Maj. Gen. George W. Rutter is Deputy for E-3A, Airborne Warning and Control System, Headquarters Electronic Systems Division, Air Force Systems Command, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts. As director of E-3A, he supervises the development and acquisition of an airborne command and control system equipped with radar, computers, displays, and communications to direct aircraft against ground and air targets.
General Rutter was born in San Francisco, California, in 1927. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York, in June 1948, with a Bachelor of Science degree, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. He received master of science degrees in aeronautical and instrumentation engineering from the University of Michigan in 1959, and graduated from the Air Command and Staff School in 1962 and the Air War College in 1966.
General Rutter completed pilot training at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona, and received his pilot wings in September 1949. He then was transferred to Okinawa and assigned to the 25th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. While on this assignment, he flew 101 combat missions in Korea in the F-80 aircraft. He returned to the United States in June 1951 and, after completing pilot instructor training at Craig Air Force Base, Ala., was reassigned to Williams Air Force Base in October 1951 as a pilot instructor.
In March 1952, after completing Squadron Officer School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, General Rutter was transferred to James Connally Air Force Base, Texas, as a fighter pilot instructor. In April 1953 he moved to Flying Training Air Force headquarters as course monitor for single engine training, and from March 1955 to February 1956 he served as aide-de-camp to the commander of FTAF, Maj. Gen. Disosway.
General Rutter's next assignment was to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, as a fighter gunnery instructor and flight commander in the 3525th Combat Crew Training Squadron (fighter weapons school). In September 1957 he entered graduate school at the University of Michigan.
In September 1959, General Rutter was assigned to the GAM-87 Systems Program Office with Wright Air Development Division (now the Aeronautical Systems Division) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. He entered the Air Command and Staff School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, in September 1961.
General Rutter was transferred in July 1962 to Headquarters Aerospace Defense Command at Ent Air Force Base, Colorado, where he served with the Space Systems Division as a weapons project officer and became chief of the Space Weapons Branch. He returned to Maxwell Air Force Base in August 1965 as a student at the Air War College.
In July 1966 General Rutter was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., in the Aeronautical Systems Division of the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Systems and Logistics, as the OV-10 project officer, then as an A-7D program element monitor, and later as chief of Combat and Support Systems Section. He continued as chief of that section when its functions were transferred in February 1969 to the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Research and Development. In July 1969 he joined the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Installations and Logistics) as the assistant for manned systems to the deputy assistant secretary (Programs and Productions).
General Rutter was named deputy commander for operations of the 405th Fighter Wing at Clark Air Base, Republic of the Philippines, in July 1970 and in October 1971 become vice commander of the wing. He was assigned as vice commander of the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing at Da Nang Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, in December 1971, and assumed command of the wing in March 1972. He continued as commander of the wing when it was transferred to Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, in June 1972.
General Rutter became director of maintenance at Ogden Air Materiel Area, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, in January 1973. He was appointed inspector general at Headquarters Air Force Logistics Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, in May 1974; and was reassigned within the command as deputy chief of staff for acquisition logistics in May 1975. In July 1976 he was selected to be vice commander, Air Force Acquisition Logistics Division, AFLC, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
General Rutter assumed his present duty as deputy for E-3A, at Headquarters Electronic Systems Division on June 1, 1977.
He is a command pilot with more than 4,100 flying hours. His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal with "V" device, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with nine oak leaf clusters, and Air Force Commendation Medal.
General Rutter was promoted to the grade of major general Feb. 24, 1978, with date of rank July 1, 1974.
(Current as of July 1978)