MAJOR GENERAL LAWRENCE F. TANBERG

Major General Lawrence F. Tanberg is the inspector general of the Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii.

General Tanberg was born in Dickinson, N.D., in 1919. He graduated from Dickinson High School in 1937, and graduated from North Dakota State University, majoring in pharmacy, in 1941. In his senior year, he was selected as the outstanding Theta Chi of all chapters in the United States.

He entered the Army Air Corps pilot training in May 1941, completed advanced flying school at Stockton, Calif., in January 1942, and received his commission as second lieutenant and his pilot wings. He then was assigned as a B-26 pilot to the 21st Bombardment Wing at Jackson, Miss.

In June 1942 he was transferred to the 38th Bombardment Group and, on Aug. 2, 1942, led the first B-25 flight from Hamilton Field, Calif., to Hickam Field, Hawaii. He became commander of the 71st Bombardment Squadron, in March 1943, and after serving in group headquarters, became commander of the 38th Bombardment Group in October 1943. The group was active in combat throughout the Southwest Pacific area from Australia to New Guinea and, ultimately, to the Philippine Islands.

In July 1944 General Tanberg was assigned as the director of operations of the 309th Bombardment Wing. In this assignment, he was involved in operations in northern New Guinea, throughout the Philippines, Okinawa and in Japan. He returned to the United States in November 1945.

After World War II in February 1946, he was assigned to the Engineering Division of the Air Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. During this tour of duty, he was involved in the formation of the Climatic Projects Section, which was responsible for climatic testing of various aircraft and equipment in Alaska and throughout the world.

In July 1950 General Tanberg was transferred to Headquarters U.S. Air Force where he held various assignments in the Directorate of Research and Development, including Project Rand. During this period, he attended the Advanced Management Course at The George Washington University.

In October 1953 he became the deputy commander of Wheelus Field in Libya, North Africa. In September 1955 he was assigned as inspector general for U.S. Air Forces in Europe with headquarters at Wiesbaden, Germany. General Tanberg returned to the United States in November 1956 for assignment once again to Air Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, as deputy chief, Research Division, Directorate of Procurement and Production and in September 1958 became director, strategic systems.

He attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort McNair, Washington, D.C., from August 1959 to July 1960, and then became commander of the 4505th Air Refueling Wing, Langley Air Force Base, Va.

In August 1962 General Tanberg became commander of the 839th Air Division at Sewart Air Force Base, Tenn. With two wings of C-130 aircraft and the C-130 Combat Crew Training School under his jurisdiction, he was actively involved in numerous exercises and commanded the Airlift Task Force in the joint exercise, Swift Strike III. In 1963 he completed the Basic Airborne Course.

He was assigned in September 1963 as deputy for operations, Ninth Air Force, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. In August 1964 General Tanberg was transferred to Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va., and in August 1965 assumed the duties of deputy for materiel. In July 1966 he returned to Shaw Air Force Base as vice commander, Ninth Air Force. He was reassigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force in November 1967 as director of maintenance engineering in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Systems and Logistics.

In June 1970 General Tanberg was transferred to Pacific Air Forces and named vice commander of Thirteenth Air Force with headquarters at Clark Air Base, Republic of the Philippines. He assumed duties as commander of the 313th Air Division in Okinawa in September 1971.

General Tanberg was assigned to the newly created position of inspector general of the Pacific Command at Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, in June 1973.

His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal and the Purple Heart. He is a command pilot and wears the parachutist badge.

He was promoted to the grade of major general effective Aug. 1, 1966, with date of rank July 1, 1961.

(Current as of Jan. 15, 1974)