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BRIGADIER GENERAL WILLIAM E. CARSON

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Retired Aug. 1, 1980.  

Brigadier General William E. Carson is vice commander, Twenty-second Air Force, Travis Air Force Base, Calif.

General Carson was born in Fort Worth in 1927. He has a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Maryland, College Park, Md., and is a graduate of the Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.

He entered the military service in November 1944 as an apprentice seaman in the U.S. Navy. He served as a pharmacist mate and was discharged in August 1946.

General Carson entered aviation cadet training and was commissioned in the U.S. Air Force in June 1950. He served in Germany as a pilot and assistant operations officer in the 60th Troop Carrier Wing. He was then assigned to the 63rd Troop Carrier Wing at Altus Air Force Base, Okla., and accompanied the move of the wing to Donaldson Air Force Base, S.C. While there from 1953 to 1958, he served as a C-124 pilot, wing adjutant and aide to the late Brigadier General Wade Hampton.

From 1958 to 1961, General Carson performed duty in administration and as an operations staff officer with Headquarters Western Transport Air Force (later Twenty-second Air Force), at Travis Air Force Base. He then joined the 1502nd Air Transport Wing at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, as a pilot and wing operations officer.

In 1964 General Carson attended the Armed Forces Staff College and from 1965 to 1966 was an operations staff officer with Headquarters Twenty-first Air Force at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J. He transferred to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., and served with the Airlift Division in the Directorate of Operations until 1969.

From 1969 to 1970, General Carson served with the 834th Division at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Republic of Vietnam. Subsequently he was assigned to Headquarters Military Airlift Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill., as director of programming and policy until June 1973, when he become vice commander of the 437th Military Airlift Wing at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C.

In July 1975 General Carson assumed command of the 63rd Military Airlift Wing, Norton Air Force Base, Calif. In July 1976 he was appointed inspector general for Military Airlift Command until August 1977 when he become deputy chief of staff for logistics. He assumed his current position in June 1979.

A command pilot with 7,000 flying hours, General Carson has flown the C-45, C-47, C-54, C-118, C-119, C-124, C-131, C-141, T-11, T-29, L-20, U-3 and U-6 aircraft. His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal and Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters.

He was promoted to brigadier general Jan. 1, 1976, with same date of rank.

(Current as of October 1979)






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