MAJOR GENERAL GERALD F. KEELING

Major General Gerald Fay Keeling is the assistant deputy chief of staff for systems and logistics, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. The Deputy Chief of Staff for Systems and Logistics is responsible for the management of all Air Force acquisition of new weapons and logistics support.

General Keeling was born in Lockney, Texas, in 1915. He graduated from high school in Fowler, Colo., in 1933, entered Colorado A&M, Fort Collins, Colo., and completed more than three years before entering military service. Later he attended the University of Pittsburgh, Pa., completing the management course in 1949. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in September 1939 as an aviation cadet and graduated from flying school at Randolph Field, Texas, in June 1940.

His first assignment was as flying instructor with additional duty of engineering officer at Randolph Field. From 1942 to 1944, he was instrumental in activating bombardier schools in Midland and Big Springs, Texas, where he served as squadron commander, director of training, air inspector, and station commander. In 1945 he graduated from the Army Command and General Staff School, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

In 1947 General Keeling was appointed chief of staff for the 301st Fighter Wing, Far East Air Forces, and in July 1946 entered the Air Command and Staff School, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

From 1948 to 1953 he was stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, as chief of the Aircraft and Missile Section, Procurement Division, Headquarters Air Materiel Command. Next, he attended the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., graduating in 1954.

General Keeling served with Headquarters U.S. Air Force from July 1954 through May 1958. During the first year he was deputy director, Procurement and Production Engineering, before becoming executive to the Deputy Chief of Staff, Materiel. In this position he was instrumental in developing a coordinated program of a highly classified nature of immeasurable importance to the nation's security.

He was named the Air Force plant representative at North American Aviation in 1958 and became commander of Headquarters Western Contract Management Region in July 1960. He was assigned as director of procurement, Air Force Systems Command, in July 1962 and became deputy chief of staff for procurement and production for the command at Andrews Air Force Base, Md.

In February 1963, General Keeling was named assistant deputy chief of staff for systems and logistics at Headquarters U.S. Air Force in August 1967.

His decorations include the Legion of Merit and the Army Commendation Medal. He is a command pilot and has been flying jet aircraft since 1947.

(Current as of Oct. 15, 1967)