Delmar E. Wilson was born in Spokane, Wash., in 1911. He graduated from Ephrata High School in 1930 and from Washington State College with a bachelor of arts degree in 1936.
He entered the Air Force through the Aviation Cadet Training program and was commissioned to second lieutenant at Kelly Field, Texas after completing his training in July 1937. His first assignment was to the 17th Attack Group at March Field, Calif., flying A-17A's. The general remained with the 17th Attack Group until 1941 and aided in the movement of that command to McChord Field, Tacoma, Wash.
After leaving the 17th, he assumed command of the 85th Bomb Squadron, 47th Bomb Group at Fresno, Calif. In February 1912, General Wilson was assigned to the 306th Bomb Group which was one of the first units to deploy to England. After performing initial combat duty with the 306th in England, he became operations officer of the First Air Division. In June 1943 he assumed command of the 305th Bomb Group and led some of the first deep penetrations made by the Eighth Air Force into Germany.
General Wilson became director of operations for Eighth Air Force in November 1943 and remained in that position for 10 months. In September 1944 he returned to the United States for reassignment to the 21st Bomber Command, 20th Air Force, as A-3. General Wilson departed for Saipan in October 1944 and participated in some of the initial B-29 strikes against Japan. Later he was assigned as director of operations for the 313th Bomb Wing, Twentieth Air Force and was command liaison officer for General Curtis E. LeMay in connection with the atomic bomb projects based on Tinian Islands, Marianas.
After completing more than three years of overseas assignment, General Wilson returned to the zone of interior in September 1945 and became deputy commander of Hamilton Field, Calif. From Hamilton he was assigned to the Air University on the staff of the Air Tactical School and was deputy commandant. In 1950 he was assigned to the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. as chief of the Strategic Air Requirements Division. After finishing his three year assignment at the Pentagon, General Wilson attended the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. Following graduation he became base commander at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., and held this position for one year.
In September 1955, General Wilson activated the 384th Bomb Wing at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. After training the wing to a combat ready status, he deployed the unit to the United Kingdom for rotational duty.
General Wilson assumed command of the 36th Air Division at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base Feb. 1, 1957 and remained there until he was transferred to Ellsworth Air Force Base to take command of the 821st Air Division April 12, 1960.
He holds the following citations: Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with oak leaf cluster, Commendation Ribbon, oak leaf cluster and the French and Belgium Croix de Guerre with palm.
General Wilson is rated a command pilot current in the B-47 and B-52 bombers.