Major General Robert Wilkins Douglass Jr.

 

 

Portrait of Major-General Robert Wilkins Jr. DouglassRobert Wilkins Douglass Jr. was born in 1900 in Memphis, Tenn. He joined the Student Army Training Corps on Oct. 10, 1918; entered the U.S. Military Academy Nov. 3, 1918, graduated June 13,1922 and was commissioned a second lieutenant of Infantry.

After serving with the 29th Infantry at Fort Benning, Ga., General Douglass entered the Primary Flying School at Brooks Field, Texas in March 1924, was transferred to the Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field, Texas, and completed his flying training a year later. He was assigned to the 94th Pursuit Squadron at Selfridge Field, Mich. In January 1926 he went to France Field in the Panama Canal Zone for duty with the 24th Pursuit Squadron, and on April 13, 1926 was transferred to the Air Service.

Appointed an instructor in the Air Corps Primary Flying School at Brooks Field, Texas in February 1929, General Douglass served as aide to the commanding general of Duncan Field, Texas from January 1930 to October 1931, moving to Randolph Field, Texas in that capacity. In August 1934 he entered the Air Corp Tactical School at Maxwell Field, Ala., and graduated the following June. Moving to Barksdale Field, La., he served with the 55th Pursuit Squadron and later became intelligence and operations officer of the 20th Pursuit Group.

Going to Schofield Barracks, Hawaii in September 1937, General Douglass was assigned to the 18th Pursuit Group, and two years later joined the 18th Reconnaissance Squadron at Mitchel Field, N.Y. From September 1940 until January 1941 he was an observer in England, and then attended the Air Defense School at Mitchel Field. In April 1941 he was named executive officer of the Third Interceptor Command at Tampa, Fla., becoming operations officer of the Third Air Force that October. The following February he was named a member of the Permanent Joint Board on Defense of Canada and the U.S.

Returning to Hawaii in September 1942, General Douglass commanded the Seventh Fighter Command until April 1944 when he assumed command of the Seventh Air Force in the Central Pacific. In July 1945 he was assigned to the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. That October the general assumed command of the First Air Force at Mitchel Field, N.Y., taking it to Fort Slocum, N.Y. the following June. He became commanding general of the Indoctrination Division of the Air Training Command at San Antonio, Texas in July 1947.

Transferred to the U.S. Air Forces in Europe in October 1948, General Douglass was named Chief of Staff, USAFE, at Wiesbaden, Germany. In February 1951 he became acting commander of the 12th Air Force at Wiesbaden and the following month was named special assistant to the commander-in-chief, USAFE, there. That April he assumed command of the 18th Air Force, Tactical Air Command, at Greenville Air Force Base, S.C.

Assigned to Air Force headquarters, Washington, D.C. on Sept. 30, 1954, the general was named senior U.S. Air Force member on the Joint Mexican - U.S. Defense Commission. On Nov. 1, 1954 he also became senior U.S. Air Force member, U.S. Delegation, on the Joint Brazil -U.S. Defense Commission.

His decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, and Air Medal. He is rated a command pilot, combat observer and technical observer.

(Up to date as of October 1956)

1936           Intelligence Officer and Operations Officer, 20th Pursuit Group, Barksdale Field, Louisiana
1936 - 1937 Student at the Command and General Staff School, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
1937 - 1938 Operations Officer, 18th Pursuit Group, Wheeler Field, Hawaii
1938 - 1939 Commanding Officer of the 6th Pursuit Squadron, Wheeler Field, Hawaii
1940 - 1941 Military observer in England
1941           Executive Officer, III Interceptor Command, Tamp, Florida
1941 - 1942 Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations (G-3), Third Air Force, Tampa, Florida
1942          Member of the Operations Division, War Department General Staff, Washington, D.C.; member of the Permanent Joint Board on Defense, Canada and United States; member of the Inter-American Defense Board
1942 - 1944 Commanding General of the VII Fighter Command, Fort Shafter, Hawaii
1944 - 1945 Commanding General of the Seventh Air Force with additional duty as Deputy Commander of the Strategic Air Force, Hickam Field, Hawaii; from 13.12.1944, Saipan
1945 - 1946 Commanding General of the First Air Force, Mitchel Field, New York
1946           Deputy Commanding General of the First Air Force, Mitchel Field, New York
1946 - 1947 Commanding General of the First Air Force, Mitchel Field, New York; from 03.06.1946, Fort Slocom, New York
1947 - 1948 Commanding General of the Indoctrination Division, Air Training Command, San Antonio, Texas
1948 - 1951 Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Wiesbaden, Germany
1951           Acting Commander of the Twelfth Air Force, Wiesbaden, Germany
1951           Special Assistant to the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Wiesbaden, Germany
1951 - 1954 Commanding General of the Eighteenth Air Force, Greenville (later, Donaldson) AFB, South Carolina
1954 - 1957 Senior Air Force member of the U.S. Delegation on the Joint Mexico-United States Defense Commission
1954 -         Additional duty as senior Air Force member of the U.S. Delegation on the Joint Brazil-United States Defense Commission
1957           Retired

 

He died 27th May 1976.

 

Research:

Not to be confused with:

General Robert Douglas, Count of Skenninge 1611-1661
Major-General Robert Douglas (of Garlston, NB) Born c1744, died 7th June 1798
Lt General Robert Douglas  abt 1745 - 1827
Major General Robert Douglas Death: Aug. 20. 1828 At Great Baddow, Essex,
Major General Robert Douglas 1727-1809
General Robert Douglas, C.B. died at Claygate, Surrey on February 10, 1871
Major General Sir Robert Percy Douglas died on 30 September 1891 aged 87

 

 

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