MAJOR GENERAL THOMAS CONNELL DARCY Thomas Connell Darcy was born at Boston, Mass., in 1910. Graduating from the U.S. Military Academy June 10, 1932, he was commissioned a second lieutenant of Infantry. Entering primary and advanced flying schools at Randolph and Kelly fields, Texas, respectively, General Darcy graduated Oct. 11, 1933 and was assigned to the 35th Pursuit Squadron at Langley Field, Va., as supply officer. Joining the 8th Pursuit Group, also at Langley, in March 1935, General Darcy assumed duties as adjutant of the group until the following September when he went to Chanute Field, Ill., where he graduated from the Air Corps Technical School in June 1936. Returning to Randolph Field, Texas as a flying instructor and commandant of student officers, in November 1939 General Darcy was ordered to Albrook Field, Panama Canal Zone as operations officer of the 12th Pursuit Wing and Panama Interceptor Command until October 1941 when he was assigned duty as aide to the commanding general, Caribbean Defense Command. Appointed in January 1943 as chief of staff of the Desert Air Task Force, General Darcy later served as commander of this unit, constituting the U.S. Air Force element of the Desert Air Force. Reassigned to the 12th Air Support Command in June 1943, he served as assistant chief of staff, operations, later becoming chief of staff, operations. While assigned with the 12th Air Force, General Darcy took part in the invasion of Sicily and the invasion of Italy, serving as operations officer on board the headquarters ship during the initial landing phase of the Salerno battle. Assuming command in April 1944 of the 87th Fighter Wing in Corsica for the Southern France invasion, that September he became deputy commander of the 12th Fighter Command and 22nd Tactical Air Command in Northern Italy, later commanding the 22nd for the Po Valley Campaign, which ended with the termination of hostilities. General Darcy served as director of operations and intelligence, Mediterranean Allied Air Forces, during the Trieste incident in the spring of 1945. Transferred to U.S. Air Forces in Europe in July 1945, General Darcy served as assistant chief of staff for operations until March 1946 when he returned to the United States. Joining the Air Training Command Headquarters at Barksdale Air Force Base, La. in April 1946, he was named assistant chief of staff for operations and continued in that capacity until assignment as commandant of the U.S. Air Force Fighter School, Williams Air Force Base, Ariz., in January 1948. The following October General Darcy was ordered to duty with the U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Wiesbaden, Germany, where he served as commander of the 2nd Air Division, which comprised the fighter and radar elements of the U.S. Air Force based in occupied Germany. A month later he was appointed special assistant to the commanding general, U.S. Air Forces in Europe. Returning to the United States in July 1951, he was named commanding general of the 31st Air Division at Fort Snelling, Minn. Reporting for duty at Copenhagen, Denmark July 6, 1953, General Darcy became chief of the Military Assistance Advisory Group for Denmark. Reassigned June 27, 1956, General Darcy assumed duties as director of staff, Inter-American Defense Board, with station at Washington, D.C. until July 1, 1957 when he moved to the Office, Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Programs where he was designated assistant for Western Hemisphere affairs and U.S. Air Force member, U.S. Delegation, Joint Brazil-U.S. Defense Commission; senior U.S. Air Force member, U.S. delegation, Inter-American Defense Board and U.S. Air Force member, Joint Mexican-U.S. Defense Commission. On Aug. 6, the general was named chairman, U.S. section of the Canada-U.S. Military Study Group, and on Aug. 29 was appointed U.S. Air Force member and steering and coordinating member, U.S. Military representative, Permanent Joint Board on Defense, Canada-U.S. His decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit and Bronze Star Medal. His foreign decorations include the Columbian Order of Boyaca; the French Croix de Guerre with Palm and two gold stars, and the French Legion of Honor; the Order of the British Empire, Grade of Commander; Polish Cross of Valor; Nicaraguan Medal of Distinction; Peruvian Distinguished Flying Cross; Brazilian Order of the Southern Cross, Degree of Commander, and the Chinese Necklet Paoting. EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION He was promoted to first lieutenant (temporary) April 20, 1935; to first lieutenant (permanent) Aug. 1, 1935; to captain (temporary) Sept. 9, 1940; to major (temporary) July 15, 1941; to lieutenant colonel (temporary) Jan. 23, 1942; to captain (permanent) June 10, 1942; to colonel (temporary) Aug. 8, 1942; to brigadier general (temporary) Aug. 18, 1944; to colonel (permanent) April 2, 1948; to major general (temporary) Aug. 5, 1957. (Up to date as of August 1957)