ABOUT THE AUTHOR . . . . . .

Lt. General George G. Loving, Jr., U. S. Air Force (Retired)

A career Air Force officer with 37 years service, he served as a fighter pilot in World War II during which he was credited with shooting down five enemy aircraft and damaging two others in aerial combat, qualifying as a fighter ace.  During the Korean War, he commanded a fighter-bomber squadron and fought in five major campaigns, flying 113 combat missions against North Korean and Chinese communist forces.

In subsequent years, he served as a test pilot, Air Command and Staff College instructor, advisor to the Republic of China’s air force and staff officer in Headquarters, Tactical Air Command and on the Air Staff in Washington.

Following his promotion to brigadier general in 1970, he served as Commandant, Air Command and Staff College.  This was followed by advancement to major general in 1973 and assignment as the Air Force’s Director of Plans.

In 1975, representing the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he joined the United States delegation in Vienna as the senior United States military representative at the NATO--Warsaw Pact arms limitations negotiations.  Later that same year, as a lieutenant general, he assumed command of Sixth Allied Tactical Air Force (NATO) with headquarters in Izmir, Turkey.

His final active duty assignments were as Commander, United States Forces, Japan and Commander, Fifth Air Force with headquarters at Yokota Air Base near Tokyo.

A command pilot, his decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Legion of Merit and Distinguish Flying Cross, as well as a number of other U.S. and foreign decorations.  He holds academic degrees from the University of Alabama (BA) and the George Washington University (MS), and is a graduate of  Air Command and Staff Collage and Air War College.

You may contact the author at georgeloving@verizon.net