LIEUTENANT GENERAL BRYAN M. SHOTTS Lieutenant General Bryan M. Shotts is commander of Fifteenth Air Force, Strategic Air Command, with headquarters at March Air Force Base, Calif. Fifteenth Air Force is responsible for SAC operations in the Western United States and Alaska. Its mixed force of reconnaissance and bomber aircraft, and missiles supports the national strategic deterrence mission. General Shotts was born in 1922, in Laurel, Miss., where he graduated from the George S. Gardner High School. He attended the University of Omaha. In January 1942 he entered aviation cadet training. Upon completion of flying training in December 1942, he received his commission as a second lieutenant. General Shotts was then assigned to the 1st Bombardment Squadron of the 9th Bombardment Group, School of Applied Tactics, Orlando and Brooksville, Fla. During World War II, General Shotts served as an instructor pilot and also flew combat missions in the European Theater of Operations with the 401st Bombardment Group stationed at Deenethorpe, England. He was hospitalized in May 1944 for wounds received during a combat mission and was returned to the United States. When the war ended, he was a B-29 aircraft instructor pilot at Maxwell Field, Ala. From November 1945 to July 1946, he served at Columbus Army Air Field, Columbus, Miss. In August 1946 General Shotts went to Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, where he served successively as club officer, supply officer, air inspector, and squadron commander with the 22d Bombardment Group and 316th Bombardment Wing. In May 1948 he returned to the United States with the group as operations officer for the 33d Bombardment Squadron at Smoky Hill Air Force Base, Kan., during which time the squadron had 90 days temporary duty at Lakenheath Air Station, England. In May 1949 the 22d Group was moved to March Air Force Base, Calif., where in April 1950, he became assistant director of operations and training for the 22d Bombardment Wing. General Shotts was assigned in July 1950 as assistant chief of combat operations, Headquarters Bomber Command, Far East Air Forces, at Yokota Air Base, Japan. In April 1951 he returned to March Air Force Base and was assigned to Headquarters Fifteenth Air Force as chief, Tactical Operations Branch in the Directorate of Operations. He entered the Air Command and Staff School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., in July 1953, and after graduation returned to March Air Force Base as deputy director of operations for the 320th Bombardment Wing. He again had 90 days temporary duty in England, this time at Brize Norton Air Station with the 320th Wing. In October 1954 General Shotts became commander of the 330th Bombardment Squadron, the first B-52 squadron at Castle Air Force Base, Calif. He was assigned to Strategic Air Command Headquarters as the chief of the Operations Division in the Directorate of Operations from April 1958 to September 1962, when he returned to Castle Air Force Base as vice commander of the 93d Bombardment Wing. He entered the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Washington, D.C., in August 1964. In June 1965 General Shotts was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force in the Directorate of Operations, Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Operations, where he served, first, as chief, Strategic Division and, later, as assistant director of operations for joint matters. He returned to Castle Air Force Base in June 1969 as commander of the 93d Bombardment Wing, and in March 1970 he again was assigned to Headquarters Fifteenth Air Force, this time as chief of staff. In June 1971 General Shotts was assigned as commander of the United States Logistics Group, with headquarters in Ankara, Turkey, and in February 1973 was transferred to Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., as commander of the Keesler Technical Training Center of the Air Training Command. He assumed command of Fifteenth Air Force on July 31, 1975. His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Purple Heart, Presidential Unit Citation Emblem with two oak leaf clusters, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon with oak leaf cluster, and the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon. General Shotts' hometown is Laurel, Miss. He was promoted to the grade of lieutenant general effective Aug. 1, 1975, with date of rank July 30, 1975. (Current as of December 1975)