. He then served as an instructor pilot at Luke Field until 1943. During World War II, General Tyler flew 85 combat missions in P-40 aircraft in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations and 167 missions in the China-Burma-India Theater of Operations as commander of a P-47 fighter squadron. He is credited with four and one-half aerial victories and five aircraft destroyed on the ground. After World War II, he assumed duties as air attache with the U.S. Embassy in Turkey and later became executive officer to the special assistant to the chief of staff for Reserve Affairs at Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. In 1951 he became commander of the 45th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Suffolk County Air Force Base, N.Y., and in 1953 was assigned with the squadron of F-86 Sabre Jets to North Africa. In January 1955 he moved to Rabat, North Africa, to become director of operations, 316th Air Division, and later served as deputy commander and organized an F-100 transition school to indoctrinate all fighter pilots of squadrons in Europe that were converting to the F-100 Super Sabre. General Tyler began his service in the Strategic Air Command in 1956 with the 308th Bombardment Wing, Hunter Air Force Base, Ga., became deputy commander for operations in October 1958, and later vice commander. In 1959 he went to Loring Air Force Base, Maine, as deputy commander for operations, 42nd Bombardment Wing and in November 1961 was assigned as a staff operations officer for Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. In January 1965 he was assigned as commander of the 4252nd Strategic Wing at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa. As commander, he organized the new wing which was equipped with KC-135s. Under his command the 4252nd Wing was twice the recipient of the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: one was for the first six months of operation, and the second for the period of July 1, 1965,to March 1, 1966. Also during his assignment as commander of the wing, General Tyler flew 119 combat missions in the KC-135-tanker aircraft in support of the Vietnam War and six B-52 missions. In September 1967 he became commander of the 817th Air Division, Strategic Air Command, with headquarters at Pease Air Force Base, N.H. He assumed duties as assistant deputy chief of staff for combat operations for the North American Air Defense Command in January 1970. His military decorations include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, Soldier's Medal, Air Medal with 14 oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon with four oak leaf clusters and the Republic of Vietnam Air Force Distinguished Service Order (First Class) which was presented to him by Primier Ngyun Cao Ky. General Tyler's hometown is Dade City, Fla. He was promoted to the temporary grade of brigadier general effective April 1, 1967, with date of rank March 31, 1967. (Current as of March 15, 1970) Change in assignment to director for combat operations Center, J-3, North American Air Defense Command and Continental Air Defense Command, Ent Air Force Base, Colo., effective Jan. 10, 1970.