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First Name: Horace

Last Name: Wade

Birthplace: Magnolia, AR, USA

Gender: Male

Branch: Air Force (1947 - present)



Middle Name: Milton



Date of Birth: 12 March 1916

Date of Death: 14 June 2001

Rank: General

Years Served: 1937-1973
Horace Milton Wade

   
Engagements:
•  World War II (1941 - 1945)
•  Vietnam War (1960 - 1973)

Biography:

Horace Milton Wade

General, U.S. Air Force

Horace Milton Wade was born on 12 March 1916 in Magnolia, AR. After completing high school in Wortham, TX, he returned to Arkansas and graduated from the Magnolia Agricultural and Mechanical Junior College in 1936.

Military Career

Wade's military career began in 1934 when he became a member of Company D, 153rd Infantry Regiment, Arkansas National Guard. He entered the U.S. Army Air Corps Flying School at Randolph Field in Texas in 1937. Upon graduating and receiving his pilot wings in October 1938, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Corps Reserve.

Upon completion of flying training, he was assigned to the 11th Bombardment Squadron, 7th Bombardment Group at Hamilton Field, CA; in December 1941 he was deployed with this unit to the Southwest Pacific. He also served in the China-Burma-India-Middle East Theatres of Operations, where he accumulated 36 combat missions in B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators before returning to the U.S. in 1943.

After a short tour as Commander of the 29th Bombardment Group, Gowen Field, ID, and after a few months as a Tactical Air Inspector for the Second Air Force, in July 1944 he was transferred to the War Department, General Staff. In March 1946 he was assigned to Headquarters Air Transport Command as Deputy Chief of Staff.

In February 1948, he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from the University of Arkansas. He then joined the Strategic Air Command in August 1949 and served with the 5th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, and the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, LA, before becoming Commander of the 301st Bombardment Wing at Barksdale in February 1951.

He completed the National War College in June 1955 and was assigned as Director of Personnel, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base, NE. In the summer of 1959, he was designated Commander of the 4310th Air Division, Nouasseur Air Base, Morocco, and in October 1961, was assigned as Deputy Commander, Eighth Air Force at Westover Air Force Base, MA. In August 1962 he returned to the Pentagon to serve as the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Programs, Headquarters USAF.

Service as a General Officer

On 1 December 1964, Wade was named Commander of the Eighth Air Force at Westover Air Force Base, and was promoted to Lieutenant General; in August 1966, he was again returned to Air Force HQ, this time as Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel.

On 31 July 1968, Wade was promoted to the four-star rank of General and, on 1 August, was named Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Wiesbaden, Germany, and concurrently as Commander, Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force, Allied Command Europe. In February 1969 he was appointed Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE).

General Wade became Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force on 1 May 1972.

Over his career as a pilot, he maintained his proficiency in multi-jet aircraft and accumulated over 8,450 hours of flying time. He was rated as a Command Pilot.

Medals and Awards

Distinguished Service Medal (2 Awards)

Silver Star Medal

Legion of Merit (3 Awards)

Distinguished Flying Cross

Air Medal (2 Awards)

Death and Burial

General Horace Milton Wade died on 14 June 2001. He is buried at the U.S. Air Force Academy Cemetery in Colorado Springs, El Paso County, CO.



Honoree ID: 854   Created by: MHOH

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