John Philip “Jock” Henebry was born in Plainfield, Illinois, February 14, 1918. He was graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1940 with a Bachelor of Science degree. On July 30, 1940, he was appointed a flying cadet and after graduating from Air Corps basic and advanced flying schools was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Air Reserve March 14, 1941, and assigned to active duty with the 22d Bomb Group at Langley Field, Virginia.
In May, 1941, General Henebry was appointed leader of “C” Flight and armament and chemical officer of the 39th Bomb Squadron, 13th Bomb Group, with which he served at various stations in the United States. In August, 1942, he went to the Southwest Pacific theater as commander of the 13th Bomb Squadron, and soon thereafter assumed command of the 90th Attack Squadron there. He later served as operations officer and commander of the 3d Bomb Group in that theater, and in January, 1945, assumed command of the 360th Air Service Group of the Far East Air Force.
General Henebry returned to the United States in October, 1945, for duty with the Air Technical Service Command at Wright Field, Ohio. He was relieved of active duty the following December to work with a pneumatic tools company in Chicago, Illinois. From 1948 to 1950 he was assistant utility sales manager for a coal company in Chicago.
General Henebry was recalled to active duty August 14, 1950, and appointed commanding general of the 437th Troop Carrier Wing (Medium), which he later took to Korea. In January, 1951, he assumed command of the 315th Air Division (Combat Cargo) in Korea. General Henebry was hospitalized in Tachikawa, Japan, in February, 1952. He returned to the United States for further hospitalization at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C., until his release in June, 1952.
General Henebry continued to serve in the Air Force Reserve, including duty with the Air Staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., in connection with Air Force Reserve Policy. He also served as President of the Air Force Association in 1956-1957. Among his varied business concerns, he was the founder and president of Skymotive Aviation Management Corporation, an airline service company with offices at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago.
Over the course of his long career, General Henebry was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, (Army) Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Legion of Merit with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Commendation Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with four Bronze Stars, World War II Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, Air Force Longevity Service Award with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Armed Forces Reserve Medal (Air Force), Philippine Liberation Medal with one Bronze Star, Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Republic of Korea Order of Military Merit Ulchi with Gold Star, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, and United Nations Service Medal for Korea.
He was rated a Command Pilot and Parachutist.
PROMOTIONS
Flying Cadet, July 31, 1940, to March 14, 1941; Second Lieutenant, Air Reserve, March 14, 1941; First Lieutenant, A.U.S., February 1, 1942; Captain, A.U.S. (Air Corps), October 5, 1942; Captain, A.U.S., June 17, 1943; Major, A.U.S. (Air Corps), June 23, 1943; Lieutenant Colonel, A.U.S. (Air Corps), November 28, 1943; Major, A.U.S., December 29, 1943; Colonel, A.U.S. (Air Corps), May 29, 1944; Colonel, A.U.S., August 1, 1944; Colonel, Air Corps Reserve, December 6, 1945; Brigadier General, USAF Reserve, February 19, 1948; Major General, USAF Reserve, August 23, 1957.
(Henebry biography dated 29 Feb 1952, supplemented by information from Air Force Nominations for Reserve General Officers: Hearing Before the Committee on Armed Services, United States Senate, May 2, 1957.)