1891-1974 |
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Photo Courtesy LANGLEY LINK LANGLEY AFB |
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North Island, San Diego, CA. 1916 from AEROSPACE HISTORIAN, Vol. 27, No. 3, Summer/June 1980 Pictured above are members of the U.S. Signal Corps Aviation School of 1916, courtesy of Maj. Gen. Kendall, USAF (Ret.). General Russell found the photograph among his father's (Brig. Gen. Clinton W. Russell, Air Corps) memorabilia. Among those pictured is Carl Spaatz, first Air Force Chief of Staff. According to General Russelll, the picture indicates the spelling as "Spatz" and dates prior to his adding an a to improve the odds on strangers' correct pronunciation. Lt. J. F. Curry was a member of this graduating class and may be seen in the top row, first on the left. |
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To visit his entry on this site, first click on National Aviation Hall of Fame to go to the homepage. Next, highlight and click on "Enshrinees List" at the lower left corner of the page. You will find an alphabetical listing of all enshrinees on this page. Then highlight and click on his name. |
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General Carl Spaatz, first Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force died July 14, 1974 of congestive heart failure at Walter Reed Medical
Center. He was 83. He was appointed Chief of Staff by President Harry S. Truman in September 1947 when the Air Force became a separate branch of the military service. As the Commander of Strategic Air Forces in the Pacific during World War II, he supervised the final bombing of Japan. He participated in combat in all theatres during the war and was present at all three surrender ceremonies that ended the war. General Spaatz was born in Boyertown, Pennsylvania, was graduated from West Point in 1914 as an infantry officer. His first contact with aviation occurred in 1915 when he was detailed to the aviation school in San Diego. He earned his wings in 1916 and served with General Pershing in the punitive expedition into Mexico. The then Captain Spaatz went to France in World War I as commander of the 31st Aero Squadron. His capability for organization resulted in his being put in charge of the aviation instruction center at Issoudon. At the time of Pearl Harbor, he was a brigadier general. He was promoted to major general and given command of the U.S. Strategic Air Forces in Europe from before the invasion of France until final victory. After that he moved to the Pacific. Since his retirement in 1948, General Spaatz had made his home in Chevy Chase, Maryland. He is survived by his wife, Ruth Harrison Spaatz; three daughters and eleven grandchildren. January 1975, Number 81 |
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