John Halliday McCormick was born in Gallipolis, Ohio, in 1903. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Regular Army Signal Corps on June 12, 1925.
General McCormick was assigned to Fort Monmouth N.J., and in September 1926 entered the Signal School there and graduated the following June. He then moved to Mitchel Field, Long Island, N.Y. Entering Primary Flying School at Brooks Field, Texas, in March 1929, he graduated from the Air Corps Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field, Texas, in March 1930, and was transferred to the Air Corps.
Assigned next to Langley Field, Va., General McCormick served as communications officer of the 96th Bomb Squadron, and three months later was made squadron engineering officer. Going to Nichols Field, Philippine Islands, in January 1931, General McCormick was named adjutant of the 66th Services Squadron and then became post personnel adjutant. He returned to Langley Field in February 1933 as assistant post adjutant, and in March l935 was made operations and intelligence officer of the 96th Bomb Squadron there.
Transferring to the Second Bomb Group in September 1936, General McCormick became commandant of headquarters and headquarters squadron, and subsequently was named executive, adjutant and personnel officer of the group. Enrolling in the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Field, Ala., in September 1938, he graduated the next May and remained there as assistant post adjutant. In September 1939 General McCormick entered the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., graduated the following February and went to Fort Sam Houston, Texas, as air officer of the Ninth Corps.
The following July General McCormick went to Army Air Force headquarters and was appointed assistant executive officer of the Military Personnel Division in the Office of the Chief of Air Corps. In January 1942 he was named chief of the Officers' Branch at Headquarters Army Air Force, four months later assumed the additional duty of deputy assistant chief of air staff for personnel, and subsequently became deputy chief.
In May l945 General McCormick transferred to the U.S. Air Forces in Europe and was assigned as assistant chief of staff for personnel, with the additional duty as a member of the Officer Interview Board. He entered the National War College, Washington, D.C., in August 1947, and graduated in June 1948. Joining the Strategic Air Command, he was appointed deputy commanding general and chief of staff of the 12th Air Force at March Air Force Base, Calif.
General McCormick assumed command of the 3750th Training Wing, Air Training Command, at Sheppard Air Force Base, Wichita Falls, Texas, in January 1949. He was assigned to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Washington, D.C., in July 1949, as deputy director for military personnel on the Personnel Policy Board, Central Control Group. In January 1949, General McCormick was designated director of military personnel in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel, at Air Force headquarters.
On May 25, 1954, General McCormick assumed command of the 3700th Military Training Wing, Air Training Command, at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.
General McCormick has been awarded the Legion of Merit. He is rated a command pilot, combat observer, aircraft observer and technical observer.
(Up to date as of January 1956)