Joseph A. Ahearn
Encyclopedia
Joseph August Ahearn is a retired Major General
in the United States Air Force
.
in 1936. He attended the University of Notre Dame
and Syracuse University
.
, where he was a construction engineer and programmer. From there, he was assigned to Goose Air Base
in Happy Valley - Goose Bay, Newfoundland. In 1963, he transferred to Headquarters Eighth Air Force
as a missile maintenance engineer before becoming Director of Engineering and Construction the following year.
Ahearn would be stationed in Frankfurt, West Germany
from 1967 to 1970, at which time he was deployed to serve in the Vietnam War
. After returning to the United States
, he was named a squadron commander at Craig Air Force Base
before transferring to Headquarters Air Training Command
.
In 1976, Ahearn was assigned to The Pentagon
, and in 1983, he returned to West Germany to serve as Deputy Chief of Staff for Engineering and Services at Headquarters United States Air Forces in Europe
. He returned to The Pentagon in 1989 as Director of Engineering and Services in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics and Engineering and was named Civil Engineer, Headquarters U.S. Air Force in 1991.
His retirement was effective as of January 1, 1992.
During his career, Ahearn became affiliated with the American Society of Civil Engineers
, the Society of American Military Engineers
, the National Society of Professional Engineers
and the American Public Works Association
. Additionally, he became a Centurion of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. The Major General Joseph A. Ahearn Enlisted Leadership Award given by the Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency
is named after him.
Awards he received include the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
, the Legion of Merit
, the Bronze Star Medal
, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal
, the Meritorious Service Medal
with three oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal
, the Outstanding Unit Award
with valor device
and the Armed Forces Honor Medal of South Vietnam
.
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
in the 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...
.
Biography
Ahearn was born in Galesburg, IllinoisGalesburg, Illinois
Galesburg is a city in Knox County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 32,195. It is the county seat of Knox County....
in 1936. He attended the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
and Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
.
Career
Ahearn joined the Air Force in 1958. His first assignment was at Vandenberg Air Force BaseVandenberg Air Force Base
Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command ....
, where he was a construction engineer and programmer. From there, he was assigned to Goose Air Base
CFB Goose Bay
Canadian Forces Base Goose Bay , is a Canadian Forces Base located in the town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador....
in Happy Valley - Goose Bay, Newfoundland. In 1963, he transferred to Headquarters Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
as a missile maintenance engineer before becoming Director of Engineering and Construction the following year.
Ahearn would be stationed in Frankfurt, West Germany
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
from 1967 to 1970, at which time he was deployed to serve in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. After returning to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, he was named a squadron commander at Craig Air Force Base
Craig Air Force Base
Craig Air Force Base near Selma, Alabama, was a U.S. Air Force Undergraduate Pilot Training base that closed in 1977. As an active air force base, Craig had two parallel runways, a large aircraft parking ramp and several large maintenance hangars....
before transferring to Headquarters 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...
.
In 1976, Ahearn was assigned to The Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
, and in 1983, he returned to West Germany to serve as Deputy Chief of Staff for Engineering and Services at Headquarters United States Air Forces in Europe
United States Air Forces in Europe
The United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
. He returned to The Pentagon in 1989 as Director of Engineering and Services in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics and Engineering and was named Civil Engineer, Headquarters U.S. Air Force in 1991.
His retirement was effective as of January 1, 1992.
During his career, Ahearn became affiliated with the American Society of Civil Engineers
American Society of Civil Engineers
The American Society of Civil Engineers is a professional body founded in 1852 to represent members of the civil engineering profession worldwide. It is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. ASCE's vision is to have engineers positioned as global leaders who strive toward...
, the Society of American Military Engineers
Society of American Military Engineers
The Society of American Military Engineers is an organization for military engineering professionals. According to its , SAME was formed “in the interest of National Defense… bringing together all phases of U.S...
, the National Society of Professional Engineers
National Society of Professional Engineers
The National Society of Professional Engineers is a professional engineering organization in the United States. From their press releases:...
and the American Public Works Association
American Public Works Association
The American Public Works Association is a not-for-profit, professional association of public works agencies, private companies, and individuals dedicated to promoting professional excellence and public awareness through education, advocacy and the exchange of knowledge...
. Additionally, he became a Centurion of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. The Major General Joseph A. Ahearn Enlisted Leadership Award given by the Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency
Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency
The Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency is a Field Operating Agency of the United States Air Force. The agency manages contracts that provide civil engineer support to help restore and modernize buildings and infrastructure at Air Force bases around the world.-History:The AFCESA began as the...
is named after him.
Awards he received include the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Air 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...
, the 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...
, the Bronze Star Medal
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...
, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
The Defense Meritorious Service Medal is the third-highest award bestowed upon members of the United States military by the United States Department of Defense...
, the Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (United States)
The Meritorious Service Medal is a military decoration presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969...
with three oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal
Commendation Medal
The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration which is presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. For valorous actions in direct contact with an enemy force, but of a lesser degree than required for the award of the Bronze Star, the Valor device may...
, the Outstanding Unit Award
Outstanding Unit Award
The Air Force Outstanding Unit Award is an award of the United States Air Force which was first created in 1954. The award is presented as a ribbon to any command of the U.S...
with valor device
Valor device
The Valor device is an award of the United States military which is a bronze attachment to certain medals to indicate that it was received for valor...
and the Armed Forces Honor Medal of South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
.