march april united states air force major general grandson famous served air_force organizer able create air units scratch commanded large number groups squadrons task forces world war 1930s rated command pilot led experimental long range water interception flights key development air defense doctrine demonstrated bombers intercepted italian liner enemy ships located sunk american aircraft helped promote air power flying long range missions countries south_america described big pilot pilot kind air officer led fighting china commanded small force bombers known expert flying ability daring said looked like flew like angel early life born county seat north_carolina march paternal grandfather hill died end april weeks birth son grew married january couple produced daughters sons fourth child second son time birth father father continued rise politics serving delegates mason county sheriff years following elected mother thai chinese ancestors grandfather original twins married sisters marrying adelaide couple produced seven daughters sons lived west north_carolina anglo chinese offspring including mother married local clan young grew went school moved miles southeast attend graduated bachelor laws degree world war months receiving law degree entered united_states_army flying cadet august august november attended sailed france served saint following march entered commissioned temporary second lieutenant sent tours test pilot july year instructor second aviation instructor center following september transferred test pilot armistice november served aide president inter war period duty returning june assigned long_island new_york following august went indiana duty supply officer july commissioned second lieutenant september test officer ohio went washington served officer charge gasoline oil supply systems piloted army planes flew san_juan puerto_rico goodwill tour ordered san_francisco august transferred camp lewis washington following june served months commanding officer detachment september returned duty major jack march instructor aerial component stationed field directors national air derby september finish lines established air races starting new_york san_francisco died april succeeded command married father time improved field adding photography laboratory august years washington state entered alabama rank lieutenant following graduation school june went virginia duty engineering officer unit fighter aircraft attained rank captain february assumed command second station based field washington frustrated men richmond virginia forced establish headquarters rear tents sheds places winter operations requested air temperature supplied mail planes pilots warned possible atmospheric conditions forced operate months july january commanding officer 37th pursuit squadron field turned posting fighter unit went california special training air navigation instrument flying returning field march appointed commanding officer 37th attack squadron entered command kansas august graduated following june returned field served commanding officer rose temporary rank major service test aircraft assigned march 2nd commanded col following flew second early august squadron gathered august took joint exercise battleship uss utah searched coast san_francisco hit pound water bombs found timing location selected admiral provide utah greatest likelihood fog cloud cover hide air observation navy supplied water bombs airmen employed practiced commanded units headquarters hamilton field served main navigator bomber group composed thirty twin engine seven new amphibious aircraft afternoon august navy sent airmen directions degree latitude miles east ship actual position bombers find battleship morning olds flew lead navigator general headquarters air force commander general observer witness results descended fog find utah commenced bombing low altitude feet dropped bombs total direct hits water bombs dropped larger flight arrived minutes noon minutes late exercise february participated army flight field buenos_aires argentina commanded olds august year took army flight colombia following january returned month course interception main article interception army maneuvers bomber advocates wished attempt interception ship sea far land practical range allow refused cooperate instead reserve lieutenant suggested ocean liner agreed arranged coordination italian ocean liner crossing atlantic lieutenant colonel head public relations contacted major news agencies national publicity flew specially prepared task aircraft navigator theoretical war maneuver adversaries major squadron commander acting attacking force commander olds defending group commander positioned body bomber nbc radio announcer served broadcast engineers operating powerful radio smaller tuned poor weather morning position report placed ship miles sea took driving rain expert navigation plot resulted visual contact ship miles east nbc began broadcasting main spoke radio captain jokingly invited airmen lunch table aboard photographer major snapped shot fellow pilot flying level later photo page newspaper world pearl harbor late commanded provisional group test bombing accuracy bombing range near mouth chesapeake_bay carrying pound bombs aircraft flew feet single file aimed single point dropping bombs quick succession observation showed exactly half bombs striking inside foot diameter circle centered target received role february commander experimental aircraft carrying pounds emergency supplies chile help survivors earthquake man crew won trophy nearly mile round trip voyage flight showed world lengths mount humanitarian relief mission range capability new bomber piloted june return home body mexican died crash flying mexico_city undertook flight tests ohio lifting heavy loads lift pounds feet pounds feet setting world records awarded certificates issued international record greatest carried altitude metres following month received certificates establishment international kilometres speed record kilograms performance established national closed circuit distance record miles promoted permanent rank major november february named commanding officer 41st reconnaissance squadron long range flying modified bomber aircraft field october december aide brigadier general station training adviser 13th composite wing primarily flying puerto_rico january june command original field time organized promoted temporary rank lieutenant colonel called washington june command single test northern atlantic air route great_britain july took field montreal lake newfoundland arriving scotland delivered overseas total round trip flights half months directed scout air route southern atlantic brazil africa terminus cairo egypt august major curtis pilot chief major general passenger took field begin mile round trip journey egypt conveying iraq special mission flight land october southern route proved satisfactory agreed purchase delivered method cairo quarter number trip remainder american service world war december start direct involvement world war base commander important defensive stronghold caribbean stop florida southern route cairo following february returned washington organize force advance party operation intended bomb tokyo flying bases province eastern china supplied florida gathered force bombers small group mixed unit flew individually brazil africa india landing april losses pilots wrote view voyage autobiography god pilot began organizing supply lines beginning aviation fuel deliveries china april colonel piloted flight second airmen hear americans beaten attack tokyo blow came japanese forces captured chinese bases use project canceled men reassigned general group reached instead initial group diverted north_africa sent indian state continue supply line work mission supplying american forces china air organization formed carry supplies air route replacement enemy held burma road worked transports accompanied missions fighter flown outfit executive operations colonel shifted flying fighter canceled burma appeared falling japanese handful airmen royal_air_force flew hundreds evacuation missions april mid june bringing passengers westward safety india american ferry aircraft typically deliver supplies china stop burma way flew rescue members general mission got cut joe refused lift preferring walk remainder force subsequently dropped supplies group way west jungle mission japanese fighter attacking discouraged retreat crewmen supposedly unarmed transport opened fire thompson guns caliber pistols time tokyo rose announced radio japanese longer worry americans old broken transport pilot commander chief command bombers instead loaded transport pound bombs soldiers throw enemy forces returned day drop read old broken transport pilot action awarded june went china organize command general fighter group counterpart scott air leaders subject life magazine article august described like minded quietly tough word eliminate red tape allow subordinates range individual initiative told life journalist like pursuits better likes bombers airmen confirmed handled bombers easily fighters wrote open frank bomber group leader damn playing army politics scott said form don damned est trio asia seen rarely able send mitchell twin engine bombers time supported carrying bomb constantly shifted targets kept enemy fuel bomb limited scope operations instance sortie july single bomb japanese headquarters china near border burma claims losses july proved value strategy lost destruction enemy fighters bombers supplies began increase following months october rank brigadier general returned india organized commanded general organization commanders reported ran ran ran india ran tenth service arm operated large air base task force assembled bomber groups 7th medium paper squadrons prepared war aircraft little training bare aircraft available war weary medium bombers bombing missions included continuation defiant response men noted general flown flying emphasized operational self motivation personal style people ease observed desk general field operations commander believed getting things earliest offensive efforts new task force multi stage mile voyage main base chinese airfields ultimate goal attacking docks hong_kong returning attack life journalist rode bombers wrote story experience magazine october led took final leg advance airfield accompanied seven commanded scott small force destroyed transport ship bombed hong_kong vital harbor claimed enemy aircraft loss bomber fighter asked mitchell shared squadrons supplied ones considered value sent small force bomb november followed days repeat visit heavy bombers missions continued slowly increasing numbers sorties flown january moved miles nearer targets burma combat strength strong challenge japanese air superiority burma returned june organize american air base command led mixed force composed primarily units elements tasked coordinating area defense offensive destruction enemy emphasis months given fewer officers men deemed necessary little mission mid august large scale organization allied forces asia resulted renamed placed led group september returned months asia left told american reporters forces helped deny port enemy helped burma invasion stated highlight time asia air raid hong_kong upcoming air crossing atlantic eighth said thing intended look year old son high school wife working drafting department new_york october year commanding general air_force field flying anti submarine warfare missions july went florida took bomber training group hunted submarines cold war december assigned headquarters fort new_york following month appointed commanding general newfoundland base command fort newfoundland oversaw operations american stations greenland northern quebec told reporter air stations remote troops morale high july air force base maryland appointed deputy commander services month later rank major general january assumed command technical training wing air force base texas retired personal life married born california couple welcomed child born washington son known served special weapons studied geology earning doctorate professor universities texas arizona excavation work helped establish timeline human migration north_america wife toured american west retirement searching permanent residence general friends suggested city military post left assess possibility living new_mexico son explored ancient human settlements deciding wife continued tour soon finding sea california liking bought adjoining lots existing house accepting offers received promising executive career industry relaxed hunting fishing joined number men clubs granite lodge mount holder 32nd degree member quiet secretive order pilots joined enjoyed visits friends especially playing cards military colleagues died home night april acute chronic survived wife son living arizona granddaughter buried military honors arlington national cemetery april recognition awarded distinguished service medal silver star oak leaf cluster distinguished flying cross oak leaf clusters oak leaf cluster medal oak leaf cluster merit chile effective dates promotion private class aviation section august second lieutenant temporary second lieutenant june lieutenant july captain october major temporary august major november lieutenant colonel temporary march colonel temporary january lieutenant colonel march brigadier general september major general september
Caleb V. Haynes