BRIGADIER GENERAL HAROLD W. OHLKE

Brigadier General Harold W. Ohlke began his Air Force service when he entered the aviation cadet flying training program in 1936. He completed pilot training in October 1936, but did not receive a commission as second lieutenant, Army Air Corps, Reserve, until June 10, 1937, because of budget and manpower limitations at that time.

He was called to extended active duty in June 1937, and was first assigned to the 3d Attack Group where he served in all the squadron officer type duties in addition to learning combat pilot techniques. He was promoted to first lieutenant in October 1940.

When the United States entered the war in December 1941, he was transferred to England. By December 1943, he was promoted to colonel and was serving as assistant chief of staff, Eighth Air Force. He later was deputy director of operations for the Eighth Air Force and flew six combat missions in B-17s over Northern France and Central Europe.

In another World War II assignment he was deputy director of plans, U.S. Strategic Air Forces in Europe, where he worked with the staff of Field Marshal Montgomery in planning the air invasion of Germany. He received the Order of the British Empire decoration for this assignment.

General Ohlke was a member of the Yalta Conference party which accompanied President Franklin D. Roosevelt to Yalta in 1945. At the end of the war he returned to the United States and was assigned to Washington, D.C. In Washington he was assistant executive to the secretary of the Air Force. In 1949 he returned to England as an exchange officer with the Great Britain Air Ministry serving as chief of the U.S. Air Force Air Intelligence Team. He held this assignment until October 1952 when he was assigned to Parks Air Force Base, Calif., as deputy commander, 3275th Air Force Intelligence Wing.

Subsequent assignments included experiences as assistant chief of staff for "Operation Sagebrush" in May 1955; director of operations for the 21st Air Division, Forbes Air Force Base, Kan.; commander, 815th Air Base Group, Forbes Air Force Base, Kan.; 802d Air Division commander, Schilling Air Force Base, Kan.; and 18th Strategic Aerospace Division commander, Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash.

He is now serving as commander, 3d Air Division, Anderson Air Force Base, Guam. The 3d Air Division is responsible for all Strategic Air Command operations in the Pacific area and is located on the strategic island of Guam in the Mariana Island Chain.

(Current as of December 1964)