 On May 1, 1972, General Dougherty was promoted to his four-star grade and assigned as chief of staff, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, headquarters of NATO's Allied Command Europe.He returned to the United States on August 1, 1974, to become the eighth commander of the Strategic Air Command.Dougherty retired from the Air Force October 1, 1977, and practiced law in the Washington, D.C. area for several years.