Brigadier General Russell G. Ogan is director, Prisoner of War and Missing in Action Affairs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, (International Security Affairs), Washington D.C.
General Ogan was born in Reading, Pa., in 1923. He studied mechanical engineering at Wyomissing Polytechnic Institute in Pennsylvania. In November 1942 he enlisted in the Army, later was transferred to the aviation cadet program, and received his pilot wings and commission as second lieutenant in February 1944.
He next served as a flying instructor and pilot. During World War II, he flew 62 combat missions as a P-47 pilot with the 371st Fighter Group in the European Theater of Operations. He was released from active military service in December 1945.
General Ogan has had numerous and varied assignments within Aerospace Defense Command. During the Korean War in January 1951, he returned to active duty as a pilot with the 148th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Dover Air Force Base, Del. In November 1951 he was transferred to Ladd Air Force Base, Alaska, where he served as operations and training officer and became Director of Combat Operations, 11th Air Division. In December 1953 he was assigned to Headquarters Western Air Defense Force at Hamilton Air Force Base, Calif., as director of Combat Operations Center.
He joined Headquarters Air Defense Command, Ent Air Force Base, Colo., in 1956 and remained with the headquarters until 1960. He served first as chief, Data Processing and Weapons Control Branch, Integration Division; became chief of the Integration Division; and later was assistant director, Systems Integration (Data Processing).
In June 1960 General Ogan assumed duties as director of the Aerospace Defense Systems Office of the Air Force Ballistic Missile Division. He entered the National War College, Washington D.C., in August 1962.
His next assignments were in Germany where he served from July 1963 to March 1964 as deputy director of plans, Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe, at Lindsey Air Station; then as commander of Allied Sector Three; and finally as vice commander, 86th Air Division at Ramstein Air Base.
General Ogan went to Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, in July 1966 as deputy director of personnel data and records, U.S. Air Force Military Personnel Center.
He rejoined Aerospace Defense Command in July 1968 as commander of the 71st Missile Warning Wing, Ent Air Force Base, Colo. In July 1969 when the 71st Wing was transferred to McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., he assumed duties as vice commander of the Fourteenth Aerospace Force at Ent Air Force Base.
In June 1971 General Ogan was assigned as deputy director, Personnel Programs, Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. He assumed duties as director, Prisoner of War and Missing in Action Affairs, in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (International Security Affairs), in June 1972.
His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Unit Citation Emblem, and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon with oak leaf cluster. He is a command pilot with approximately 4,500 flying hours.
He was promoted to the grade of brigadier general effective Dec. 31, 1970, with date of rank Dec. 27, 1970.
(Current as of March 2021)