Albert Lee Sneed was born in Conway, Arkansas, on April 24, 1884. He was graduated from the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, and commissioned a second lieutenant of Infantry on February 14, 1908.
SERVICE
His first assignment was with the 25th Infantry in the Philippine Islands. He returned to the United States in October 1909, and was stationed at Fort George Wright, Washington. He went to Hawaii in January 1913, and in November 1914, returned to the United States to join the 7th Infantry at Galveston, Texas.
With the 7th Infantry he served at Galveston, Texas; Fort Bliss, Texas; Douglas, Arizona; and Nogales, Arizona. In August 1916 he became Assistant Quartermaster of the El Paso, Texas, District.
In May 1917 he went to Gettysburg National Park, Pennsylvania, with the 7th Infantry, and in October, went to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to command the School of Military Aeronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In April 1918 he was transferred to Rockwell Field, California, for flying instruction and received his “wings” in August 1918, then going to Love Field, Texas, as Commanding Officer.
He was assigned to the Office of the Chief of Air Service in Washington, D.C., in May 1919, and in September 1919, went to McCook Field, Ohio, to enter the Air Service Engineering School from which he was graduated in September 1920. He transferred from the Infantry to the Air Service on August 11, 1920.
In October 1920 he went to Baltimore, Maryland, as Air Officer of the Third Corps Area, and in December 1921, he returned to Washington for duty in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of War. In October 1922 he went to Constantinople, Turkey, as Assistant Military Attaché and returned to Washington for duty in the Office of the Chief of Air Corps in July 1923.
He entered the Air Corps Tactical School at Langley Field, Virginia, in October 1923, and was graduated in June 1924, at which time he went to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, to enter the Command and General Staff School. Upon his graduation there in June 1925 he went to Kelly Field, Texas.
In August 1927 he became Commanding Officer of Crissy Field at the Pesidio of San Francisco, California, and in November 1927, became Commanding Officer of Rockwell Field, California. He went to Wright Field, Ohio, in July 1930, and then to the Fairfield Air Depot, Ohio, as Commanding Officer.
In September 1934, he became Executive Officer at Langley Field, Virginia, and later became Commanding Officer there. He went to the Philippine Islands in December 1934, and served as Air Officer of the Philippine Department and Commanding Officer of the 4th Composite Group, at Manila. In July 1937 he returned to the United States and was assigned to Maxwell Field, Alabama, as Executive Officer and later as Commanding Officer. While there he also served as Acting Commandant of the Air Corps Tactical School from September to November 1938.
He retired on December 31, 1938.
He returned to active duty on February 12, 1941, and was assigned to Maxwell Field, Alabama, for duty as Commanding Officer. He was transferred to Washington, D.C., in January 1942 and was assigned to the Army Group. In February 1942 he went overseas for duty in Australia on the staff of Lieutenant General George H. Brett, including assignment as Commanding Officer of U.S. Air Command No. 1 at Darwin, Australia. He returned to the United States in October 1942 and was assigned as Commanding General of the Army Air Forces Technical School, Chicago, Illinois. He assumed command of Lowry Field, Colorado, in April 1943. In November 1944, he was named Commanding General, Army Air Forces Western Technical Training Command, with headquarters at Denver, Colorado. He relinquished this command in August 1945. He was relieved from active duty on June 27, 1946.
He was rated a Command Pilot and Technical Observer.
PROMOTIONS
Cadet, U.S. Military Academy, June 16, 1904; Second Lieutenant of Infantry, February 14, 1908; First Lieutenant, October 7, 1915; Captain, May 15, 1917; Major, Signal Corps (temporary), August 5, 1917, to February 7, 1918; Major (temporary), February 7, 1918, to February 28, 1920; Major, July 1, 1920; transferred to Air Service, August 11, 1920; Lieutenant Colonel, August 1, 1932; Colonel (temporary), June 16, 1936, to May 1, 1937; Colonel, May 1, 1937; retired, at his own request, after 30 years’ service, December 31, 1938; Active Duty on February 12, 1941; Brigadier General, A.U.S., June 15, 1942; changed December 10, 1945, to Brigadier General, retired (Act of Congress, June 29, 1943), disability in line of duty; relieved from Active Duty on April 27, 1946.
DECORATIONS
Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Mexican Border Service Medal, World War I Victory Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal.
He was awarded the Silver Star in July 1942, with the following citation (part):
“Gen. Sneed took personal command of a flight of Flying Fortresses which made raids on Koepang, Timor, May 18 and 20, 1942. These proved to be most disastrous to enemy ground installations and personnel. The success of these important missions may be attributed in large measure to the superior leadership, calm judgement and personal valor shown by Brig. Gen. Sneed. Personal leadership as exemplified here is an excellent builder of morale and is in true keeping with the American spirit of offensive warfare.”