William L. Kirk

William L. Kirk

Infobox Military Person
name=William L. Kirk
born= birth year and age|1932
died=


caption=
nickname=
placeofbirth= Rayville, Louisiana
placeofdeath=
placeofburial=
allegiance= United States of America
branch= United States Air Force
serviceyears=1951-1989
rank= General
unit=
commands=U.S. Air Forces in Europe
battles= Vietnam War
awards=
relations=
laterwork=

William L. Kirk is a retired United States Air Force four star general who served as Commander in Chief, U.S. Air Forces in Europe/Commander, Allied Air Forces Central Europe (CINCUSAFE/COMAAFCE) from 1987 to 1989.

Kirk was born in 1932, in Rayville, Louisiana. He graduated from Rayville High School in 1950 and attended Northeast Louisiana State College. He completed Squadron Officer School in 1962 and the Air War College in 1971.

He enlisted in the Air Force in 1951 and became an aviation cadet in February 1953. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant and awarded his pilot's wings in April 1954.

After completing pilot training at Kinston Air Base, North Carolina, as well as Bryan and Perrin Air Force Bases, Texas, Kirk attended tactical reconnaissance phase training at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. In October 1954 he was assigned as a pilot with the 17th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Shaw. From March 1955 to June 1957 he served as a pilot with the 15th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Komaki and Yokota Air Bases in Japan. He became a flight commander with the 6021st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Johnson Air Base, Japan, in June 1957.

Kirk returned to the United States in November 1957 and again was assigned to the 17th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron. From September 1960 to June 1964 he served, first, as pilot, then as assistant flight commander, and finally as flight commander with the 92nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Royal Air Force Station Bentwaters, England. He then transferred to the 4453rd Combat Crew Training Wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, where he served successively as air operations officer, command post controller, instructor pilot, and chief of standardization and evaluation for Tactical Air Command's first F-4 replacement training unit.

In June 1966 he completed the F-4 fighter weapons instructor course at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, and was assigned to the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing Wolf Pack at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, in March 1967. He destroyed two North Vietnamese MiGs during his 130 F-4 Phantom II missions with the Wolf Pack. Upon his return to the United States in January 1968, he was assigned as a squadron operations officer at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. He assumed command of the 4538th Fighter Weapons Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base in January 1969.

After completing the Air War College in June 1971, General Kirk was assigned as chief of the Tactics Branch and, later, as deputy chief of the Tactical Division, Directorate of Operations, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. Although assigned at the Pentagon, he spent much of this tour of duty in Thailand. In July 1973 he became deputy commander for operations, 4th Tactical Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. From January 1974 to January 1976 Kirk was assigned to Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, first as vice commander, and later as commander, of the 49th Tactical Fighter Wing.

He then served as deputy chief of staff for operations, Headquarters 9th Air Force, at Shaw Air Force Base. From November 1977 to June 1979 he was assigned as assistant deputy chief of staff, operations and readiness, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. He then became the command's inspector general. In July 1980 Kirk returned to Air Force headquarters as director of electronic combat, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Operations. He was assigned as deputy chief of staff for operations at Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein Air Base, in July 1982. He became commander of 9th Air Force in July 1985. He assumed his present position in April 1987.

Awards and decorations

Kirk was a command pilot with more than 6,000 flying hours in jet fighter aircraft. His military decorations and awards include the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star with oak leaf cluster, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with four oak leaf clusters, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with 11 oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters, Air Force Organizational Excellence Award, Combat Readiness Medal, Air Force Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with two service stars, Air Force Overseas Ribbon-Short, Air Force Overseas Ribbon-Long with three oak leaf clusters, Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with six oak leaf clusters, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, Air Force Training Ribbon and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

He retired from the Air Force on May 1, 1989.

Reference


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • William Arthur Kirk — William Arthur ( Art ) Kirk is an American mathematician. His research interests include nonlinear functional analysis, the geometry of Banach spaces and metric spaces. In particular, he has made notable contributions to the fixed point theory of …   Wikipedia

  • William Shatner — en 2005 Données clés Nom de naissance William Alan Shatner …   Wikipédia en Français

  • William Shatner — (2005) William Alan Shatner (* 22. März 1931 in Montréal) ist ein kanadischer Schauspieler, Sänger und Autor. Einem breiten Publikum ist er vor allem durch seine Rollen als Captain Kirk in Raumschiff Enterprise, als T.J. Hooke …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • William M'Culloch — (1691 – 18 December 1771) was Minister of Cambuslang during the extraordinary events of the Cambuslang Work (1742) when 30,000 people gathered in the hillsides near his church for preaching and communion. Many were there struck by their own… …   Wikipedia

  • William B. Ebbert — William Baltzell Ebbert (February 28, 1846 February 27, 1927) was an officer and adjutant in the Union Army (1st Regiment West Virginia Infantry Volunteers), a Colorado legislator, newspaper publisher, author, farmer, businessman, and poet.… …   Wikipedia

  • William Haydon Burns — (* 17. März 1912 in Chicago, Illinois; † 22. November 1987 in Jacksonville, Florida) war ein US amerikanischer Politiker und von 1965 bis 1967 der 35. Gouverneur von Florida. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Frühe Jahre und politischer Aufstieg …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • William Cooley — New River Massacre Born 1783 State of Maryland Died 1863 (aged 79–80) Hillsborough County …   Wikipedia

  • William Jennings — William Sherman Jennings (* 24. März 1863 in Walnut Hill, Illinois; † 27. Februar 1920 in St. Augustine, Florida) war ein US amerikanischer Politiker und von 1901 bis 1905 der 18. Gouverneur von Florida. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Frühe Jahre und… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • William Bloxham — William Dunnington Bloxham (* 9. Juli 1835 im Leon County, Florida; † 15. März 1911 in Tallahassee) war ein US amerikanischer Politiker und von 1881 bis 1885 bzw. 1897 bis 1901 der 13. und 17. Gouverneur von Florida. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Frühe… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • William F. Buckley junior — William F. Buckley, Jr. mit Präsident George W. Bush, 2005 William Frank Buckley Jr. (* 24. November 1925 in New York City; † 27. Februar 2008 in Stamford, Connecticut) war ein konservativer amerik …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”