Commanders forge Air Force's future

  • Published
  • By Air Force Flight Test Center
  • History Office
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFPN) --  For more than five decades, Air Force Flight Test Center commanders have played major leadership roles in developing and delivering cutting-edge aerospace technologies and war-winning capabilities to the Air Force. Brig. Gen. Albert Boyd, the first commander, is generally regarded as the "father" of modern Air Force flight testing. 

Four subsequent commanders had previously earned astronaut's wings by flying in the X-15, Gemini, Apollo and Space Shuttle programs.

Brig. Gen. Robert M. White was the first pilot to exceed Mach 4, 5, and 6 in the experimental X-15 rocket-powered airplane in 1961. He was the first to earn astronaut's wings by flying an airplane in space when he climbed to an altitude of 314,200 feet or 60 miles in the X-15 July 17, 1962. 

Brig. Gen. Robert A. Rushworth also earned his astronaut's wings while flying the X-15 and he made more flights in the aircraft than any other pilot. 

Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Stafford earned his astronaut's wings in 1965 as the pilot of Gemini VI, the first space rendezvous mission. He went on to serve as commander of Gemini IX in 1966, Apollo X in 1969, and the Apollo/Soyuz mission in 1975. 

Brig. Gen. Roy D. Bridges earned his astronaut's wings as pilot of the Space Shuttle Challenger on mission STS 51-F in 1985.

Commanders and dates assigned
Brig. Gen. Albert Boyd, June 25, 1951
Brig. Gen. J. Stanley Holtoner, Feb. 18, 1952
Brig. Gen. Marcus F. Cooper, July 3, 1957
Col. Paul C. Ashworth (interim), Feb. 7, 1959
Brig. Gen. John W. Carpenter III, March 2, 1959
Brig. Gen. Irving L. Branch, July 29, 1961
Col. Ray Vandiver (interim), Jan. 3, 1966
Maj. Gen. Hugh B. Manson, Jan. 17, 1966
Brig. Gen. Alton D. Slay, Dec. 6, 1968
Brig. Gen. (Select) Robert M. White, July 31, 1970
Brig. Gen. Howard M. Lane, Oct. 18, 1972
Brig. Gen. Robert A. Rushworth, Feb. 25, 1974
Maj. Gen Thomas P. Stafford, Nov. 1, 1975
Brig. Gen. Philip J. Conley Jr., March 8, 1978
Maj. Gen. Peter W. Odgers, Sept. 20, 1982
Maj. Gen. William T. Twinting, July 8, 1985
Maj. Gen. John P. Schoeppner Jr., July 22, 1988
Brig. Gen. Roy D. Bridges Jr., Aug. 30, 1991
Brig. Gen. Richard L. Engel, June 16, 1993
Brig. Gen. Richard V. Reynolds, July 28, 1998
Maj. Gen. (Select) Wilbert D. Pearson Jr., June 19, 2001
Maj. Gen. (Select) Curtis M. Bedke, Sept. 24, 2004
Brig. Gen. David J. Eichhorn, Oct. 3, 2007