BRIGADIER GENERAL FLOYD H. TROGDON

Brigadier General Floyd H. Trogdon is acting deputy assistant secretary of defense (Production Engineering & Materiel Acquisition), Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Installations and Logistics), Washington, D.C.

General Trogdon was born in High Point, N.C., in 1924. He graduated from Asheboro High School, Asheboro, N.C., 1941; attended Duke University; and subsequently received bachelor of science and master of science degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Maryland. He holds a master's degree in international affairs from The George Washington University.

He entered active military duty in the Army Air Forces as an aviation cadet in February 1943 and received his navigator wings and commission as second lieutenant in December 1943. During 1944 General Trogdon served in the European Theater of Operations as a B-24 navigator and completed 50 combat missions over Germany, France, Italy and Southern Europe, and is credited with the destruction of an ME 109 aircraft. He completed advanced flying school and received his pilot wings in October 1945. He was released from active duty in December 1945 and was in the Inactive Reserve while attending Duke University.

In July 1947 General Trogdon accepted a regular commission in the U.S. Air Force and returned to active duty. He served as a pilot with the 20th Tactical Fighter Wing at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., until May 1948 when he entered the University of Maryland to study electrical engineering under the Air Force Institute of Technology program.

From 1951 to 1961, General Trogdon served in a number of key positions in nuclear weapon system research and development. He had a tour of duty at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory where he participated in the development and test of many of the early nuclear weapons; and in July 1954 he joined the Air Force Special Weapons Center at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. In August 1958 he went to England for duty with the British Royal Air Force to assist in their nuclear weapon program. From August 1961 to July 1962, General Trogdon attended the Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pa., and concurrently earned his master's degree in international relations.

In August 1962 General Trogdon was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force where he served as a nuclear weapons staff officer in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Research and Development. In September 1966 he became executive to the commander, Air Force Systems Command, Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and in July 1968 moved to the position of vice commander, Electronics Systems Division, at L.G. Hanscom Field, Mass. From August 1969 to June 1971, he was deputy director, programs, for Defense Communications Agency, in Washington, D.C., where he was responsible for engineering and acquisition programs for the worldwide Defense Communications System.

General Trogdon assumed duties as assistant chief of staff for communications-electronics (J-6), U.S. Military Assistance Command Vietnam, in June 1971, and was with that command until its disestablishment following the Vietnam cease-fire.

In April 1973 General Trogdon was assigned as director, aircraft and missile systems, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, (Installations and Logistics), Washington, D.C. He was appointed to his current position in February 1974.

His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Army Commendation Medal, Korean Order of Merit, and the National Order of Vietnam. He holds aeronautical ratings of command pilot and navigator.

He was promoted to the grade of brigadier general effective Sept. 1, 1969, with date of rank Aug. 28, 1969.

(Current as of February 2021)