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Michael A. Nelson
Michael A. Nelson (October 8, 1937 – October 8, 2024) was a lieutenant general in the United States Air Force (USAF). He flew 100 missions over North Vietnam, collected 3500+ hours in fighter aircraft, and held command five times, including over the 9th Air Force and Operation Southern Watch. He was the 20th Deputy Chief of Staff of Plans and Operations. After his military career, he was the president of the Air Force Historical Foundation and The Retired Officer's Association (now called the Military Officers Association of America, a change he ushered in). Early life and education Nelson was born in East Los Angeles, California, on October 8, 1937. He moved to San Antonio, Texas, and graduated from Alamo Heights Senior High School in 1955. * Nelson earned his bachelor's degree in international relations in 1959 from Stanford University. He was a member of the Delta Upsilon fraternity. * He earned a master's degree in comparative politics from the University of Arizona i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
East Los Angeles, California
East Los Angeles (), or East L.A., is an Unincorporated area#United States, unincorporated community and census designated place (CDP) situated within Los Angeles County, California, United States. According to the United States Census Bureau, East Los Angeles is designated as a census-designated place (CDP) for statistical purposes. The most recent data from the 2020 United States census, 2020 census reports a population of 118,786, reflecting a 6.1% decrease compared to the 2010 United States Census, 2010 population of 126,496. The List of U.S. cities with large Hispanic populations, concentration of Hispanic/Latino Americans is 95.16 percent, the highest of any large city or census-designated place in the United States outside of Puerto Rico. History Original East Los Angeles Historically, when it was founded in 1873, the neighborhood northeast of downtown known today as Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles, Lincoln Heights was originally named East Los Angeles, but in 1917, reside ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Defense Superior Service Medal
The Defense Superior Service Medal (DSSM) is a military decoration of the United States Department of Defense, which is presented to United States Armed Forces service members who perform superior meritorious service in a position of significant responsibility. It is most often presented to general and flag officers, followed by a lesser number of Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force colonels and Navy and Coast Guard captains. Presented in the name of the United States Secretary of Defense, it was established by President Gerald R. Ford on February 6, 1976 in . It is analogous and senior to the Legion of Merit, albeit awarded for service in a joint duty capacity. Criteria The Defense Superior Service Medal is the United States Department of Defense's second-highest non-combat-related military award and the second-highest joint service decoration. It is given by the Secretary of Defense to members of the United States Armed Forces who render superior meritorious servic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
United States Air Force Warfare Center
The United States Air Force Warfare Center (USAFWC) at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, reports directly to Air Combat Command. The center was founded on 1 September 1966, as the U.S. Air Force Tactical Fighter Weapons Center. It was renamed the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center in 2005. Overview The USAF Warfare Center manages advanced pilot training and integrates many of the Air Force's test and evaluation requirements. It was established in 1966 as the USAF Tactical Fighter Weapons Center which concentrated on the development of forces and weapons systems that were specifically geared to tactical air operations in conventional (non-nuclear) war and contingencies. It continued to perform this mission for nearly thirty years, undergoing several name changes in the 1990s. In 1991, the center became the USAF Fighter Weapons Center, and then the USAF Weapons and Tactics Center in 1992. The USAF Warfare Center uses the lands and airspace of the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
RAF Lakenheath
Royal Air Force Lakenheath or RAF Lakenheath is a Royal Air Force List of Royal Air Force stations, station near the village of Lakenheath in Suffolk, England, UK, north-east of Mildenhall, Suffolk, Mildenhall and west of Thetford. The installation's perimeter borders Brandon, Suffolk, Brandon. Despite being an RAF station, Lakenheath currently only hosts United States Air Force (USAF) units and military personnel. The host wing is the 48th Fighter Wing (48 FW), also known as the Liberty Wing, assigned to United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA). The wing operates the McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle, F-15E Strike Eagle and the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, F-35A Lightning II. History First World War The first use of Lakenheath Warren as a Royal Flying Corps airfield was during the World War I, First World War, when the area was made into a bombing and ground-attack range for aircraft flying from RAF Feltwell, RFC Feltwell and RFC The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
48th Fighter Wing
The 48th Fighter Wing (48 FW) is part of the United States Air Force's Third Air Force, assigned to Headquarters Air Command Europe and United States Air Forces in Europe ( USAFE). It is based at RAF Lakenheath, England. The 48 FW is the only F-15 wing based in Europe which hosts two F-15E Strike Eagle squadrons. The wing also hosts two F-35A Lightning II squadrons. The 48 FW was given the name "Statue of Liberty Wing" on 4 July 1954 and remains the only U.S. Air Force unit with both a name and a numerical designation. The 48 FW operates in support of United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa, United States European Command and NATO. Units The Liberty Wing has nearly 5,700 active-duty military members, 2,000 British and U.S. civilians, and includes a geographically separated accommodation unit at nearby RAF Feltwell. In total they support two squadrons of F-15E Strike Eagle and two squadrons of F-35A Lightning II fighter aircraft. * 48th Operations Group ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
493rd Fighter Squadron
The 493rd Fighter Squadron (493rd FS), nicknamed ''the Grim Reapers'', is part of the United States Air Force's 48th Fighter Wing located at RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk, United Kingdom. The 493rd FS operates the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II. The squadron has earned multiple commendations and awards, including the Air Force Association's Hughes Trophy in 1997 and 1999 and the 2007, 2014, 2016 and 2019 Raytheon Trophies, for being recognized as the top fighter squadron in the United States Air Force. History World War II Activated as a Southeastern Air District United States Army Air Corps, Army Air Corps training squadron, equipped with a variety of second-line aircraft, both single and twin engine, preparing its pilots and maintenance crews for eventual combat. After the Pearl Harbor Attack, the squadron flew antisubmarine patrols from March to April 1942. Resumed aircrew training, many of the group's members went on to serve in squadrons st ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Luke Air Force Base
Luke Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States., effective 20 December 2007 It is located west of the central business district of Glendale, Arizona, Glendale, and west of Phoenix, Arizona, Phoenix. Luke AFB is a major training base of the Air Education and Training Command (AETC), training pilots in the F-16, F-16 Fighting Falcon. On 31 March 2011, the F-35 Lightning II was announced to be replacing the F-16 as the primary training aircraft at Luke, although the date of deployment of the new aircraft to Luke and reorganization plans were not announced. On 16 July 2013, the Air Force announced that Luke AFB will house a total of 144 F-35A Lightning IIs. The first F-35A Lightning II arrived to the base on March 10, 2014.Griset, R. (2020). ''Luke Air Force Base''. Arcadia Publishing. It is a designated superfund site due to a number of soil and groundwater contaminants. History Frank Luke Jr. Luke Air Force Base was named a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Laredo Air Force Base
Laredo Air Force Base, is a since-deactivated Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) installation of the Air Training Command (ATC) in Laredo, Texas. The facility was originally established as Laredo Army Air Field, a World War II U.S. Army Air Force facility that began operations in November 1942, primarily as an aerial gunnery school with an associated gunnery range. The field became inactive in late 1945 and the property reverted to the city of Laredo, which used it as a municipal airport until 1950. That year, the base was reactivated and renamed Laredo Air Force Base in April 1952 to provide intermediate and advanced flight training for jet pilots, including pilot trainees from 24 countries. In the early 1960s, the Air Training Command transitioned to the Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) concept, where student pilots would take all flight training from basic through advanced at a single base. The initial host unit stationed at Laredo AFB was the 3640th Pilot Training Win ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Air Force Commendation Medal
The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fifth version existing for acts of joint military service performed under the Department of Defense. The Commendation Medal was originally only a service ribbon and was first awarded by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard in 1943. An Army Commendation Ribbon followed in 1945 and in 1949 the Navy, Coast Guard, and Army Commendation ribbons were renamed the "Commendation Ribbon with Metal Pendant". By 1960 the Commendation Ribbons had been authorized as full medals and were subsequently referred to as Commendation Medals. Additional awards of the Army and Air and Space Commendation Medals are denoted by bronze and silver oak leaf clusters. The Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and Coast Guard Commendation Medal are authorized gold and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Air Medal
The Air Medal (AM) is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. Criteria The Air Medal was established by , signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt on May 11, 1942. It was awarded retroactive to September 8, 1939, to anyone who distinguishes himself by meritorious achievement while serving with the Armed Forces in aerial flight. The original award criteria set by an Army Policy Letter dated September 25, 1942, were for one award of the Air Medal:AFD-130506-008 Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal Criteria in the Army Air Forces in World War II – In Rough Chronological Sequence'. Spink, Barry L. ''Air Force Historical Research Agency'', 4 March 2010) * per each naval vessel or three enemy aircraft in flight confirmed destroyed. An entire aircrew would be credited for the destruction of a ship, but only the pilot or gunner responsible wou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Meritorious Service Medal (United States)
The Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) is a military award presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves with outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States. Introduced in 1969, the MSM was long awarded as a decoration for peacetime achievement. Since 2004, it has also been bestowed in lieu of the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious achievement in a designated combat theater. Normally, the acts or services rendered must be comparable to that required for the Legion of Merit but in a duty of lesser, though considerable, responsibility. A higher award and decoration, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal (DMSM), is intended for similar services performed under joint duty within the United States Department of Defense, including the Joint Staff, the Unified Combatant Commands, and joint task forces under their cognizance. Recipients The Meritorious Service Medal is given to all ranks for meritorious service in the U.S. Army, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a Combat, combat zone. When the medal is awarded by the United States Army, Army, United States Air Force, Air Force, or United States Space Force, Space Force for acts of valor in combat, the "V" device is authorized for wear on the medal. When the medal is awarded by the United States Navy, Navy, United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps, or United States Coast Guard, Coast Guard for acts of valor or meritorious service in combat, the "V" device#Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, Combat "V" is authorized for wear on the medal. Officers from the other Uniformed services of the United States, Uniformed Services of the United States are eligible to receive this award, as are foreign soldiers who have ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
