Archie J. Old Jr.
Archie J. Old Jr. (August 1, 1906 – March 24, 1984) was a lieutenant general in the United States Air Force.[1][2]
Archie J. Old Jr. | |
|---|---|
Lieutenant General Archie J. Old Jr. | |
| Born | August 1, 1906 Farmersville, Texas |
| Died | March 24, 1984 (aged 77) March AFB, California |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ | United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1930–1965 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Commands held | Fifteenth Air Force 5th Air Division 7th Air Division 20th Combat Bombardment Wing 45th Combat Bombardment Wing 530th Air Transport Wing 96th Bomb Group |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Cross Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star (2) Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross (5) Purple Heart Air Medal (9) |
Early life Edit
Old was born in Farmersville, Texas, on August 1, 1906.[2]
Military career Edit
Old flew 43 combat missions against Germany. On October 14, 1943, Old led the second raid on the Schweinfurt ball-bearing factories in the Fertile Myrtle III. Of 291 B-17s that reached the target, 60 were downed by flak or enemy fighters, for a loss rate of 20 percent. On June 21, 1944, Old led the second shuttle bombing run to Russia.[3][4] The B-17 that Col. Old was in for the first Schweinfurt mission aborted, so Col. Curtis Lemay and BGen. Robert Williams led the first Schweinfurt raid on 17 August; Col. Old and Col. Budd Peaslee led the second Schweinfurt raid on 14 October 1944. On June 21, 1944, Col. Old led the second Shuttle Mission to Russia.[5]
In July 1948 he was named commander of the Atlantic Division of the Military Air Transport Service.[2]
In 1951 Old got two of SAC's important overseas jobs of commanding the 7th Air Division in England and the 5th Air Division in French Morocco.[2] Old retired September 1, 1965. He died March 24, 1984, at the base hospital at March Air Force Base.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12]
Commands held Edit
Other achievements Edit
Military awards Edit
- Distinguished Service Cross
- Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
- Silver Star with oak leaf cluster
- Legion of Merit
- Distinguished Flying Cross with four oak leaf clusters
- Purple Heart
- Air Medal with eight oak leaf clusters
Foreign decorations Edit
Television appearance Edit
Old appeared, playing himself, in "Massacre", a 1966 episode of the television show Twelve O'Clock High.[13]
References Edit
- Anzovin, Steven, Famous First Facts, H. W. Wilson Company, New York 2000, ISBN 0-8242-0958-3
- This article incorporates public domain material from Biographies: Lieutenant General Archie J. Old Jr. United States Air Force. from the original on 2008-06-13. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
- This article incorporates public domain material from . United States Air Force. Archived from the original on 28 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
Notes Edit
- ^ "Lieutenant General Archie J. Old Jr. biography". from the original on 2008-06-13. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
- ^ a b c d . Archived from the original on 2008-06-28. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
- ^ Harwood, Jeffrey (2014). World War Two from Above. Minneapolis: Zenith Press. pp. 152–153.
- ^ Overy, Richard (2013). The Bombing War. London: Allen Lane. p. 233.
- ^ "United States air transport command in Australia during WW2".
- ^ Washington Post (March 30, 1984). "Deaths Elsewhere". Washington Post. Washington, D.C. p. B–16.
- ^ . Archived from the original on 2009-10-21.
- ^ . Archived from the original on 28 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
- ^ Boyne, Walter J. (1998). Beyond the wild blue: A History of the U.S. Air Force, 1947–1997. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-0-312-18705-7. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
- ^ Anzovin, p. 31, item # 1384
- ^ . Archived from the original on 28 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
- ^ "Famous Firsts in Aviation". from the original on 24 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
- ^ "Archie Old". IMDb.