Russell Edward Randall was born at Lynn, Mass., in 1902. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Air Service on June 12, 1925.
Upon graduation from the academy, he went to Brooks Air Force Base, Texas, for flying training. In March 1926, he was transferred to the Air Corps Advanced Flying School at Kelly Air Force Base, Texas, from which he graduated with the rating of pilot in September of that year. He then went to Marshall Air Force Base, Kan., for duty with the aviation units of the Seventh Division.
Returning to Brooks Air Force Base in June 1927, he became assistant director of flying at the Air Corps Primary Flying School. In August 1930, he went to the U.S. Military Academy as an instructor, in which capacity he served until July 1934, when he entered the Air Corps Engineering: School. Upon graduation a year later, he went to Kelly Air Force Base as operations officer of the 39th Observation Squadron.
He became a flying instructor at Kelly Air Force Base in August 1936. He entered the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., in. May 1939, and graduated three months later. Then assigned to foreign duty, he went to Albrook Air Force Base, Panama Canal Zone, and in February 1940, became commanding officer of the 37th Pursuit Group at that station.
In May 1940, he became commanding officer of the 28th Pursuit Squadron at Albrook Air Force Base, and the following September, was named commanding officer of the 74th Bombardment Squadron at that post. In January 1941, he was designated executive officer of the 12th Pursuit Wing at that same station, and was commended by General Daniel Van Voorhis in March 1941 for a mercy flight, to Bucaro, Panama. In August 1941, he was commended for his work as commander of a flight of three planes from La Paz, Bolivia to Cochabamba, Bolivia. He was later assigned to the 26th Fighter Command at Albrook Air Force Base as executive officer and commanding general, successively.
Returning to the United States, he became commanding general of the Seattle (Washington) Air Defense Wing in October 1943. The following December he assumed command of the Fourth Fighter Command at Oakland, Calif., and in April 1944, was named deputy commander of the Fourth Air Force at San Francisco, Calif.
The following month he was appointed commanding general of the 318th Wing at Grand Central Air Terminal, Glendale, Calif. In June 1944, he became chief of staff of the Fourth Air Force at San Francisco, Calif., and in July went to the China-Burma-India theater as deputy commander of the Forward Echelon of the 10th Air Force.
In September 1944, he was appointed commanding general of the 312th Fighter Wing and the 312th Composite Wing of the 14th Air Force. He was a member of the Air Force Liaison Mission to China in October 1945, and the following April returned to the United States for assignment to the Military Training Command at San Antonio, Texas, which was redesignated the Indoctrination Division of Air Training Command in November 1946.
In August 1947, he became a student at the National War College in Washington, D.C. Upon completion of the course the following June, he was assigned to the Office of the Director of Intelligence at Air Force headquarters in Washington, D.C.
He was appointed air attache at Moscow, Russia, in September 1948.
He returned to the United States in June 1949, for assignment to Air Force headquarters at Washington, D.C.
General Randall has been awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters. In 1941, he received the Order of the Condor from the Bolivian Government.
He is rated command pilot, combat observer and aircraft observer.
(Up to date as of Aug. 23, 1949)