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Information > Biographies > MAJOR GENERAL BENJAMIN F. STARR JR.
MAJOR GENERAL BENJAMIN F. STARR JR.

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Retired March 1, 1980.  

Major General Benjamin F. Starr Jr., is commander of the 76th Military Airlift Wing, Military Airlift Command, with headquarters at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. The command includes the 76th Air Base Group, the 89th Military Airlift Group, the Malcolm Grow U.S. Air Force Medical Center, the 1185th Civil Engineering Group, the 1138th Procurement Squadron, the U.S. Air Force Band, and the 1100th Air Base Group, Bolling Air Force Base, D.C.

General Starr was born in Atlanta, Ga., in 1924. He graduated from high school in Gainesville, Ga., in 1942. He has a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in governmental administration, both received in 1963, from The George Washington University.

He was called to active duty from Reserve status as a preaviation cadet in October 1943 and was commissioned a second lieutenant and awarded his pilot wings in June 1945. After the end of World War II, he was appointed a Reserve officer and was relieved from active duty in October 1945. For the next 27 months he was an industrial engineering student at Georgia Institute of Technology.

In January 1948 General Starr was recalled to active duty in the Strategic Air Command and reported to the 43d Bombardment Wing, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, as a B-29 pilot. During 1948, he went to Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, where he participated in cold weather testing of B-50A aircraft. In March 1949 he attended the atomic energy training course at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., with subsequent training as a weaponeer at Sandia Base, N.M., graduating in October 1949.

General Starr then was assigned to the 97th Bombardment Wing, Biggs Air Force Base, Texas, and became a B-50D aircraft commander in March 1951. He completed the Advanced Navigator School, Mather Air Force Base, Calif., as a triple-rated observer in September 1953. His next assignment was to the 40th Bombardment Wing at Schilling (Smokey Hill) Air Force Base, Kan., as a B-47 pilot. He also served as a flight commander and member of the wing standardization board. In August 1956, General Starr was selected for duty with the 3943d Strategic Evaluation Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. In January 1958 he reported to the 22d Bombardment Wing, March Air Force Base, Calif. The next three years General Starr served as wing standardization board flight evaluator.

He entered the Air Force Advanced Management Course, The George Washington University, in August 1961, under the Air Force Institute of Technology program. After graduation in August 1962, he was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Systems and Logistics, where he served in the Directorate of Production and Programming; became the assistant executive officer to the assistant deputy chief of staff, systems and logistics in 1963; and returned to the Directorate of Production and Programming as the helicopter program element monitor in 1964. He entered the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., in August 1966.

In preparation for a forward air controller/air liaison officer assignment in Southeast Asia, he was checked out in F-100D aircraft at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., and attended special operations training and checkout in the 0-1 at Hurlburt Field, Fla. He went to Southeast Asia in February 1968, where he was assigned to the 504th Tactical Air Support Group, Bien Hoa Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, with duty as commander, 23d Tactical Air Support Squadron, Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. In September 1968 he was assigned to I Corps in the Republic of Vietnam as commander of the 20th Tactical Air Support Squadron, Da Nang Air Base.

In February 1969 General Starr was transferred to Headquarters Military Airlift Command as chief, Services Division, Directorate of Operational Requirements; in March 1970 he became deputy director of operational requirements; and in July 1971 he assumed duties as director.

He was assigned as commander, 62d Military Airlift Wing, McChord Air Force Base, Washington, in May 1973. In August 1974 he was assigned as commander, 63d Military Airlift Wing, Norton Air Force Base, Calif.

General Starr became the director of transportation, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, in August 1975. His current assignment, which became effective July 26, 1977, is commander, 76th Military Airlift Wing, Andrews Air Force Base, Md.

The general has more than 8,000 hours flying time. His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal with eight oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, and Distinguished Unit Citation.  He was promoted to the grade of major general Sept. 1, 1975, with date of rank June 1, 1973.

(Current as of February 1980)




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