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| Information > Biographies > BRIGADIER GENERAL GEOFFREY P. WIEDEMAN |
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BRIGADIER GENERAL GEOFFREY P. WIEDEMAN
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Retired May 1, 1974.
Brigadier General Geoffrey P. Wiedeman is command surgeon, Air Training Command, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas.
General Wiedeman was born in London, England, in 1917. He received a baccalaureate in philosophy from the College Municipal de Cannes in France in June 1934. He then emigrated to the United States, where he attended the University of Vermont, graduating with a bachelor of science degree, in 1938, and doctor of medicine degree, in 1941. He interned at the Mary Fletcher Hospital, Burlington, Vt., and was pursuing a surgical residency when called to active military duty. He became a United States citizen in July 1942 and entered the military service in August.
His first assignment was with the school for troop carrier squadron medical officers at Bowman Field, Ky. From there he went to the School of Aviation Medicine, Randolph Field, Texas.
Upon graduation in January 1943, he returned to Bowman Field as a member of the 804th Medical Air Evacuation Squadron. The squadron went to Australia in May 1943 and was sent to Port Moresby, New Guinea, in August 1943. In September General Wiedeman went to Nadzab, New Guinea, as officer in charge of the advanced flight and in June 1944 assumed command of the 804th Squadron. While at Nadzab, the Royal Australian Air Force requested permission to train their own evacuation squadrons in support of the 7th Australian Division. A squadron worked side by side with the 804th for approximately 18 months before taking over their own program.
General Wiedeman's 804th Squadron was combined with the 801st from the Thirteenth Air Force when both squadrons were supporting the island-hopping campaigns in Peleliu and the Philippines and eventually arrived at Tachikawa, Japan. While there, the squadron was utilized to evacuate prisoner-of-war camps scattered throughout the Japanese Islands.
In January 1946 General Wiedeman went to Mitchel Field, N.Y., where he was assigned to the Surgeon's Office, Headquarters Air Defense Command, and later became command surgeon. In November 1948 he became deputy command surgeon, Continental Air Command, and later was command surgeon.
In July 1950 General Wiedeman assumed duty in England, where he served for four years as deputy surgeon, Headquarters Third Air Force, South Ruislip. In August 1954 he returned to the United States and was assigned to the Office of the Surgeon General, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, as deputy chief, Medical Service Plans Division, and in February 1957 he assumed the position of deputy director, Plans and Hospitalization.
General Wiedeman became command surgeon, Headquarters Eastern Transport Air Force, Military Air Transport Service, at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., in May 1959. In August 1961 he began his studies as a student at the National War College, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C. He was one of 19 outstanding graduates in a class of 135.
In August 1962 he assumed duty as commander, U.S. Air Force Hospital, Tachikawa, with additional duties as director of base medical services, Kanto Base Command, and surgeon, 315th Air Division. He was assigned to the Medical Service School, Gunter Air Force Base, Ala., in July 1965, as chief of the Military Medicine Department. In June 1966 he assumed command of the school when it was moved to Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas.
General Wiedeman became command surgeon, Air Training Command, in February 1969.
His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon with oak leaf cluster, Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, and Philippine Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon.
He is a chief flight surgeon with approximately 4,500 flying hours. He is certified in aviation medicine by the American Board of Preventive Medicine. He was awarded the "W" suffix in Aerospace Medicine on June 23, 1969.
He was promoted to the grade of brigadier general effective Feb. 6. 1970, with date of rank Jan. 21, 1970.
(Current as of Feb. 15, 1973)
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