Brigadier General EUGENE HAROLD BEEBE

Eugene Harold Beebe was born in 1906, at Utica Neb. He graduated from the University of Idaho with a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering in 1928.

Enlisting in the Regular Army as a flying cadet on June 21, 1928, General Beebe completed flying training and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Air Reserve on June 22, 1929. He was appointed a second lieutenant in the Regular Army, Air Corps, on Sept. 4, 1929.

General Beebe was assigned to the 16th Observation Squadron at Fort Riley, Kan., in July 1929. He attended the Aircraft Armament Course at the Air Corps Tactical School, Chanute Field, Ill., from September 1930 to April 1931, and after graduation was ordered to March Field, Calif., for duty with the 31st Bomb Squadron. General Beebe assumed command of the Seventh Bomb Group headquarters there in September 1932. In January 1934 General Beebe went to Rockwell Field, Calif., on detached service for training in navigation and instrument flying, and after completion was transferred to Reno, Nev., for duty with the Army Air Corps mail operations as an air mail pilot. Returning to March Field in May 1934, he was adjutant of the First Pursuit Wing until July when he became operations officer of the Seventh Bomb Group. In April 1935, General Beebe was assigned to the First Pursuit Wing, General Headquarters Air Force, at March Field, as adjutant and public relations officer.

Assigned to Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio, in August 1936, General Beebe attended the Air Corps Engineering School, graduated the following July, and became assistant project officer, Bombardment, Engineering Section, Materiel Division, there. He was designated project officer in July 1938. Transferred to Bolling Field, Washington, D.C., in October 1940, General Beebe was assistant executive officer. In July 1941 he was assigned as executive assistant to the commanding general, Headquarters Army Air Forces, in Washington, D.C.

From July 1942 to January 1943, General Beebe served as group commander of the 302nd and 308th bomb groups successively, at Davis-Monthan Field, Ariz; Wendover Field, Utah; and the Army Air Base at Pueblo, Colo. He then became group commander of the 346th Bomb Group at the Army Air Base, Salina, Kan. The following March he was assigned to duty in the Asiatic Theater of Operations as a bomb group commander. In November 1943 General Beebe went to the War Planning Staff, Southeast Asia Command, and subsequently became senior American air officer there. Returning to the United States in August 1944, he reported to Army Air Force headquarters in Washington, D.C. The following December he was named acting commanding general of Headquarters, Continental Air Forces, at Camp Springs Air Field, Md.

General Beebe is rated a command pilot, combat observer, technical observer, and senior aircraft observer.

(Up to date as of Nov. 30, 1945)