MAJOR GENERAL LEWIS R. PARKER
Lewis R. Parker was born in Wray, Colo., in 1905. He graduated from high school at McMinneville, Ore., in 1922 and attended Oregon State College for three years.
Enlisting as a flying cadet on Feb. 24, 1928, General Parker attended Primary Flying School at March Field, Calf., graduated from Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field, Texas a year later, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Air Corps on May 2, 1929.
General Parker then was assigned as assistant operations officer of the 11th Bomb Squadron at March and later Rockwell Field, Calif. Entering the Air Corps Technical School at Chanute Field, Ill., in Sept l930, he graduated the next June and rejoined the 11th Bomb Squadron. Two years later he was named engineering officer at March Fie1d.
Moving to Luke Field, Hawaii in August 1934, General Parker was assigned to the 72nd Bomb Squadron and later served as engineering officer for the Fifth Composite Group there. Transferred to Bolling Field, Washington, D.C in December 1936, he served successively as engineering officer and then commander of the First Staff Squadron and commander of the field. In 1940 General Parker attended the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Field, Ala., and then returned to Bolling Field.
Early in 1943, General Parker was on temporary duty in various theaters, including the European, China-Burma-India, and then the Pacific. He assumed command of the 40th Bomb Group at Pratt Field, Kan., in July 1943.
Late in February 1944 General Parker went to England for duty with the Eighth Air Force. On his second combat mission, March 6, he was shot down, bailed out and captured 40 miles South of Bremen. He was imprisoned at Sagan, Southeast of Berlin, for 10 months, transferred to Moosburg, Northeast of Munich, released on April 29, 1945, and returned to the United States.
That July General Parker was named operations and training staff officer of the Fourth Air Force at Hamilton Field, Calif., and the following December became deputy commander there. He assumed command of Mitchel Field, N.Y. in April 1946. Entering the National War College at Washington, D.C., in August 1947, General Parker graduated the following June.
General Parker then was transferred to the Air Materiel Command and was named deputy commander of the San Antonio Air Materiel Area at Kelly Air Force Base, Texas. He was appointed commander of the 29th Air Depot Wing at Norton Air Force Base, San Bernardino, Calif., in November 1949.
Moving to Air Materiel Command headquarters, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio in January 1951, General Parker became deputy director of Maintenance, Supply and Services; was named chief of the Supply Division the following September; and in June 1952 was appointed director of Supply and Services there.
On July 1, 1954 General Parker was designated commander of the Air Materiel Force, Europe, under the U.S. Air Forces in Europe, with duty station at Wiesbaden, Germany. On Jan. 1, 1956 this organization came under the direct control of the global Air Materiel Command and was redesignated the Air Materiel Force, European Area. General Parker remained the commander until August 1956 when he became director of the Personnel Council of the secretary of the Air Force Washington, D.C.
His decorations include the Legion of Merit and Air Medal. He is rated a command pilot, combat observer and aircraft observer.
(Up to date as of August 1956)
Enlisting as a flying cadet on Feb. 24, 1928, General Parker attended Primary Flying School at March Field, Calf., graduated from Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field, Texas a year later, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Air Corps on May 2, 1929.
General Parker then was assigned as assistant operations officer of the 11th Bomb Squadron at March and later Rockwell Field, Calif. Entering the Air Corps Technical School at Chanute Field, Ill., in Sept l930, he graduated the next June and rejoined the 11th Bomb Squadron. Two years later he was named engineering officer at March Fie1d.
Moving to Luke Field, Hawaii in August 1934, General Parker was assigned to the 72nd Bomb Squadron and later served as engineering officer for the Fifth Composite Group there. Transferred to Bolling Field, Washington, D.C in December 1936, he served successively as engineering officer and then commander of the First Staff Squadron and commander of the field. In 1940 General Parker attended the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Field, Ala., and then returned to Bolling Field.
Early in 1943, General Parker was on temporary duty in various theaters, including the European, China-Burma-India, and then the Pacific. He assumed command of the 40th Bomb Group at Pratt Field, Kan., in July 1943.
Late in February 1944 General Parker went to England for duty with the Eighth Air Force. On his second combat mission, March 6, he was shot down, bailed out and captured 40 miles South of Bremen. He was imprisoned at Sagan, Southeast of Berlin, for 10 months, transferred to Moosburg, Northeast of Munich, released on April 29, 1945, and returned to the United States.
That July General Parker was named operations and training staff officer of the Fourth Air Force at Hamilton Field, Calif., and the following December became deputy commander there. He assumed command of Mitchel Field, N.Y. in April 1946. Entering the National War College at Washington, D.C., in August 1947, General Parker graduated the following June.
General Parker then was transferred to the Air Materiel Command and was named deputy commander of the San Antonio Air Materiel Area at Kelly Air Force Base, Texas. He was appointed commander of the 29th Air Depot Wing at Norton Air Force Base, San Bernardino, Calif., in November 1949.
Moving to Air Materiel Command headquarters, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio in January 1951, General Parker became deputy director of Maintenance, Supply and Services; was named chief of the Supply Division the following September; and in June 1952 was appointed director of Supply and Services there.
On July 1, 1954 General Parker was designated commander of the Air Materiel Force, Europe, under the U.S. Air Forces in Europe, with duty station at Wiesbaden, Germany. On Jan. 1, 1956 this organization came under the direct control of the global Air Materiel Command and was redesignated the Air Materiel Force, European Area. General Parker remained the commander until August 1956 when he became director of the Personnel Council of the secretary of the Air Force Washington, D.C.
His decorations include the Legion of Merit and Air Medal. He is rated a command pilot, combat observer and aircraft observer.
(Up to date as of August 1956)