MAJOR GENERAL JOHN S. SAMUEL
Major General John S. Samuel is commander, Lowry Technical Training Center, Air Training Command, Lowry Air Force Base, Colo.
General Samuel was born in St. Louis, Mo., in 1913. His family moved to Hinsdale, Ill., where he graduated from high school in 1932. He attended Beloit College in Wisconsin from 1932 to 1935 and then entered the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., from which he graduated in 1939 with a commission as second lieutenant. He then entered flying school and completed training at Randolph and Kelly fields, Texas, in 1940.
He remained at Randolph Field as a flight instructor and became assistant director of training in the Primary Flying School. In April 1943 he was assigned as group operations officer for the 391st Bombardment Group at Myrtle Beach, S.C. He went with the group to the European Theater of Operations where he later became commander of the 322d Bombardment Group. He participated in air operations in the Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes-Alsace, Rhineland and Central Europe Campaigns in which he flew 72 missions for a total of 218 combat hours in B-26 aircraft.
In January 1946 General Samuel was assigned as an instructor at the U.S. Military Academy. He was transferred in June 1949 to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, where he served as chief of the Emergency War Plans Team and then became chief, Joint Plans Branch, in the War Plans Division, Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans.
He entered the Air War College in 1952 and upon graduation went to Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, as base commander. He later was appointed director of materiel for the 19th Air Division there. He attended the Manpower Management Course at The George Washington University, Washington, D.C., in 1954.
In 1955 he was assigned as commander of the 4925th Test Group at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., and in 1956 assumed command of Task Group 7.4, the Air Force component of Joint Task Force 7, conducting nuclear weapons tests in the Pacific.
General Samuel returned to Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, in July 1957, and assumed command of the 11th Bombardment Wing. He later directed the wing's move to Altus Air Force Base, Okla., where he became commander of the 816th Air Division when it was activated in July 1958. He was assigned as commander of the 825th Air Division at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., in September 1959.
He returned to nuclear testing in November 1961, as commander of the Air Force Task Group and deputy commander for Air of Joint Task Force 8 which planned and conducted the DOMINIC series of nuclear tests in the Pacific.
In June 1963 he was transferred to Headquarters U.S. Air Force as director of special investigations, the Inspector General, and in June 1964 became director of the Vice Chief of Staff Special Studies Group. He went to Strategic Air Command Headquarters at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., in July 1965, as deputy director of plans and later became deputy chief of staff for plans.
In August 1968 General Samuel was assigned to the Office of the Secretary of Defense (Research and Engineering) as senior Air Force member, Military Studies and Liaison Division, Weapons Systems Evaluation Group. He went to Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, in August 1970 as commander of Air Training Command's Lackland Military Training Center and Lackland Air Force Base.
His military decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal with 13 oak leaf clusters and the French Croix de Guerre with palm.
He was promoted to the temporary grade of major general effective July 1, 1964, with date of rank Dec. 27, 1959.
(Current as of Nov. 15, 1970)
General Samuel was born in St. Louis, Mo., in 1913. His family moved to Hinsdale, Ill., where he graduated from high school in 1932. He attended Beloit College in Wisconsin from 1932 to 1935 and then entered the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., from which he graduated in 1939 with a commission as second lieutenant. He then entered flying school and completed training at Randolph and Kelly fields, Texas, in 1940.
He remained at Randolph Field as a flight instructor and became assistant director of training in the Primary Flying School. In April 1943 he was assigned as group operations officer for the 391st Bombardment Group at Myrtle Beach, S.C. He went with the group to the European Theater of Operations where he later became commander of the 322d Bombardment Group. He participated in air operations in the Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes-Alsace, Rhineland and Central Europe Campaigns in which he flew 72 missions for a total of 218 combat hours in B-26 aircraft.
In January 1946 General Samuel was assigned as an instructor at the U.S. Military Academy. He was transferred in June 1949 to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, where he served as chief of the Emergency War Plans Team and then became chief, Joint Plans Branch, in the War Plans Division, Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans.
He entered the Air War College in 1952 and upon graduation went to Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, as base commander. He later was appointed director of materiel for the 19th Air Division there. He attended the Manpower Management Course at The George Washington University, Washington, D.C., in 1954.
In 1955 he was assigned as commander of the 4925th Test Group at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., and in 1956 assumed command of Task Group 7.4, the Air Force component of Joint Task Force 7, conducting nuclear weapons tests in the Pacific.
General Samuel returned to Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, in July 1957, and assumed command of the 11th Bombardment Wing. He later directed the wing's move to Altus Air Force Base, Okla., where he became commander of the 816th Air Division when it was activated in July 1958. He was assigned as commander of the 825th Air Division at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., in September 1959.
He returned to nuclear testing in November 1961, as commander of the Air Force Task Group and deputy commander for Air of Joint Task Force 8 which planned and conducted the DOMINIC series of nuclear tests in the Pacific.
In June 1963 he was transferred to Headquarters U.S. Air Force as director of special investigations, the Inspector General, and in June 1964 became director of the Vice Chief of Staff Special Studies Group. He went to Strategic Air Command Headquarters at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., in July 1965, as deputy director of plans and later became deputy chief of staff for plans.
In August 1968 General Samuel was assigned to the Office of the Secretary of Defense (Research and Engineering) as senior Air Force member, Military Studies and Liaison Division, Weapons Systems Evaluation Group. He went to Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, in August 1970 as commander of Air Training Command's Lackland Military Training Center and Lackland Air Force Base.
His military decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal with 13 oak leaf clusters and the French Croix de Guerre with palm.
He was promoted to the temporary grade of major general effective July 1, 1964, with date of rank Dec. 27, 1959.
(Current as of Nov. 15, 1970)