BRIGADIER GENERAL WALTER R. PECK

Walter Raymond Peck was born Jan. 15, 1896, in Lima, Ohio. He attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., from June 1916 to January 1917 and was appointed a second lieutenant, Philippine Scouts, on March 27, 1918.

Promoted to first lieutenant, Philippine Scouts, on April 2, 1918, he moved with the 27th Infantry to Schofield Barracks Hawaii, and the following July returned to the United States to enter the Air Service Pilots School at Carlstrom Field, Fla.

Upon completing the course in December 1921, he entered the Air Service Observation School at Post Field, Fort Sill, Okla. He graduated in June 1922 and was assigned to the 41st School Squadron at Kelly Field, Texas. He joined the 10th School Group at Kelly Field in August 1922 and the following December became adjutant of the 41st School Squadron at that field.

He was transferred to the 68th Service Squadron at Kelly Field in October 1923 and in July 1924 was transferred to the Third Attack Group at that same station. He became commanding officer of Schoen Field, Fort Benjamin Harrison, Ind., in December 1925 and served in that capacity until July 1930, when he transferred to Maxwell Field, Ala., where he joined the 22nd Observation Squadron. He became post operations officer at Maxwell Field in July 1931 and two years later was named commanding officer of the 54th School Squadron at that field.

The following August he entered the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Field, and upon graduation in June 1934 went to March Field Calif., as post engineering officer. He joined the 17th Attack Group at that field in November 1934 and in July 1935 became group intelligence and operations officer. In August 1936 he became commanding officer of the 76th Service Squadron of the 19th Bombardment Group at March Field and in July 1937 was designated commanding officer of the 32nd Bombardment Squadron of the 19th Bombardment Group at that station.

In August 1939 he was named senior instructor, 41st Division Aviation, Washington National Guard at Parkwater, Wash., serving in that capacity until September 1940 when he became air base operations officer at McChord Field, Wash. He became commanding officer of the 17th Bombardment Group at McChord Field in March 1941, and the following August moved with the 17th Bombardment Group to Pendleton Field, Ore.

In February 1942 he moved with the 17th Bombardment Group to Wendover Field, Utah. He served as commanding officer of the Army Air Base Wendover Field from March 1942, until the following July when he was assigned to command the 17th Bombardment Wing at Camp Rapid, S.D. In September 1943, he was made commanding general of the Combat Crew Replacement Group in England, and in May 1944 was assigned to command the 96th Combat Bomber Wing there.

Returning to the United States in August 1945, he was assigned to Continental Air Forces headquarters at Bolling Field, D.C. In October he was named commanding general of the 462nd AAF Base Unit at Camp Pinedale, Calif. The following June he was assigned to Second air Force headquarters at Fort Crook, Neb., and was appointed deputy commanding general of the Second Air Force Oct. 15, 1946.

General Peck has been awarded the Legion of Merit, Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star Medal and the Air Medal with oak leaf cluster.

He is rated a command pilot, combat observer and aircraft observer.

(Up to date as of Nov. 21, 1947)