Robert W. Bazley
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Robert Whitman Bazley (December 5, 1925 – December 16, 2012) was a
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
(USAF)
four-star general Military star ranking is military terminology, used in mainly English speaking countries, to describe general and flag officers. Within NATO's armed forces, the stars are equal to OF-6–10. Star ranking One-star A one-star rank is usually ...
who served as Commander in Chief,
Pacific Air Forces The Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PAC ...
(CINCPACAF), from 1984 to 1986. Bazley was born in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...
, in 1925.Marquis Who's Who on the Web He graduated from Brentwood High School and received a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the
University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The university is composed of seventeen undergraduate and graduate schools and colle ...
in 1949. He is also a 1968 graduate of the
Industrial College of the Armed Forces The Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy (Eisenhower School), formerly known as the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF), is a part of the National Defense University (Washington, D.C.), National Defens ...
,
Fort Lesley J. McNair Fort Lesley J. McNair, also historically known as the Washington Arsenal, is a United States Army post located on the tip of Buzzard Point, the peninsula that lies at the confluence of the Potomac River and the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C ...
, Washington, D.C. Bazley enlisted in September 1943 and entered active duty through the aviation cadet program in January 1944. He received his navigator wings and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the
U.S. Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
in March 1945. The end of
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
coincided with his completion of
B-29 Superfortress The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is a retired American four-engined Propeller (aeronautics), propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to ...
combat crew training and Bazley was released from active duty in February 1946. He then entered the University of Pittsburgh. In November 1951 General Bazley was recalled to the active duty USAF and served as an RB-26 navigator with the 12th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at
Kimpo Air Base Gimpo International Airport , sometimes referred to as Seoul–Gimpo International Airport but formerly rendered in English as Kimpo International Airport, is located in the far western end of Seoul, some west of the central district of Seou ...
, South Korea. During the
Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
he flew 50 combat sorties. Bazley entered pilot training in August 1953 and in August 1954 received his wings. Following
F-84 Thunderjet The Republic F-84 Thunderjet is an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) proposal for a "day fighter", the F-84 first flew in 1946. Although it entered service in 1947, the Thunde ...
fighter weapons training, he transferred to Royal Air Force Station Wethersfield, England, where he served as a pilot, flight commander and assistant operations officer with the 77th Tactical Fighter Squadron. From May 1958 to June 1960, Bazley was assigned to the 3502nd U.S. Air Force Recruiting Group with duty in Pittsburgh. He then transferred to the
United States Air Force Academy The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) is a United States service academies, United States service academy in Air Force Academy, Colorado, Air Force Academy Colorado, immediately north of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Colorado Springs. I ...
. Upon his return to England in April 1965, he served at
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 insta ...
as operations officer for the 492nd Tactical Fighter Squadron and later as chief, Operations Division, 48th Tactical Fighter Wing. He returned to the United States in 1967 and completed the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. In August 1968 he commanded the 531st Tactical Fighter Squadron,
3rd Tactical Fighter Wing The 3rd Wing is a unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) Eleventh Air Force. It is stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. The Wing is the largest and principal unit within 11th Air Forc ...
, at
Bien Hoa Air Base Bien Hoa Air Base (Vietnamese language, Vietnamese: ''Sân bay Biên Hòa'') is a Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) military airfield located in South-Central southern Vietnam about from Ho Chi Minh City, across the Dong Nai river in the norther ...
,
Republic of Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam (RVN; , VNCH), was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975. It first garnered international recognition in 1949 as the State of Vietnam within the French Union, with it ...
. He flew 257 combat missions in
F-100 Super Sabre The North American F-100 Super Sabre is an American supersonic jet fighter aircraft designed and produced by the aircraft manufacturer North American Aviation. The first of the Century Series of American jet fighters, it was the first United ...
s. From September 1969 to June 1970, Bazley served in the Directorate of Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. He then joined the Directorate of Operations in the Organization of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is the body of the most senior uniformed leaders within the United States Department of Defense, which advises the president of the United States, the secretary of defense, the Homeland Security Council and ...
. Bazley served as commander of
Randolph Air Force Base Randolph Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Bexar County, Texas, ( east-northeast of Downtown San Antonio). Opened in 1931, Randolph has been a flying training facility for the United States Army Air Corps, the United ...
, Texas, from June 1972 to November 1972. He then moved to
Laredo AFB Laredo Air Force Base, is a since-deactivated Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) installation of the Air Training Command (ATC) in Laredo, Texas Laredo ( ; ) is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Webb County, Texas, Web ...
, Texas, and assumed command of the 38th Flying Training Wing. From October 1973 to August 1975, he commanded the 323rd Flying Training Wing at
Mather AFB Mather Air Force Base (Mather AFB) was a United States Air Force Base, which was closed in 1993 pursuant to a post-Cold War BRAC decision. It was located east of Sacramento, on the south side of U.S. Route 50 in Sacramento County, Californ ...
, California. He was then assigned as inspector general for Headquarters
U.S. Air Forces in Europe The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...
at
Ramstein Air Base Ramstein Air Base is a United States Air Force installation located in Rhineland-Palatinate, southwestern Germany. It serves as the headquarters for the United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) and NATO Alli ...
, Germany. He became the command's assistant for readiness in June 1976. He took command of the Air Force Inspection and Safety Center at
Norton AFB Norton Air Force Base (1942–1994) was a United States Air Force facility east of downtown San Bernardino in San Bernardino County, California. Overview For the majority of its operational lifetime, Norton was a logistics depot and heavy-l ...
, California, in May 1978. From July 1979 to June 1980, he commanded Sheppard Technical Training Center,
Sheppard AFB Sheppard Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located north of the central business district of Wichita Falls, in Wichita County, Texas, United States. It is the largest training base and most diversified in Air Educatio ...
, Texas. He then returned to England as commander of
3rd Air Force The Third Air Force (Air Forces Europe) (3 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA). Its headquarters is Ramstein Air Base, Germany. It is responsible for all U.S. air forces in Eu ...
at
RAF Mildenhall Royal Air Force Mildenhall, or more simply RAF Mildenhall , is a Royal Air Force List of Royal Air Force stations, station located near Mildenhall, Suffolk, Mildenhall in Suffolk, England. Despite its status as a List of Royal Air Force stations, ...
. Bazley returned to Ramstein Air Base in July 1981 as vice commander in chief of U.S. Air Forces in Europe. Two years later he assumed duties as
Inspector General of the Air Force The inspector general of the Department of the Air Force is responsible for conducting investigations and inspections as directed by the secretary of the Air Force, Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, chief of staff of the Air Force, a ...
at USAF Headquarters. He was responsible to the secretary of the Air Force and the chief of staff for U.S. Air Force inspection, safety, security, investigative, counterterrorism, counterintelligence and complaint programs. He assumed command of Pacific Air Forces at
Hickam AFB Hickam Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation, named in honor of aviation pioneer Lieutenant Colonel Horace Meek Hickam. The installation merged in 2010 with Naval Station Pearl Harbor to become part of the newly for ...
, Hawaii in September 1984, and retired from the USAF on January 1, 1987. Bazley was a command pilot and navigator with more than 4,500 flying hours. He was inducted into the
Order of the Sword The Royal Order of the Sword (officially: ''Royal Order of the Sword''; Swedish: ''Kungliga Svärdsorden'') is a Swedish order of chivalry and military decoration created by King Frederick I of Sweden on 23 February 1748, together with the Or ...
by the
noncommissioned officer A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is an enlisted leader, petty officer, or in some cases warrant officer, who does not hold a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted rank ...
s of United States Air Forces in Europe in May 1983 when he served as vice commander of that organization. This award is given for conspicuous and significant contributions to the welfare and prestige of the noncommissioned officers corps.


Awards and decorations

He died at his home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina in December 2012. General Bazley was buried in
Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the United States National Cemetery System, one of two maintained by the United States Army. More than 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington County, Virginia. ...
.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bazley, Robert W. 1925 births 2012 deaths United States Air Force generals United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II United States Air Force personnel of the Korean War United States Air Force personnel of the Vietnam War American Vietnam War pilots Recipients of the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Recipients of the Legion of Merit Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States) Recipients of the Air Medal Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal Recipients of the Order of the Sword (United States) University of Pittsburgh alumni Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy alumni Military personnel from Pittsburgh Burials at Arlington National Cemetery American expatriates in the United Kingdom