MAJOR GENERAL WARREN R. CARTER

Warren Rice "Nick" Carter was born at Winchell, Texas, in 1898. He attended Howard Payne College in Texas, and enlisted as a private first class, Aviation Section, Signal Enlisted Reserve Corps (flying cadet) Oct. 3, 1917, and was ordered to active duty at Austin Ground School, Austin, Texas, on Dec. 21, 1917. Upon completing his flying training as a pilot, he was commissioned a second lieutenant, Air Service, National Army, on July 17, 1918.

He received his flying training at Kelly Field, Texas, and was then stationed there for duty as flying instructor. In 1919 he was assigned to the Air Service Mechanics School at Kelly Field, and moved with that school to Chanute Field, Ill., in January 1921. In February 1923 he went to the Panama Canal Zone for duty with the 24th Pursuit Squadron at France Field.

He returned to the United States briefly in 1924 as a contestant in the aerial gunnery and bombing contests at Langley Field, Va., and then returned to France Field, Panama Canal Zone. In February 1926 he was assigned to Brooks Field, Texas, as flying instructor. In October 1931 he went to Randolph Field, Texas, as assistant to the director of flying at the Air Corps Primary Flying School. From July 1932 to June 1935 he attended the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Field, Ala., and upon graduation became an instructor there.

In August 1935 he entered the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and graduated in June 1936. He was then assigned to the 8th Pursuit Group of the General Headquarters Air Forces at Langley Field, Va. From August 1937 to June 1938 he attended the Army War College, Washington, D.C. He was then assigned to the Office, Chief of Air Corps, in Washington, as chief of the Training Section. He became assistant chief of the Plans Division of that office in August 1938. In April 1940 he became commanding officer of the Air Corps Advanced Flying School at Foster Field, Victoria, Texas.

In October 1942 he was assigned to headquarters of the Air Force Flying Training Command at Fort Worth, Texas, as chief of the Training and Operations Division. He was assigned to Headquarters Gulf Coast Air Forces Training Center (redesignated the Central Flying Training Command), Randolph Field, Texas, in November 1942, as chief of staff until December 1943, when he became commanding general, San Francisco Fighter Wing, San Francisco, Calif. The following month he was given an assignment at Headquarters Southwest Pacific area with station at Brisbane, Australia.

In January 1944 he arrived at Brisbane, Australia, and was assigned to the 5th Air Force. After visiting the various Air Force commands in the Southwest Pacific theater, he was assigned as commanding general of the 54th Troop Carrier Wing on March 27, 1944, which was located at that time at Port Moresby, New Guinea. He remained as commanding general of the 54th Troop Carrier Wing until December 1944 and during this period the wing moved from Nadzab, New Guinea, thence to Biak. The principal operations of the 54th Troop Carrier Wing were in support of the 5th Air Force and later the 5th and 13th Air Forces. During the period of their operations from Port Moresby, New Guinea to Leyte, Philippine Islands, their functions consisted primarily of movements of units, personnel and equipment forward as the war progressed and furnishing the airlift for the support of these units. This was a very critical part of the overall operations in this theater due to lack of other means of transport.

In November 1944 he was transferred to the Air Service Command and was assigned as the commanding general of the 4th Air Service Area Command. As commanding general of the 4th Air Service Area Command, he commanded the Biak Air Depot, which furnished the major part of the support to Air Force units in that theater until the end of the war.

In November 1945 he returned to the Continental United States, and after serving for approximately three months as president, Officers' Evaluation Board for commissions in the Regular Army, was assigned to the Tactical Air Command as deputy commanding general.

He is rated a command pilot and combat observer.

General Carter was awarded the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star with two oak leaf clusters, and the Distinguished Service Medal.

(Up to date as of October 1946)