BRIGADIER GENERAL NOAH E. LOY

Brigadier General Noah E. Loy is director, avionics and electronic combat, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Washington, D.C.

General Loy was born in 1938, in Fordsville, Ky., and graduated from Campbellsville (Ky.) City High School. He received a bachelor of science degree in economics from the University of Kentucky in 1960. He completed Squadron Officer School in 1964, Industrial College of the Armed Force in 1965, Air Command and Staff College in 1971, and Air War College in 1979.

The general was commissioned as a second lieutenant through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program in June 1960. He completed pilot training at Graham Air Base, Fla., and Reese Air Force Base, Texas, earning his wings in August 1961. He then served as an instructor pilot with the 3514th Pilot Training Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Ga., and later with the Air Force Military Assistance Program at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas.

From June to September 1966 General Loy flew F-100s with the 4435th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., and then attended the U.S. Air-Ground Operations School at Hurlburt Field, Fla.

The general served as a forward air controller and air liaison officer with the 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Pleiku Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, from December 1966 to March 1967. Remaining in Southeast Asia, he was assigned to the 606th Air Commando Squadron, Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. During this Southeast Asia tour of duty, he flew more than 500 combat hours in A-1s, AT-28s and O-1s over Laos, Cambodia, and South and North Vietnam.

In January 1968 he was assigned to the 55th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Royal Air Force Station Wethersfield, England, as a flight commander and F-100 maintenance quality control test pilot. After completing Air Command and Staff College in June 1971, he served as an operations staff officer, Directorate for Command and Control, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va.

General Loy attended F-4 combat crew training at George Air Force Base, Calif., from May to July 1973. He then returned to Southeast Asia, where he flew F-4s with the 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. During this assignment he served as a squadron assistant operations officer and as wing maintenance control officer.

From August 1974 to February 1976 he served as operations officer for the 494th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Royal Air Force Station Lakenheath, England. He then served as commander of the 91st Tactical Fighter Squadron at Royal Air Force Station Bentwaters, England. From July 1978 to May 1979 he attended the Air War College, and then was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., as chief of the Tactical Forces Division, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Operations.

General Loy was assigned as commander of the 86th Combat Support Group, Ramstein Air Base, West Germany, from July 1981 to February 1982. He then served as vice commander of the 86th Tactical Fighter Wing and the Kaiserslautern Military Community at Ramstein Air Base.

In June 1983 the general became commander of the 26th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Zweibrucken Air Base, West Germany. In July 1985 he was assigned as deputy director of general purpose forces, Directorate of Operational Requirements, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Research, Development and Acquisition, at Air Force headquarters. In March 1986 he became special assistant for electronic combat. He assumed his present position in July 1987.

The general is a command pilot with more than 4,800 flying hours. His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with 15 oak leaf clusters, Combat Readiness Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with silver star.

He was promoted to brigadier general July 1, 1987, with same date of rank.

(Current as of August 1988)