BRIGADIER GENERAL MAX F. SCHNEIDER

Max Frank Schneider was born at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1896. He joined the Enlisted Reserve Corps of the Army in November 1917 and the following April was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps Officers' Reserve.

He served as a student and instructor at the Flying Instructors' School at Kelly Field, Texas, from which he transferred to Fort Worth, Texas for duty at the Aerial Gunnery School. He later served at the Air Service Depot at Garden City, Long Island, N.Y., and in April 1919 became pilot and assistant engineer officer with the 11th Aero Squadron at Ellington Field, Texas. He later served in the same capacity at Fort Bliss, Texas, and in October 1919 received an honorable discharge.

On July 1, 1920, he was appointed a second lieutenant in the Air Service of the Regular Army and that same date was promoted to first lieutenant. He returned to Fort Bliss as radio officer of the 104th Aero Squadron, and later became a flying instructor at the Air Service Pilot School at March Field, Calif. In February 1921 he entered the Air Service Communication School at Fort Sill, Okla., from which he graduated a year later. He then went to Kelly Field, Texas, for duty as wing communications officer, and meteorological officer.

In July 1924 he joined the Seventh Observation Squadron at France Field, Canal Zone, where he served as assistant squadron communications and squadron operations officer until May 1926 when he became communications officer of the Sixth Composite Group at that station.

He returned to the United States in July 1927 for assignment at the Air Corps Primary Flying School at Brooks Field, Texas, where he served as a flying instructor and instructor in the Department of Ground Instruction. In November 1929 he was transferred to Kelly Field, Texas, as engineer officer of the 41st and 42nd school squadrons and adjutant, supply and mess officer of the 68th Service School Squadron.

In March 1934 he was made executive officer of the Inspection Division in the Office of the Chief of Air Corps at Washington, and later was appointed chief of the division.

He graduated from the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Field, Ala., in 1936, from the Army Industrial College at Washington, D.C., in 1937, from the Naval War College at Newport, R.I., in 1938, and from the Army War College at Washington, D.C., in 1939.

In July 1939 he became a member of the Air Corps Board at Maxwell Field. In January 1942 he began a six month tour of duty in Washington, D.C., as chief of the supply section and executive of the materiel Division at Army Air Forces headquarters.

He went overseas in August of that year as liaison representative for the commanding general of the 12th Air Force in the North African theater, and later became assistant chief of staff for plans of the 12th Air Force Service Command in the European Theater.

In August 1943 he returned to the United States for assignment as deputy director of maintenance and supply of the Mediterranean Air Command, with station at Army Air Forces headquarters in Washington. A month later he became deputy to the air inspector at Army Air Forces headquarters.

He went to Weisbaden, Germany in July 1946 for duty with the U.S. Air Forces in Europe and later that month was appointed commanding general of the Ninth Air Force in that theater.

He returned to Weisbaden in September 1947 and two months later became assistant chief of staff for materiel at USAFE headquarters.

In June 1950 he returned to the United States and the following month became inspector general of Air Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

General Schneider has been awarded the Legion of Merit and is rated a command pilot, combat observer and aircraft observer.

(Up to date as of July 1950)