BRIGADIER GENERAL THOMAS L. BRYAN JR.

Thomas Ludwell Bryan Jr., was born in Tyler, Texas in 1908. After graduation from high school at Tyler in 1925, he entered the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. He graduated from the academy and was commissioned a second lieutenant of Infantry June 13, 1929.

The following September he began flying training and upon graduation from primary and advanced flying schools was rated a pilot and transferred to the Air Corps in December 1930.

General Bryan's first assignment was with the 44th Observation Squadron, with which he served at France and Albrook fields in the Panama Canal Zone. He returned to the United States in December 1932 to become an instructor at the flying school at Kelly Field, Texas. In December 1937 he returned to Panama for duty as commanding officer of the 44th Observation Squadron at Albrook Field.

In February 1939 General Bryan was named assistant director of communications at Chanute Field, Ill. The following year he graduated from the Air Corps tactical School and was named director of communications at Chanute Field. In June 1940 he became assistant commandant of the Air Corps Technical School at Scott Field, Ill., and in February 1941 was designated director of training at Morrison Field, Fla. He was appointed director of training at Boca Raton, Fla., the following April. In January 1943 he was transferred to the AAF School of Applied Tactics in Orlando, Fla., where he served as communications officer until November 1943, and as chief of the communications division until March 1944.

General Bryan then went overseas to become assistant operations officer and communications officer of the Fifth Air Force in the Pacific theater. He returned to the United States in January 1945 to take a communications course at Orlando, Fla., and the following April rejoined the Fifth Air Force in the Pacific theater as communications officer.

In November 1945 General Bryan returned to the United States and the following three months was assigned to the AAF Board at Orlando, Fla., preparing field service regulations. In March 1946 he became chief of the operations section, electronic sub-division, of Air Materiel Command at Wright Field, Ohio.

From February to May 1948 General Bryan was on temporary duty with Joint Task Force 7, which assisted the Atomic Energy Commission in the conduct of atomic weapons tests at Eniwetok, Marianas Islands, during April and May. He then returned to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, where he compiled reports on that project. In August 1948, he entered the National War College, Washington, D.C., from which he graduated the following June.

He then was named deputy chief of staff for communications of the Alaskan Air Command at Fort Richardson, Alaska. He assumed command of the 10th Air Division at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, in December 1950.

General Bryan was assigned in July 1951 as commanding general of the 1800th Wing, Airways and Air Communications Service, at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma City, Okla.

General Bryan has been awarded the Legion of Merit and Commendation Ribbon. He is rated a command pilot, combat observer and technical observer.

(Up to date as of Sept. 27, 1951)