Department of the United States Air Force LogoBiography
                  United States Air ForceMaj. Gen. Fay R. Upthegrove
            MAJOR GENERAL FAY R. UPTHEGROVEFay Roscoe Upthegrove was born in Port Allegheny, Pa., in 1905.  He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy on June 14, 1927 and was commissioned a second lieutenant of Infantry.

That fall General Upthegrove entered Primary Flying School at Brooks Field Texas and graduated from Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field, Texas in October 1928.  He then became engineering officer of the 15th Observation Squadron at Selfridge Field, Mich., and in January 1929 was transferred to the Air Force.  Entering the Chemical Warfare School at Edgewood Arsenal, Md., a month later, he graduated that April and returned to the 15th Observation Squadron.

Moving to March Field, Calif., in June 1930, General Upthegrove was an instructor at the Primary Flying School.  In October 1931 he was named supply officer of the Primary Flying school at Randolph Field, Texas, and the following March was appointed adjutant of the 47th School Squadron there.

Going to Luke Field, Hawaii, in November 1934, General Upthegrove was named flight commander of the Fourth Observation Squadron the following January and assumed command in August 1936.  Transferred to Mitchel Field, N.Y., he was assigned duty as operations and intelligence officer of the 99th Bomb Squadron.  Entering the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Field, Ala., in May 1939, he graduated that August and returned to Mitchel Field as commander of the 99th Bomb squadron.

Ordered to Langley Field, Va., in December 1940, General Upthegrove became materiel officer of the 22nd Bomb Group, and a month later its executive and operations officer, moving with the bomb group to Jackson Field Miss., several months later. After serving in the Southwest Pacific area from February to April 1942, he assumed command of the 305th Bomb Group at Salt Lake City, Utah. Two months later he took command of the 99th Bomb Group at Davis-Monthan Field, Ariz., taking it to Gowen Field, Idaho, Sioux City, Iowa, and then to North Africa in January 1943.  A year later he assumed command of the 304th Bomb Wing, 15th Air Force, in Italy.

Returning to the United States in August 1945, General Upthegrove assumed command of the 76th Flying Training Wing at Smyrna Field, Tenn., and that December took command of the 30th Flying Training Wing at Turner Field, Ga. In May 1946 he was designated commanding general of Chanute Field, Ill.  Transferred to U.S. Air Forces in Europe at Wiesbaden, Germany, in November 1948, the following month he assumed command of the 7l00th Headquarters Command Wing, USAFE.

Joining the Strategic Air Command in June 1951, General Upthegrove became deputy commander of the Second Air Force at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., becoming commander of the Fourth Air Division there in October 1952.  The following January he assumed command of the 20th Air Force, Far East Air Forces on Okinawa, and on March 1, 1955, assumed command of the 313th Air Division, FEAF.

Transferring to the Air Training Command on Sept. 1, 1955, General Upthegrove assumed command of the 3380th Technical Training Wing at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.

His decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster and Air Medal with 10 oak leaf clusters.  He is rated a command pilot, combat observer and senior aircraft observer.

(Up to date as of September 1957)Department of the Air Force Logo