A southwesterner, Major General Fred S. Borum has a real love for people and has made many friends in many parts of the world during his 36 years in the military.
Although the genial, handsome Air Force general was born in Illinois on April 25, 1892, he is an adopted son of Oklahoma, having moved there in 1904 at the age of twelve and absorbed much of the hospitality and rugged individualism of that state.
He left Kendall College in 1912 to work with an oil concern and later that same year formed a company with his brother-in-law to install a sewer system in Dewey, Oklahoma. “I was time keeper, assistant foreman, and just about everything,” the General recalls. “I had never used surveying instruments, but I learned how in a couple of hours in order to run up our pipe levels. We hit an unexpected rock strata which really ran up our costs and just about eliminated our profit.” He later went into business for himself, operating a store at Muskogee, Oklahoma.
Fred Sidney Borum answered his country’s call by enlisting as a cadet in the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps in 1917. He received his commission as a second lieutenant in February, 1918, and remained at Kelly Field as a flying instructor for the remainder of World War I.
Following the war he spent several years as an industrial liaison officer at which time he formed close friendships with many present-day industrial and aviation leaders.
General Borum went to Hawaii in October, 1926, to serve with the 4th Observation Group and the 72nd Bombardment Squadron and was made assistant quartermaster of Luke Field in November, 1926. He returned to the United States in 1929 and served as a supply officer at Chanute Field, Illinois, and Wright Field, Ohio, until April, 1935, when he became Chief of the Equipment Branch of the Air Corps Material Division at Wright Field, Ohio.
Later he was enrolled at the Army Industrial College in Washington, D.C., graduating in June, 1939. Spending four months as Executive Officer of the Supply Division in the Office of the Chief of the Air Corps, Washington, D.C., he returned to Wright Field to take the post of Chief of the Field Service Section.
Pearl Harbor found General Borum back at Army Air Forces Headquarters in Washington, D.C., to take command Headquarters Services and Supply. In April, 1942, he became commanding officer of Air Transport Command, and in July of the same year took over command of I Troop Carrier Command at Stout Field, Indiana. In July, 1943, he was assigned to Headquarters, European Theater of Operations, and assumed command of the IX Air Force Service Command the following October. In April, 1944, he was transferred to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations for duty at Army Air Forces Headquarters there. In August, 1944, the erect and mild spoken general returned to the United States for duty at Army Air Forces Headquarters in Washington, D.C. In October, 1944, he was appointed commanding general of the Miami Air Depot and later the Miami Air Technical Service Command, Florida. In July, 1945, General Borum became commanding general of the Oklahoma City Air Material Area at Tinker Field (later, Air Force Base), Oklahoma, which position he held until his retirement from the Air Force on April 30, 1954.
He was rated a Command Pilot, Combat Observer, and Aircraft Observer.
Of rugged physical build, General Borum is active in outdoor sports, including fishing, hunting, and golf, and is accomplished deep-sea fisherman. He is five foot, eight inches tall and weighs 180 pounds.
He and Mrs. Borum were married in 1918. They have one daughter, Marie.
General Borum is a thirty-second degree Mason and a member of the Shrine.
PROMOTIONS
Private First Class, Aviation Section Signal Enlisted Reserve Corps, August 4, 1917, to January 1, 1918; Second Lieutenant, Aviation Section Signal Officers’ Reserve Corps, February 1, 1918; First Lieutenant, Air Service, N.A., October 2, 1918; First Lieutenant, Air Service, July 1, 1920; Captain, January 3, 1931; Major (temporary), March 25, 1935; Major, June 12, 1939; Lieutenant Colonel (temporary), November 16, 1940; Lieutenant Colonel, A.U.S., April 18, 1941; Lieutenant Colonel, October 15, 1941; Colonel (temporary), January 5, 1942; Colonel, A.U.S., February 1, 1942; Brigadier General, A.U.S., September 16, 1942; Brigadier General, February 19, 1948, with date of rank September 16, 1942; Major General (temporary), with date of rank October 5, 1947; Major General, January 27, 1950, with date of rank May 27, 1944; retired in the grade of Major General, April 30, 1954.
DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Army Commendation Ribbon with two Oak Leaf Clusters, World War I Victory Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three Bronze Stars, World War II Victory Medal, Grand Officer of the Order of the Crown of Italy.
General Borum was awarded the Legion of Merit in 1944 with the following citation:
“For exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services from 20 May 1942 to 27 July 1943. With unusual foresight and ability, General Borum activated and trained the great majority of all troop carrier and medical air evacuation transport units and gave air training to all airborne engineer (aviation) units as well as to those of the Airborne Command, Army Ground Forces. The proficiency shown in transporting parachute and gliderborne troops into combat theaters, their devotion to duty, and efficiency in operations all attest to General Borum’s successful efforts as a material contribution to the war effort.”
(Borum biography dated 1944, supplemented by information from USAF Historical Study No. 91: Biographical Data on Air Force General Officers 1917 to 1952.)