MAJOR GENERAL CHARLES F. MINTER SR.

Major General Charles F. Minter Sr., is assistant deputy chief of staff, Systems and Logistics, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.

General Minter was born in 1925, in Columbus, Ga. He completed his secondary education in 1943 at Riverside Military Academy, Gainsville, Ga., where he enlisted in the Army Air Corps Reserve. He attended Centenary College, Shreveport, La., and Texas Christian University; received a bachelor of general education degree in political science from the University of Omaha in 1966; and graduated from the National War College in 1971.

He entered the aviation cadet program in October 1943 and completed advanced pilot training in May 1945 at Enid Army Air Field, Okla. He next was assigned at Selman Army Air Field, La., and in August 1946 joined the 38th Bombardment Group at Itazuke Air Base, Japan. He was released from active duty in March 1947 and assigned to an Air Force Reserve unit in Shreveport, La.

General Minter returned to active duty in January 1949 as a pilot with the 27th Fighter Wing at Kearney Air Force Base, Neb., and shortly afterward moved with the wing to Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas.

At the outbreak of the Korean War, General Minter was placed on temporary duty to the Far East Air Forces with the 27th Fighter Wing (SAC), at Taegu Air Base, Korea, and Itazuke Air Base, Japan, and flew 100 combat missions in the F-84.

In February 1953 he was assigned to Headquarters 8th Air Force, Fort Worth, Texas, in the Office of the Inspector General and later served as chief of the Reserve and Status Division, Directorate of Personnel. In June 1955, when 8th Air Force Headquarters moved to Westover Air Force Base, Mass., General Minter became executive officer to the 8th Air Force Chief of Staff.

General Minter attended navigator-bombardier school at James Connally Air Force Base, Texas, from November 1956 until August 1957, and then was assigned to the 340th Bombardment Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., as a B-47 aircraft commander.

Continuing duties in the Strategic Air Command, he moved to 2d Air Force headquarters at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., and served first as an operations officer and later as executive officer to the director of operations. In 1961 he was selected to be aide-de-camp to the 2d Air Force commander, Lieutenant General John D. Ryan. In 1963 General Minter was reassigned to the 42d Air Division operations staff at Blytheville Air Force Base, Ark.

In July 1964 General Minter was again named aide-de-camp to General Ryan, then vice commander in chief, Strategic Air Command, at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., and remained his aide when General Ryan became SAC commander in chief. In September 1966 General Minter became executive officer to the director of operations, Headquarters SAC.

In January 1967 he assumed duties as vice commander of the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Beale Air Force Base, Calif., and in June 1969 assumed command of that organization. Under his command, the SR-71 reconnaissance program became fully integrated into the SAC Strategic Reconnaissance Program, and SR-71 aircraft were introduced in support of allied efforts in Southeast Asia for the first time.

In August 1970 General Minter entered the National War College. In June 1971 he became vice commander of the Ogden Air Materiel Area, Hill Air Force Base, Utah. In July 1972 he was named deputy chief of staff for maintenance, Headquarters Air Force Logistics Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

General Minter returned to SAC in February 1974 as vice commander, 15th Air Force, with headquarters at March Air Force Base, Calif.

In September 1974 General Minter assumed command of the 8th Air Force at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. When that unit was redesignated the 3d Air Division in January 1975, General Minter continued as commander and was responsible for all Strategic Air Command operations in the Western Pacific and Southeast Asia.

General Minter was reassigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., as director of logistics plans and programs for the deputy chief of staff, Systems and Logistics in August 1975. He assumed duties as assistant deputy chief of staff, Systems and Logistics March 1, 1976.

A command pilot and navigator, he has more than 6,000 flying hours to his credit. He has flown many aircraft, including the F-82, F-84, B-47, B-52, KC-135 and SR-71. His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Distinguished Unit Citation Emblem, Presidential Unit Citation Emblem, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon, and the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon.

He was promoted to the grade of major general Aug. 1, 1973, with date of rank Feb. 1, 1971.


(Current as of March 1976)