Maj. Gen. Albert J. Bowley is deputy chief of staff, U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam.
General Bowley was born at Fort Bragg, N.C., in 1921. After attending Millard's Preparatory School in Washington, D.C., he entered the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.
He graduated from West Point in June 1943 as a pilot and second lieutenant with a bachelor of science degree. He went to B-17 transition training in Florida and after several months of training at several locations in the United States, he was assigned as a B-17 instructor pilot, first at Tampa, Fla., and then at Gulfport, Miss.
After a year of instructor duty the general was assigned to the 306th Bombardment Group, Thurlegh, England, in December 1944 as a B-17 pilot. From December 1944 until May 1945, he flew 22 combat missions with the 306th Group, accumulating 187 hours of combat flying time in B-17 aircraft.
From June 1945 until August 1946, he was assigned as commander of a detachment of the 306th Bombardment Group which had a mission of photo-mapping the European area. He left the 306th Bombardment Group in August 1946 for an assignment as squadron operations officer with the 305th Bombardment Group at Lechfeld, Germany.
General Bowley left Germany in June 1947 for an assignment as aircraft commander and squadron operations officer with the 43d Bombardment Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. In June 1952 he was transferred to the 303d Bombardment Wing at Davis-Monthan with duty as commander of the 358th Bombardment Squadron.
After some seven years at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, the general left to attend the Command and Staff School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. This was followed by a three year assignment at Headquarters Strategic Air Command where the general was assigned as chief of the Training Surveillance Branch, Training Division, Directorate of Operations.
He returned to Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., to attend the Air War College. Following completion of the Air War College in 1959 General Bowley moved to the 3d Air Division, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, as director of operations.
From August 1961 until January 1963, the general was stationed at March Air Force Base, Calif. While there he was assigned as chief of the Control Division, Directorate of Operations, Headquarters Fifteenth Air Force; deputy commander for operations, 22d Bombardment Wing; and deputy director, Directorate of Operations, Headquarters Fifteenth Air Force.
In January 1963 General Bowley was assigned as deputy executive to the vice chief of staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. In June 1963 he became executive to the vice chief of staff and remained in that position until August 1966, when he was assigned as commander, 40th Air Division. He was reassigned to Loring Air Force Base, Maine as 45th Air Division commander in July 1967.
(Current as of Feb. 1, 1971)