LIEUTENANT GENERAL CECIL H. CHILDRE
Lieutenant General Cecil Hampton Childre is commander of the Continental Air Command which is responsible for guiding and training thousands of Air Force Reserve personnel each year.
General Childre was born at Brownwood, Texas, in 1911, attended local schools, Southwestern University at Georgetown, Texas, and Huntingdon College, Montgomery, Ala. He was appointed to Aviation Cadet Training in October 1935 and graduated from Flying Training School a year later at Kelly Field, Texas.
He was then assigned to the 19th Bomb Group at March Field, Calif., and in June 1941, he returned to Kelly Field as a senior flying instructor.
In January 1943, General Childre moved to Hondo Army Air Field, Texas, as director of training for the Navigation Group and Senior Project Officer at the Navigation School there. A year later, he was named director of training for the 2523rd Army Air Force Bomber Unit at Hondo and, before leaving the base in August 1944, also held positions as deputy for operations and training and also station air inspector.
From August 1944 until January 1945, General Childre was commanding officer of Brooks Field, Texas. Then he became deputy chief of staff for the Pacific Division, Air Transport Command.
Returning to the United States in August 1946, he became a student at the Air Command and Staff School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., graduating in June 1947. Remaining at Maxwell, General Childre was assigned as staff officer in the organization division, and later, as an instructor in the Military Management Division of AC&SS. Still at the school, in March 1948 he was named chief of the command section in the Military Management Division. He stayed in this position until November 1949 when he became director of Student Group B on the AC&SS Instructor's Staff.
Reassigned overseas in September 1950, General Childre assumed duties as deputy commander of the 374th Troop Carrier Wing for the Fifth Air Force in Japan. He moved to Far East Air Forces Headquarters in Korea and established the Air Terminal units of the Combat Cargo Command.
In February 1951, he moved to the 315th Air Division under FEAF as vice commander.
Then, in February 1953, the general was assigned to Donaldson Air Force Base, S.C., and in May, the same year, he became deputy chief of staff for operations in the Eighteenth Air Force.
In August 1954, he became commander of the 463rd Troop Carrier Wing of the Eighteenth Air Force at Ardmore Air Force Base, Okla., and in August 1957, was named director of operations and training for Headquarters Tactical Air Command at Langley Air Force Base, Va. In January 1960 he was assigned as deputy for operations in the same headquarters, a position he held until moving to Washington, D.C., in June 1960.
At that time, General Childre became assistant deputy chief of staff for plans and programs at Headquarters U.S. Air Force in Washington. In August 1962, he was named assistant deputy chief of staff for personnel at Headquarters U.S. Air Force.
This tour of duty was followed by another overseas assignment. In January 1964, General Childre became the U.S. Representative to the CENTO Permanent Military Deputies Group in Ankara, Turkey. He stayed in the job until August 1965 when he returned to the United States for his present assignment as commander of the Continental Air Command at Robins Air Force Base, Ga.
Military decorations awarded General Childre include the Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Air Medal with oak leaf cluster, and the U.S. Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters.
(Current as of April 1, 1966)
General Childre was born at Brownwood, Texas, in 1911, attended local schools, Southwestern University at Georgetown, Texas, and Huntingdon College, Montgomery, Ala. He was appointed to Aviation Cadet Training in October 1935 and graduated from Flying Training School a year later at Kelly Field, Texas.
He was then assigned to the 19th Bomb Group at March Field, Calif., and in June 1941, he returned to Kelly Field as a senior flying instructor.
In January 1943, General Childre moved to Hondo Army Air Field, Texas, as director of training for the Navigation Group and Senior Project Officer at the Navigation School there. A year later, he was named director of training for the 2523rd Army Air Force Bomber Unit at Hondo and, before leaving the base in August 1944, also held positions as deputy for operations and training and also station air inspector.
From August 1944 until January 1945, General Childre was commanding officer of Brooks Field, Texas. Then he became deputy chief of staff for the Pacific Division, Air Transport Command.
Returning to the United States in August 1946, he became a student at the Air Command and Staff School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., graduating in June 1947. Remaining at Maxwell, General Childre was assigned as staff officer in the organization division, and later, as an instructor in the Military Management Division of AC&SS. Still at the school, in March 1948 he was named chief of the command section in the Military Management Division. He stayed in this position until November 1949 when he became director of Student Group B on the AC&SS Instructor's Staff.
Reassigned overseas in September 1950, General Childre assumed duties as deputy commander of the 374th Troop Carrier Wing for the Fifth Air Force in Japan. He moved to Far East Air Forces Headquarters in Korea and established the Air Terminal units of the Combat Cargo Command.
In February 1951, he moved to the 315th Air Division under FEAF as vice commander.
Then, in February 1953, the general was assigned to Donaldson Air Force Base, S.C., and in May, the same year, he became deputy chief of staff for operations in the Eighteenth Air Force.
In August 1954, he became commander of the 463rd Troop Carrier Wing of the Eighteenth Air Force at Ardmore Air Force Base, Okla., and in August 1957, was named director of operations and training for Headquarters Tactical Air Command at Langley Air Force Base, Va. In January 1960 he was assigned as deputy for operations in the same headquarters, a position he held until moving to Washington, D.C., in June 1960.
At that time, General Childre became assistant deputy chief of staff for plans and programs at Headquarters U.S. Air Force in Washington. In August 1962, he was named assistant deputy chief of staff for personnel at Headquarters U.S. Air Force.
This tour of duty was followed by another overseas assignment. In January 1964, General Childre became the U.S. Representative to the CENTO Permanent Military Deputies Group in Ankara, Turkey. He stayed in the job until August 1965 when he returned to the United States for his present assignment as commander of the Continental Air Command at Robins Air Force Base, Ga.
Military decorations awarded General Childre include the Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Air Medal with oak leaf cluster, and the U.S. Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters.
(Current as of April 1, 1966)