David Myron Schlatter was born in Fostoria, Ohio, in 1901. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy on June 12, 1923, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Air Service. Entering Primary Flying School at Brooks Field, Texas, he graduated from Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field, Texas, in March 1924.
General Schlatter then returned to Brooks Field as a flying instructor and in October 1927 went to March Field, Calif., as a flying instructor. He was sent to France Field, Panama Canal Zone in March 1929 with the Seventh Observation Squadron. In July 1931 he returned to March Field as an instructor and that October went to Randolph Field, Texas, in that capacity. Enrolling in the Air Corps Tactical School, Maxwell Field, Ala., in August 1936, he graduated the following June.
Assigned to the 12th Observation Squadron at Godman Field, Fort Knox, Ky., General Schlatter served as operations and intelligence officer. He entered the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., in September 1938, graduated the following June and was assigned to the Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field as director of flying training. In July 1940 General Schlatter went to Moffett Field, Calif., as director of training of the West Coast Air Corps training center, serving as executive and chief of staff.
In February 1942 General Schlatter was assigned to Army Air Force headquarters as director of air support, and a year later became deputy chief of staff of the Air Training Command at Fort Worth, Texas. The following January he was designated deputy chief of staff for operations of the Ninth Air Force in the European Theater. He was named senior Air Staff officer, Allied Expeditionary Air Force, in August 1944, moving with the advanced echelon to Normandy later that month. On establishment of Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Paris in October of 1944 General Schlatter was assigned as deputy chief of Air Staff SHAEF and commanding general of the U.S. component Air Staff SHAEF until the end of the year in Europe. At this time he was named deputy commanding General of the U.S. Strategic Air Forces in Europe.
On return from Europe General Schlatter accomplished the initial organization planning and assumed command at Maxwell Field Ala., as acting commandant, Army Air Forces School. In early 1946 on establishment of the Air University, he became deputy commanding general for Education. In July l948 he was named senior Air Force member of the Military Liaison Committee, Atomic Energy Commission, at Washington, D.C., and assistant deputy chief of staff, operations, for atomic energy.
Assuming command of the Air Research and Development Command at Washington, D.C., in February 1950, General Schlatter initiated the organization of this new command. In October he moved the command to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio. Later that month he assumed additional duty as director of research and development there, and was relieved of the additional duty in March l951. The headquarters was then moved to Baltimore, Md., in June of that year and General Schlatter relinquished command June 19 on being designated NATO Commander of Allied Air Forces, Southern Europe. He established and organized the new command in Florence, Italy, moving to Naples, Italy, in June 1953.
In April 1954 General Schlatter was designated commandant of the Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va., and assumed that duty on July l.
His decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal and the Air Medal. General Schlatter's foreign decorations include the British Commander and Order of the British Empire; the French Commander, Legion of Honor, and Croix de Guerre with palm; the Netherlands Order of Orange-Nassau, Degree of Grand Officer with swords; the Italian Order of Merit, Degree of Grand Officer; and the Greek Order of Phoenix, Degree of the Grand Cross. He is rated a command pilot, combat observer and aircraft observer.
(Up to date as of September 1957)