MAJOR GENERAL JOHN P. DOYLE

John Paul Doyle was born in Washington, D.C., in 1904. He attended Baltimore Polytechnic Institute and in 1921 enlisted as a private in the Fifth Infantry, Maryland National Guard. Appointed to the U.S. Military Academy in July l922, he graduated June 12, 1926, and was appointed a second lieutenant of Cavalry.

Assigned with the l6th Infantry at Fort Jay N.Y., that December, General Doyle joined the 11th Cavalry at the Presidio of Monterrey, Calif. Going to Camp Stotsenburg, Philippine Islands, in November 1928, he was assigned with the 26th Cavalry (Philippine Scouts), later becoming assistant construction quartermaster there. Entering Primary Flying School at Brooks Field, Texas, in March 1931, he graduated from Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field, Texas, in February 1932, and a month later was transferred to the Air Corps. Assigned to the 99th Observation Squadron at Mitchel Field, N.Y., in February 1934 he was named assistant transportation officer for the Eastern Zone Army Air Corps Mail Operations there. That July he assumed command of the Fifth Bomb Squadron, and two months later he was named operations and intelligence officer of the squadron. Going to Rockwell Field, Calif., in April 1935, he had three months special training, and then resumed his former duties at Mitchel Field, and in addition was in charge of the post air navigation school.

Entering the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Field, Ala., in September 1938, General Doyle graduated the following May and was assigned as intelligence officer of the Third Wing at Barksdale Field, La. That September he was named assistant operations officer of the Third Bomb Group, assuming command of the 15th Bomb Squadron at Barksdale in February 1940, later taking it to Lawson Field, Ga. Returning to Mitchel Field in September 1941, he was executive of the First Air Support Command, later becoming its chief of staff.

From January through March 1943, General Doyle served in New Guinea, and two months later he was assigned in the Mediterranean Theater as chief of staff of the 2686th Medium Wing (later redesignted the 42nd Bomb Wing), assuming command in September 1944, and taking it to France. After VE Day he was named deputy chief of staff at Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe.

Ordered to Air Corps headquarters, Washington, D.C., in August 1945, General Doyle was Air Corps representative to Army Ground Forces headquarters, and the following June he assumed command of the 12th Air Force at March Field, Calif. Appointed deputy chief of staff for the Air Defense Command, with headquarters at Mitchel Air Force Base, N.Y., in July 1947, the following September became chief of staff. Three months later he was named deputy for materiel of the newly organized Continental Air Command. Assigned to the 13th Air Force at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, in April 1949, three months later he assumed command of the Far East Air Materiel Command at Tokyo, Japan.

Reassigned at Air Force headquarters in July 1952, General Doyle was director of transportation.

His decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the French Croix de Guerre with palms and Legion of Honor (officer). He is rated a command pilot, combat observer and aircraft observer.

(Up to date as of July 1955)