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    HomeAbout UsBiographiesDisplay      This is the official portrait of Brig. Gen. Earl Hamlin DeFord.Engage OnFacebook PostsYour browser is incompatible with this widget.
                        
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        This is the official portrait of Brig. Gen. Earl Hamlin DeFord.Brigadier General EARL HAMLIN DEFORDEarl Hamlin DeFord was born on September 1, 1890, at Stuart, Iowa. He graduated from Drake University, Iowa, with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1911, and on November 27, 1917, he was appointed a captain in the Infantry Reserve. He was promoted to major (temporary) on August 24, 1918, and on December 10, 1918, was honorably discharged from the service. He re-entered the service and was commissioned a captain, Infantry, Regular Army, on July 1, 1920.**SERVICE**
He joined the 3rd Motor Mechanics Regiment, Camp Greene, North Carolina, in November 1917. From May 1918 to November 1918 he was on duty with the 4th Infantry Replacement Regiment and the 47th Machine Gun Battalion, Camp Gordon, Georgia. That same month he proceeded to Camp Kearney, California, for duty with the 32nd Infantry. On December 10, 1918, he was honorably discharged.
Upon being commissioned in the Regular Army he was assigned as an instructor at the Infantry School, Camp Benning, Georgia, in September 1920, serving in that capacity until July 1921 when he entered the Air Service Pilot School, Carlstrom Field, Florida. Upon completion of the course he entered the Air Service Observation School, Post Field, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in January 1922 and was graduated in June 1922.
The following July he proceeded to Kelly Field, Texas, as flying instructor and Commanding Officer of the 41st Squadron, 10th School Group. He became Commanding Officer, Clark Field, Camp Stotsenburg, Pampanga, Philippine Islands, in July 1924 and was assigned to the 3rd Pursuit Squadron.
Returning to the United States he was assigned to the Middletown Air Depot, Middletown, Pennsylvania, in July 1926 as Adjutant and Personnel Adjutant until August 1928 when he entered the Air Corps Tactical School, Langley Field, Virginia. He was graduated in June 1929 and then assigned to the Air Corps Training Center, Duncan Field, San Antonio, Texas. The following September he became Commanding Officer of the 40th School Squadron and instructor at the Air Corps Advanced Flying School, Kelly Field, Texas. In July 1930 he was designated Executive Officer, Air Corps Advanced Flying School, Kelly Field, Texas.
The following August he became Commanding Officer of the Flying Cadet Detachment and was subsequently named instructor of the Air Corps Advanced Flying School, Kelly Field, Texas. In July 1932 he became Secretary, Air Corps Advanced Flying School, Kelly Field, Texas, until August 1933 when he enrolled in the Command and General Staff School, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He was graduated from the two-year course in June 1935 and became an instructor at the Air Corps Tactical School, Maxwell Field, Alabama. In January 1939 he moved to Hamilton Field, California, to become Adjutant, 7th Bombardment Group, General Headquarters Air Force. The following March he was named Commanding Officer of the 7th Bombardment Group, Hamilton Field, California.
He was ordered to Fort Douglas, Utah, in May 1941 with the 7th Bombardment Group, and the following October became Commanding Officer, Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma.
In January 1943 he was named Bomber Commander in the Alaskan Defense Command, commanding the XI Bomber Command and in November of that year was assigned to the European Theater of Operations where he was later announced as Deputy Senior Intelligence Officer, Intelligence Services and Organization, American Component Allied Expeditionary Air Forces. In April 1944 he was transferred to the North African Theater and later became Chief of Staff, Army Air Forces in the Mediterranean Theater. In July 1944 he returned to the United States, and after a temporary assignment at Headquarters Army Air Forces, Washington, D.C., was given command of the 33rd Flying Training Wing at Waco, Texas. In February 1945 he assumed command of the Antilles Air Command, Caribbean Defense Command and later in the month was assigned to the Panama Canal Department, as Commanding General of the Sixth Air Force.
He returned to the United States in February 1946, where, for the next several years, he served variously as Deputy Commander, Chief of Staff and Director of Operations of the Second and Tenth Air Forces at Fort Crook, Nebraska, and, later, at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana. At the time of his retirement from the Air Force on September 30, 1950, he had been serving as Chief of the Air Force Physical Evaluation Board at Brooke Army Hospital, Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
He was rated a Command Pilot, Combat Observer, and Aircraft Observer.**PROMOTIONS**
Captain, Infantry Section Officers’ Reserve Corps, November 27, 1917; Major of Infantry, U.S.A., August 24, 1918; honorably discharged December 10, 1918; Captain of Infantry, July 1, 1920; Air Service, July 28, 1921; transferred to Air Service, August 7, 1922; discharged as Captain and appointed First Lieutenant, November 18, 1922; Captain, August 26, 1924; Major (temporary), July 30, 1935, to June 16, 1936; Major (temporary), June 16, 1936; Major, August 12, 1938; Lieutenant Colonel (temporary), March 11, 1940; Lieutenant Colonel, December 15, 1940; Colonel (temporary), November 8, 1941; Colonel, A.U.S., February 1, 1942; Brigadier General, A.U.S., September 17, 1943; terminated Brigadier General, A.U.S., January 31, 1946; Colonel, A.U.S., November 8, 1941; retired in the grade of Brigadier General, September 30, 1950.**DECORATIONS**
Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, World War I Victory Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one Bronze Star, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal.
He was awarded the Air Medal in May 1943, with the following citation:
“Earl H. DeFord, colonel, command pilot, Eleventh Air Force, United States Army, displayed heroism and superior leadership while engaged in bombardment missions against heavily defended positions at Kiska Harbor from January 15, 1943 to May 20, 1943. Colonel DeFord’s participation in these missions were of great value, and set a fine example and inspiration for his command. Also, between 11 and May 27, 1943 he led four bombardment missions, in support of ground troops, against the Japanese on Attu Island. These missions were all flown long distances over water in spite of adverse weather. While flying these missions, regardless of enemy ground fire, Japanese positions were successfully bombed, enemy mortar and machine gun positions strafed from a low altitude considerably reducing their effectiveness; and occupied enemy positions were scouted for future operations. The high type of courage and aggressive tenacity displayed by Colonel DeFord in the performance of his duty, as well as the gallantry and daring demonstrated are exemplary of the highest ideals of the Army Air Forces.”
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