MAJOR GENERAL GEORGE B. DANY

Major General George Bernard Dany is the chief of staff, U.S. Southern Command, Quarry Heights, Canal Zone. In this capacity, he serves as principal assistant and adviser to the commander in chief, U.S. Southern Command.

General Dany was born in the Philippine Islands in 1910, the son of a U.S. Army officer. After graduation from high school in San Diego, Calif., he attended the San Diego Army-Navy Academy during which time he joined the California National Guard. In 1930, he entered the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., from which he graduated and was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1934.

He received pilot training at Randolph and Kelly fields, Texas, and graduated and received his pilot wings in 1935. He continued his training and was awarded bombardier and navigator wings, making him a triple-rated air officer, one of the first in the Army Air Corps.

In 1935, General Dany was assigned to the 19th Bombardment Group at March Field, Calif., where he took part in the development of the combat crew concept used effectively during World War II. Three years later, he was a lead navigator for the 19th Bombardment Group on a series of test bombings of the USS Utah off the California coast. These tests helped to prove the potential of air power.

He organized the first navigation school in the Gulf Coast Training Command, and in 1942 assumed command of navigation school bases at Hondo Field, Texas, and then Selman Field, La.

In August 1945, General Dany went to the Far East Theater of Operations with the Eighth Air Force as Chief of Plans, and later as commanding officer of Kadena Army Air Base, Okinawa. He returned to Randolph Field, Texas, in June 1947, where he served as deputy chief of staff, Flying Division, Air Training Command. He then attended the Air War College and graduated in July 1950.

From 1950 to 1953, he was on duty at the Pentagon as deputy director of training, Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel, Headquarters U.S. Air Force. Upon completion of this tour of duty, he attended the National War College and graduated in June 1954.

General Dany activated the 1611th Air Transport Wing (redesignated the 438th Military Airlift Wing) at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., July 19, 1954, and for the next four years directed the growth of the base into one of the largest in the Air Force. When the Hungarian airlift began, he was named Airlift Task Force commander. Under his direction, during the winter of l956-57, 175 aircraft of the Military Air Transport Service airlifted 9,700 refugee Hungarians to the Free World. President Eisenhower described "Operation Safe Haven" as the "greatest humanitarian airlift in history." For his part in the operation, he was awarded an oak leaf cluster to the Legion of Merit.

In August 1958, General Dany assumed command of the U.S. Forces, Azores, remaining in command until August 1961. While there he became the first American to receive Portugal's Distinguished Service Medal.

In 1961, he was appointed deputy chief of staff for operations at Headquarters Military Air Transport Service (now Military Airlift Command), Scott Air Force Base, I11. In June 1963, he assumed command of the Western Transport Air Force (now the 22d Air Force) at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., and in August 1966, he became chief of staff for the U.S. Southern Command at Quarry Heights, Canal Zone.

General Dany is a command pilot with more than 6,500 flying hours in conventional and jet aircraft. His decorations include the Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters and the Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster.

(Current as of June 15, 1967)