MAJOR GENERAL BENJAMIN F. GILES
Benjamin F. Giles was born Sept. 13, 1892, in Mineola, Texas.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 1920 - April 1921, student, Air Service Observation School, Fort Sill, Okla.
2. April 1921 - September 1921, supply officer, Fort Sill, Okla.
3. September 1921 - December 1923, student, Air Service Primary Flying School, Carlstrom Field, Fla., and, later, Brooks Field, Texas
4. December 1923 - June 1924, student, Air Service Advanced Flying School, Kelly Field, Texas
5. June 1924 - September 1928, Commanding Detachment Air Service and, later, accident investigating officer, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
6. September 1928 - April 1929, mess officer and educational and recreational Officer, Third Pursuit Squadron, Clark Field, Philippines
7. April 1929 - November 1930, Commanding Officer, 66th Service Squadron, later, 2nd Observation Squadron, Nichols Field, Philippines
8. November 1930 - October 1931, post operations officer and aircraft accident investigating officer, Kelly Field, Texas
9. October 1931 - August 1934, technical supervisor, San Antonio Air Depot Control Area, San Antonio, Texas (October 1931 - January 1932, temporary duty, Inspection Division, Office of the Chief of the Air Corps, Washington, D.C.)
10. August 1934 - June 1935, student, Air Corps Tactical School, Maxwell Field, Ala.
11. June 1935 - August 1938, instructor, 40th Aviation Division, California National Guard, Los Angeles, Calif.
12. August 1938 - June 1939, student, Command and General Staff School, Fort Leavenworth Kan.
13. June 1939 - June 1941, Chief, Aviation Division, National Guard Bureau, Washington, D.C.
14. June 1941 - October 1941, Office of the Chief of the Air Corps, Washington, D.C.
15. October 1941 - March 1942, Commanding Officer, Greenland Base Command
16. March 1942 - October 1943, Commanding Officer, U.S. Army Forces in Eastern Canada with additional duties as Commanding Officer, North Atlantic Wing, Air Transport Command
17. October 1943 - February 1946, Commanding General, IX Troop Carrier Command and, later, Commanding General U.S. Army Forces, Africa-Middle East Theater
18. February 1946 - May 1946, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. (patient, Army Air Forces Regional and Convalescent Hospital, San Antonio, Texas)
19. May 1946 - August 1946, Separation Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas
AERONAUTICAL RATINGS
Command pilot, combat observer and aircraft observer
DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit
Air Medal
Most Honorable Order of the Bath, degree of Honorary Companion (England)
Order of the White Eagle, Third Class (Yugoslavia)
PROMOTIONS
Second lieutenant, Infantry Reserve, April 25, 1917; first lieutenant, May 10, 1918; honorably discharged Oct. 16, 1919. First lieutenant, Aviation Section, Signal Officers Reserve Corps, Feb. 28, 1920, with rank from Feb. 3, 1920; second lieutenant, Air Service, Regular Army, to rank from July 1, 1920, and accepted Sept., 17, 1920, thereby vacating his prior Reserve commission. Captain (permanent), July 1, 1920; major (permanent), Aug. 20, 1935; lieutenant colonel (temporary), June 5, 1939; lieutenant colonel (permanent), Aug. 18, 1940; colonel (temporary), March 21, 1941; colonel, Army of the U.S., Dec. 24, 1941; brigadier general (temporary), Aug. 17, 1942; major general (temporary), May 28, 1944.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 1920 - April 1921, student, Air Service Observation School, Fort Sill, Okla.
2. April 1921 - September 1921, supply officer, Fort Sill, Okla.
3. September 1921 - December 1923, student, Air Service Primary Flying School, Carlstrom Field, Fla., and, later, Brooks Field, Texas
4. December 1923 - June 1924, student, Air Service Advanced Flying School, Kelly Field, Texas
5. June 1924 - September 1928, Commanding Detachment Air Service and, later, accident investigating officer, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
6. September 1928 - April 1929, mess officer and educational and recreational Officer, Third Pursuit Squadron, Clark Field, Philippines
7. April 1929 - November 1930, Commanding Officer, 66th Service Squadron, later, 2nd Observation Squadron, Nichols Field, Philippines
8. November 1930 - October 1931, post operations officer and aircraft accident investigating officer, Kelly Field, Texas
9. October 1931 - August 1934, technical supervisor, San Antonio Air Depot Control Area, San Antonio, Texas (October 1931 - January 1932, temporary duty, Inspection Division, Office of the Chief of the Air Corps, Washington, D.C.)
10. August 1934 - June 1935, student, Air Corps Tactical School, Maxwell Field, Ala.
11. June 1935 - August 1938, instructor, 40th Aviation Division, California National Guard, Los Angeles, Calif.
12. August 1938 - June 1939, student, Command and General Staff School, Fort Leavenworth Kan.
13. June 1939 - June 1941, Chief, Aviation Division, National Guard Bureau, Washington, D.C.
14. June 1941 - October 1941, Office of the Chief of the Air Corps, Washington, D.C.
15. October 1941 - March 1942, Commanding Officer, Greenland Base Command
16. March 1942 - October 1943, Commanding Officer, U.S. Army Forces in Eastern Canada with additional duties as Commanding Officer, North Atlantic Wing, Air Transport Command
17. October 1943 - February 1946, Commanding General, IX Troop Carrier Command and, later, Commanding General U.S. Army Forces, Africa-Middle East Theater
18. February 1946 - May 1946, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. (patient, Army Air Forces Regional and Convalescent Hospital, San Antonio, Texas)
19. May 1946 - August 1946, Separation Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas
AERONAUTICAL RATINGS
Command pilot, combat observer and aircraft observer
DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit
Air Medal
Most Honorable Order of the Bath, degree of Honorary Companion (England)
Order of the White Eagle, Third Class (Yugoslavia)
PROMOTIONS
Second lieutenant, Infantry Reserve, April 25, 1917; first lieutenant, May 10, 1918; honorably discharged Oct. 16, 1919. First lieutenant, Aviation Section, Signal Officers Reserve Corps, Feb. 28, 1920, with rank from Feb. 3, 1920; second lieutenant, Air Service, Regular Army, to rank from July 1, 1920, and accepted Sept., 17, 1920, thereby vacating his prior Reserve commission. Captain (permanent), July 1, 1920; major (permanent), Aug. 20, 1935; lieutenant colonel (temporary), June 5, 1939; lieutenant colonel (permanent), Aug. 18, 1940; colonel (temporary), March 21, 1941; colonel, Army of the U.S., Dec. 24, 1941; brigadier general (temporary), Aug. 17, 1942; major general (temporary), May 28, 1944.
