Major General Ralph J. Maglione is director of Legislative Liaison, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force.
General Maglione was born in Akron, Ohio, in 1926; attended Kent State University from 1946 to 1949; received a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Maryland in 1964, and a master's degree in international affairs from The George Washington University in 1968; and graduated from the National War College in 1968.
He entered the aviation cadet program in July 1949 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force and received his pilot wings in 1950, upon graduation at Williams Air Force Base, Ariz. General Maglione was named a distinguished graduate and awarded a Regular commission for his outstanding performance during the training program.
His first assignment following pilot training was with the 27th Fighter Escort Wing, Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas. In November 1950 his wing deployed to Korea, where General Maglione flew 104 combat missions in F-84E aircraft.
General Maglione returned to Bergstrom from Korea and in 1956 set an overwater distance record for single-engine fighter aircraft when he flew his F-84F nonstop from Royal Air Force Station Sturgate, England, to Austin, Texas. That same year, General Maglione was selected to be a member of the Strategic Air Command's gunnery team in the annual United States Fighter Weapons Meet at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
In 1958, when the 27th Fighter Escort Wing converted to the F-101A Voodoo, General Maglione demonstrated the aircraft at the International Air Show in Liege, Belgium, after flying nonstop from Andrews Air Force Base, Md., to Liege. This nonstop flight set an unofficial world speed record.
In January 1959, General Maglione was assigned to the 81st Tactical Fighter Wing, Royal Air Force Station Bentwaters, England, where he flew the F-101 as flight commander and operations officer with the 78th and 92d tactical fighter squadrons.
From November 1962 to July 1965, he was assigned as an action officer in the Officer Assignments Division, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. During this assignment, he completed requirements for his bachelor of arts degree in economics at the University of Maryland.
He was commander/leader of the U.S. Air Force's Aerial Demonstration Team, the Thunderbirds, from July 1965 to July 1967, during which time the team performed throughout the world. In August 1967 he entered the National War College, Washington, D.C., and received his master's degree from The George Washington University.
General Maglione was chief, House of Representatives Liaison Office, Office of Legislative Liaison, in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, from July 1968 until April 1971. He then became commander of the 3525th Pilot Training Wing, Williams Air Force Base, Ariz.
General Maglione was assigned as director of personnel, Military Assistance Command Vietnam from September 1972 until March 1973, and assumed duty as chief, Operations and Plans Division of the Defense Attache Office, Saigon, Republic of Vietnam, after the disestablishment of MACV.
He was assigned to the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force as deputy director of Legislative Liaison in June 1974 and became director in August 1974.
He is a command pilot with more than 5,500 flying hours. His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Army Commendation Medal, Purple Heart, Presidential Unit Citation Emblem, and Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon with oak leaf cluster.
He was promoted to the grade of major general Sept. 1, 1974, with date of rank May 1, 1972.
(Current as of September 1976)