MAJOR GENERAL GILBERT L. MEYERS
Maj. Gen. Gilbert L. Meyers is deputy commander of Seventh Air Force, Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. He assumed command in 1966 when the 2nd Air Division became 7th Air Force.
A veteran of more than 27 years service with the Air Corps and Air Force, he is a graduate of the Canadian National Defense College at Kinston, Ontario; the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.; and the Armed Forces Staff College at Norfolk, Va.
General Meyers entered military service in July 1936 at Fort Snelling, Minn. He attended pilot training at Randolph and Kelly fields, Texas, from July 1937 to June 1938. His first assignment after completing pilot training was with the Eighth Pursuit Group at Langley Field, Va.
During the early part of World War II he accepted the first P-47 Thunderbolt fighter for use by the Army Air Corps. Later he had the job of familiarizing Gen. John K. Cannon, the man for whom Cannon Air Force Base was named, with the aircraft's flying characteristics.
Serving with the 368th Fighter Group, his was the first Air Force unit to land in France after Normandy. After the German surrender, General Meyers served with the Fifth Air Force in the Far East and landed at Tachikawa Air Base, Japan, only days after the unofficial Japanese surrender. In 1946 he assumed command of the First Fighter Group when it was the first jet fighter unit in the Air Force.
His assignments:
1. July 1936 - July 1937, active duty, Company G, 3rd Infantry, Fort Snelling, Minn. (one-year enlistment to attend West Point Preparatory School)
2. July 1937 - July 1938, student, pilot training, Randolph and Kelly Fields, Texas
3. July 1938 - June 1941, pilot and flight commander, 35th Pursuit Squadron, 8th Pursuit Group, Langley Field, Va.
4. July 1941 - September 1942, Commander, 63rd Squadron, 56th Pursuit Group, Myrtle Beach Airfield, S.C. and Republic Airfield, N.Y.
4. September 1942 - June 1943, Commander, 326th Fighter Operational Training Group, Windsor Locks, Conn. and Westover Field, Mass.
5. July 1943 - December 1943, Commander, 368th Fighter Group, Mitchel Field, N.Y.
6. December 1943 - October 1944, Commander, 368th Fighter Group, European Theater of Operations
7. October 1944 - August 1945, Director of Operations and Chief of Staff, Headquarters 9th Air Force (August 1945 - March 1946, temporary assignment, Far East Air Forces, Tachikawa Air Base, Japan, and Caribbean Defense Command)
8. March 1946 - July 1946, deputy chief of staff of operations, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley AFB, Va.
9. August 1946 - January 1948, Commander, 1st Fighter Group, March AFB, Calif.
10. January 1948 - July 1948, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
11. July 1948 - September 1949, Commander, Training Group, and Deputy Wing Commander, Williams AFB, Ariz.
12. September 1949 - June 1950, Vice Commander, Ninth Air Force, Pope Air Force Base, N.C.
13. July 1950 - July 1952, Deputy for Operations, 5th Air Force, Japan and Korea
14. July 1952 - July 1953, student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
15. August 1953 - June 1957, Deputy Director for Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
16. June 1957 - August 1958, student, Canadian National Defense College, Kinston, Ontario
17. September 1958 - August 1959, Commander, 27th Tactical Fighter Wing (previously 312th Tactical Fighter Wing), Cannon AFB, N.M.
18. August 1959 - September 1960, Commander 4530th Combat Crew Training Wing, Williams AFB, Ariz.
19. October 1960 - March 1963, 354th Tactical Fighter Wing, Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, S.C.
20. April 1963 - December 1963, Commander, 836th Air Division, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.
21. January 1964 - July 1965, Commander, USAF Tactical Air Warfare Center, Eglin AFB, Fla.
22. July 1965 - April 1966, Deputy Commander, 2nd Air Division, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
23. April 1966 - November 1966, Deputy Commander, 7th Air Force, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
Among the awards and decorations he has received are the Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with seven oak leaf clusters, Bronze Star and the Croix de Guerre from France, Luxembourg and Belgium.
Dates of promotion:
Second lieutenant (P) June 17, 1938
Second lieutenant (Intg) April 30, 1940
First lieutenant April 30, 1943
Captain March 1, 1942 (temp)
Major June 9, 1942 (temp)
Lieutenant Colonel July 1, 1948
Colonel July 1, 1954
Brigadier General April 18,1960 (temp)
Major General April 3, 1965
A veteran of more than 27 years service with the Air Corps and Air Force, he is a graduate of the Canadian National Defense College at Kinston, Ontario; the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.; and the Armed Forces Staff College at Norfolk, Va.
General Meyers entered military service in July 1936 at Fort Snelling, Minn. He attended pilot training at Randolph and Kelly fields, Texas, from July 1937 to June 1938. His first assignment after completing pilot training was with the Eighth Pursuit Group at Langley Field, Va.
During the early part of World War II he accepted the first P-47 Thunderbolt fighter for use by the Army Air Corps. Later he had the job of familiarizing Gen. John K. Cannon, the man for whom Cannon Air Force Base was named, with the aircraft's flying characteristics.
Serving with the 368th Fighter Group, his was the first Air Force unit to land in France after Normandy. After the German surrender, General Meyers served with the Fifth Air Force in the Far East and landed at Tachikawa Air Base, Japan, only days after the unofficial Japanese surrender. In 1946 he assumed command of the First Fighter Group when it was the first jet fighter unit in the Air Force.
His assignments:
1. July 1936 - July 1937, active duty, Company G, 3rd Infantry, Fort Snelling, Minn. (one-year enlistment to attend West Point Preparatory School)
2. July 1937 - July 1938, student, pilot training, Randolph and Kelly Fields, Texas
3. July 1938 - June 1941, pilot and flight commander, 35th Pursuit Squadron, 8th Pursuit Group, Langley Field, Va.
4. July 1941 - September 1942, Commander, 63rd Squadron, 56th Pursuit Group, Myrtle Beach Airfield, S.C. and Republic Airfield, N.Y.
4. September 1942 - June 1943, Commander, 326th Fighter Operational Training Group, Windsor Locks, Conn. and Westover Field, Mass.
5. July 1943 - December 1943, Commander, 368th Fighter Group, Mitchel Field, N.Y.
6. December 1943 - October 1944, Commander, 368th Fighter Group, European Theater of Operations
7. October 1944 - August 1945, Director of Operations and Chief of Staff, Headquarters 9th Air Force (August 1945 - March 1946, temporary assignment, Far East Air Forces, Tachikawa Air Base, Japan, and Caribbean Defense Command)
8. March 1946 - July 1946, deputy chief of staff of operations, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley AFB, Va.
9. August 1946 - January 1948, Commander, 1st Fighter Group, March AFB, Calif.
10. January 1948 - July 1948, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
11. July 1948 - September 1949, Commander, Training Group, and Deputy Wing Commander, Williams AFB, Ariz.
12. September 1949 - June 1950, Vice Commander, Ninth Air Force, Pope Air Force Base, N.C.
13. July 1950 - July 1952, Deputy for Operations, 5th Air Force, Japan and Korea
14. July 1952 - July 1953, student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
15. August 1953 - June 1957, Deputy Director for Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
16. June 1957 - August 1958, student, Canadian National Defense College, Kinston, Ontario
17. September 1958 - August 1959, Commander, 27th Tactical Fighter Wing (previously 312th Tactical Fighter Wing), Cannon AFB, N.M.
18. August 1959 - September 1960, Commander 4530th Combat Crew Training Wing, Williams AFB, Ariz.
19. October 1960 - March 1963, 354th Tactical Fighter Wing, Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, S.C.
20. April 1963 - December 1963, Commander, 836th Air Division, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.
21. January 1964 - July 1965, Commander, USAF Tactical Air Warfare Center, Eglin AFB, Fla.
22. July 1965 - April 1966, Deputy Commander, 2nd Air Division, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
23. April 1966 - November 1966, Deputy Commander, 7th Air Force, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
Among the awards and decorations he has received are the Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with seven oak leaf clusters, Bronze Star and the Croix de Guerre from France, Luxembourg and Belgium.
Dates of promotion:
Second lieutenant (P) June 17, 1938
Second lieutenant (Intg) April 30, 1940
First lieutenant April 30, 1943
Captain March 1, 1942 (temp)
Major June 9, 1942 (temp)
Lieutenant Colonel July 1, 1948
Colonel July 1, 1954
Brigadier General April 18,1960 (temp)
Major General April 3, 1965