Newton Longfellow was born on January 1, 1890, at Chicago, Illinois. He enlisted as a cadet in the Signal Aviation Section from Minnesota, September, 1917, and served overseas in World War I from November 1917 to March 1919. He received his commission as a second lieutenant May 18, 1918, and was trained as a pilot in France. From 1919 to 1921 he served in the Philippines.
He was graduated from the Observation Course in 1928 and from the Air Corps Tactical School in 1936.
A veteran of pre-war development days of the Army Air Forces, General Longfellow was long identified with heavy bombardment. As a colonel, he took America’s first heavy bombardment group, the 97th, to England in June, 1942. This group pioneered high altitude precision daylight bombing for the Eighth Air Force in Europe. General Longfellow was the Commanding Officer of the 1st Provisional Bombardment Wing, the first unit of its type sent to England by the Army Air Forces as part of the United States overseas force buildup. This operation was also the first to ferry P-38 fighters across the North Atlantic for service in England.
In July, 1942, General Longfellow became Commanding Officer of the 2d Bombardment Wing, Eighth Air Force, and a month later, he was appointed Commanding General of the 1st Bombardment Wing, Eighth Air Force. On December 1, 1942, he became Commanding General of the VIII Bomber Command, Eighth Air Force.
After the arrival of General Longfellow in England with the first heavy bombardment group sent over the North Atlantic by the Army Air Forces, he had first to organize bases in Britain for America’s growing bombardment forces; and organize the VIII Bomber Command, both for units which were then overseas plus many heavy bombardment units which would later join the rapidly expanding VIII Bomber Command.
Paralleling this task, General Longfellow organized training, polishing, and indoctrination programs for his bombardment units before they were fully trained to engage the enemy on daylight bombing missions over Axis-held Europe.
As one of the organizers and builders of the VIII Bomber Command in England, General Longfellow helped sell America’s daylight bombing technique to the British people and the Royal Air Force. How well the VIII Bomber Command was developed and coordinated with the night bombing strategy of the Royal Air Force has been told historically in the newspapers and magazines of the world. General Longfellow also did much to get quick-release parachutes supplied to troops in combat areas.
General Longfellow returned to the United States in August, 1943, in conformance with Army Air Forces policy to rotate experienced overseas officers into the training and preparation program areas in the United States, where their combat experience could be utilized to the fullest extent.
General Longfellow took over command of the XX Bomber Command, under the Second Air Force, with headquarters at Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas, in August, 1943. Into the XX Bomber Command, General Longfellow put the training systems which had been found to be the most effective in England.
The XX Bomber Command extended from California to the Gulf Coast, and from the Central Mississippi Valley to Denver, Colorado, and was complimented with B-17 and B-24 aircraft.
In October, 1943, General Longfellow became Commanding General of the 16th Bombardment Operational Training Wing, also at Biggs Field, with eight B-29 bases under his command. With the inactivation of the 16th Wing after the end of the war, he reverted to the rank of colonel and assumed command of Biggs Field on December 1, 1945.
In September, 1947, he took command of the newly activated 47th Bombardment Wing, Light, at Biggs Field, Texas. Charged with night attack operations for the Twelfth Air Force, the wing was equipped with A-26 bombers to carry out this mission. He relinquished command of the wing on November 19, 1948, upon its transfer from Biggs AFB to Barksdale AFB, Louisiana.
In December, 1948, he was appointed Commanding Officer of the 316th Troop Carrier Wing, Medium, at Greenville AFB, South Carolina, holding that position until June, 1949, when he left for Hamilton AFB, California.
He retired in the grade of Brigadier General on January 31, 1950.
He was rated a Command Pilot, Combat Observer, and Aircraft Observer.
PROMOTIONS
Private, Aviation Section, Signal Enlisted Reserve Corps, September 10, 1917, to May 28, 1918; Second Lieutenant, Aviation Section, Signal Officers’ Reserve Corps, May 18, 1918, to October 12, 1920; Second Lieutenant, Air Service, July 1, 1920; First Lieutenant, July 1, 1920; Captain, August 1, 1932; Major (temporary), April 20, to August 28, 1935; Major (temporary), August 26, 1936; Major, October 1, 1939; Lieutenant Colonel (temporary), December 30, 1940; Lieutenant Colonel, A.U.S., June 12, 1941; Colonel (temporary), January 5, 1942; Colonel, A.U.S., February 1, 1942; Lieutenant Colonel, February 4, 1942; Brigadier General, A.U.S., October 31, 1942; terminated Brigadier General, A.U.S., November 30, 1945; Colonel, A.U.S., January 5, 1942; Colonel, April 2, 1948; retired in the grade of Brigadier General, January 31, 1950.
DECORATIONS
Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, World War I Victory Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Belgian Croix de Guerre.
He was awarded the Silver Star in 1943, with the following citation:
“General Longfellow directed the heavy bombardment effort of the VIII Bomber Command and brilliantly demonstrated the value of daylight bombing missions carried out by American bombers from Dec. 1, 1942 to June 23, 1943. These missions were flown in the face of heavy opposition and have resulted in severe damage to enemy aircraft and ground installations. Flying as command pilot leading his formation over enemy occupied Europe, he displayed conspicuous gallantry in action. The skill, courage and leadership displayed by Longfellow at all times has been an inspiration to all the members of his command and reflect the highest credit upon himself and the armed forces of the United States.”