Gabriel P. Disosway
Encyclopedia
General
Gabriel Poillon Disosway (1910–2001) was a noted United States Air Force
four star general and served as commander of the Tactical Air Command
.
A native of Pomona, California
, Disosway graduated from Wichita Falls High School
in Wichita Falls, Texas
in 1927 and then attended Oklahoma University. He entered the United States Military Academy
in July 1929, graduated and was commissioned a second lieutenant of Field Artillery in June 1933. He entered Primary Flying School at Randolph Field, Texas, and upon completion of the course, transferred to the Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field, Texas, from which he graduated in October 1934. He transferred from the Field Artillery to the Air Corps in January 1935.
Disosway's first assignments were with the 71st Service and 55th Pursuit Squadrons at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. He was transferred to Randolph Field as a primary flying instructor in March 1938 and remained there until January 1942, serving as an instructor and flight and stage commander.
He then went to Lake Charles Field, Louisiana, as director of flying, and in June 1942, returned to Randolph as director of training. He was appointed commander of Bryan Army Air Base, Texas, in January 1943.
In April 1943, General Disosway went to Panama as commander of the 37th Fighter Group. He later served as air inspector and deputy commander of the 26th Fighter Command in Panama and trained the First Brazilian Fighter Group which went to Italy. In September 1944 he was assigned as commander of Ephrata Army Air Base, Washington.
In January 1945, General Disosway was transferred to China as operations officer of the 312th Fighter Wing. He assumed command of the 311th Fighter Group
in May 1945, and in July of the same year took command of the 312th Fighter Wing. In August he was named Army Air Force Liaison Officer with the Third Amphibious-Marine Corps in Tientsin, China.
General Disosway returned to the United States in April 1946, to become assistant commander of Barksdale Field. He entered the Air War College
at Maxwell Field
, Alabama in 1947. Upon graduation, he was appointed chief of the Training Division in the Directorate of Training and Requirements at Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
In February 1951, he became director of training in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, at Headquarters U.S. Air Force. He next was named commander of Air Training Command
's Flying Training Air Force in September 1952, with headquarters at Waco, Texas
. After nearly five years in this position, he assumed command of the 12th Air Force, with headquarters at Ramstein Air Base
.
In January 1958, he became deputy commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Advanced Operations Unit at Ramstein, becoming commander of the 17th Air Force, also at Ramstein, in November 1959.
Returning to the United States during June 1960, General Disosway was assigned duty as senior Air Force member, Military Studies and Liaison Division, Weapons Systems Evaluation Group, Office of the Secretary of Defense (Research and Engineering). In mid-1961 he was promoted to lieutenant general and assigned as vice commander, Tactical Air Command. General Disosway became deputy chief of staff, operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, in November 1962. This position was redesignated as deputy chief of staff, programs and requirements in February 1963.
In August 1963, he assumed command of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Wiesbaden, Germany. Returning to the United States in July 1965 he assumed command of the Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. He retired from the Air Force on August 1, 1968, and died on February 23, 2001.
, Legion of Merit
with two oak leaf clusters, Bronze Star
, Air Medal
, Chinese Order of the Cloud and Banner
, Chinese Order of Yun Hui and Brazilian Southern Cross
.
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Gabriel Poillon Disosway (1910–2001) was a noted United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
four star general and served as commander of the Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
.
A native of Pomona, California
Pomona, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Pomona had a population of 149,058, a slight decline from the 2000 census population. The population density was 6,491.2 people per square mile...
, Disosway graduated from Wichita Falls High School
Wichita Falls High School
Wichita Falls High School or WFHS is a public school in Wichita Falls, Texas . It is part of the Wichita Falls Independent School District and is one of the district's three high schools....
in Wichita Falls, Texas
Wichita Falls, Texas
Wichita Falls is a city in and the county seat of Wichita County, Texas, United States, United States. Wichita Falls is the principal city of the Wichita Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Archer, Clay and Wichita counties. According to the U.S. Census estimate of 2010,...
in 1927 and then attended Oklahoma University. He entered the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
in July 1929, graduated and was commissioned a second lieutenant of Field Artillery in June 1933. He entered Primary Flying School at Randolph Field, Texas, and upon completion of the course, transferred to the Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field, Texas, from which he graduated in October 1934. He transferred from the Field Artillery to the Air Corps in January 1935.
Disosway's first assignments were with the 71st Service and 55th Pursuit Squadrons at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. He was transferred to Randolph Field as a primary flying instructor in March 1938 and remained there until January 1942, serving as an instructor and flight and stage commander.
He then went to Lake Charles Field, Louisiana, as director of flying, and in June 1942, returned to Randolph as director of training. He was appointed commander of Bryan Army Air Base, Texas, in January 1943.
In April 1943, General Disosway went to Panama as commander of the 37th Fighter Group. He later served as air inspector and deputy commander of the 26th Fighter Command in Panama and trained the First Brazilian Fighter Group which went to Italy. In September 1944 he was assigned as commander of Ephrata Army Air Base, Washington.
In January 1945, General Disosway was transferred to China as operations officer of the 312th Fighter Wing. He assumed command of the 311th Fighter Group
311th Fighter Group
The 311th Fighter Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Army Service Forces, being inactivated on 6 January 1946 at Fort Lawton, Washington....
in May 1945, and in July of the same year took command of the 312th Fighter Wing. In August he was named Army Air Force Liaison Officer with the Third Amphibious-Marine Corps in Tientsin, China.
General Disosway returned to the United States in April 1946, to become assistant commander of Barksdale Field. He entered the Air War College
Air War College
The Air War College is a part of the United States Air Force's Air University, headquartered at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. Air University's higher headquarters is Air Education and Training Command headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. The Air War...
at Maxwell Field
Maxwell Field
Maxwell Field was the football stadium located behind the former location of Louisville Male High School, 911 S. Brook St., Louisville, Kentucky, 40203 which was bounded by the streets of Brook, Breckinridge, Floyd, and Caldwell streets in Louisville, Kentucky. In 1984 a double murder known locally...
, Alabama in 1947. Upon graduation, he was appointed chief of the Training Division in the Directorate of Training and Requirements at Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
In February 1951, he became director of training in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, at Headquarters U.S. Air Force. He next was named commander of Air Training Command
Air Training Command
Air Training Command is a former major command of the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force. ATC came into being as a redesignation of the Army Air Forces Training Command on July 1, 1946...
's Flying Training Air Force in September 1952, with headquarters at Waco, Texas
Waco, Texas
Waco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....
. After nearly five years in this position, he assumed command of the 12th Air Force, with headquarters at Ramstein Air Base
Ramstein Air Base
Ramstein Air Base is a United States Air Force base in the German state of Rheinland-Pfalz. It serves as headquarters for the United States Air Forces in Europe and is also a North Atlantic Treaty Organization installation...
.
In January 1958, he became deputy commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Advanced Operations Unit at Ramstein, becoming commander of the 17th Air Force, also at Ramstein, in November 1959.
Returning to the United States during June 1960, General Disosway was assigned duty as senior Air Force member, Military Studies and Liaison Division, Weapons Systems Evaluation Group, Office of the Secretary of Defense (Research and Engineering). In mid-1961 he was promoted to lieutenant general and assigned as vice commander, Tactical Air Command. General Disosway became deputy chief of staff, operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, in November 1962. This position was redesignated as deputy chief of staff, programs and requirements in February 1963.
In August 1963, he assumed command of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Wiesbaden, Germany. Returning to the United States in July 1965 he assumed command of the Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. He retired from the Air Force on August 1, 1968, and died on February 23, 2001.
Awards and decorations
A command pilot, Disosway received numerous awards and decorations including the Air Force Distinguished Service MedalAir Force Distinguished Service Medal
The Air Force Distinguished Service Medal was created by an act of the United States Congress on July 6, 1960. The medal was intended as a new decoration of the United States Air Force to replace the policy of awarding the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Air Force personnel.The Air Force...
, Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
with two oak leaf clusters, Bronze Star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
, Air Medal
Air Medal
The Air Medal is a military decoration of the United States. The award was created in 1942, and is awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.-Criteria:...
, Chinese Order of the Cloud and Banner
Order of the Cloud and Banner
The Order of the Cloud and Banner is a military award of the Republic of China. It was instituted on June 15, 1935 and is awarded in nine grades for contributions to national security. It is also sometimes referred to as the Order of the Resplendent Banner....
, Chinese Order of Yun Hui and Brazilian Southern Cross
Order of the Southern Cross
The National Order of the Southern Cross is a Brazilian order of chivalry founded by Emperor Pedro I on 1 December 1822. This order was intended to commemorate the independence of Brazil and the coronation of Pedro I...
.