Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-07-03
Col. Frank Andrews
Air Corps Second
General Officer
Former 6. H. Q. Force
Commander Made
Brigudier General
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.

The promotion of Col. Frank Max
well Andrews, Army Air Corps, first
commander of the General Head
quarters Air Force, to be brigadier
general of the line, effective July
l, gives the Army Air Corps its sec
ond permanent general officer in
Army history
The only other air corps officer
ever to attain the grade of general
officer in the Regular Army is Brig
Gen. Henry Conger Pratt, whose
elevation to general of the line in
February, 1887, marked the com
ing of age" of the youngest arm of
the American Army.
AS general of the line the name
of Gen. Andrews is removed from
the list of air corps officers With
this loss of arm identity he becomes
eligible, just as are generals who
rise through the older infantry, cav
airy or other arms of services. to
command an Army unit appropriate
to his grade. Although he could
be assigned to command a brigade
of infantry or field artillery, 1t is
expected, in view of the air corps
expansion program that Gen. An
dreWs will be continued in air
corps command, as is Gen. Pratt.
Born In Nashville.
Born in Nashville, Tenn, Febru-
airy 3, 1884, Gen. Andrews was ap-
pointed to the United States Mill
tary Academy from Tennessee, July
81, 1902, and upon graduation,
June II, 1906, he was appointed
second lieutenant of cavalry.
His first field service was in the
Philippines with the 9th Cavalry.
He then served at Western cavalry
posts until October 10, 1910, when
he came here for the first time to
serve at Fort Myer, Va. He con-
tinued in cavalry service in Hawaii
and continental posts until August
3, 1917, when he was transferred to
the Signal Corps for aviation duty.
He had aviation duty in Washing
ton and at various aviation posts
until August, 1920, when he was or
dered to Germany as air service
officer of the American forces in
Germany and later as assistant to
the officer in charge of civil affairs,
headquarters of the American forces
in Germany.
He returned to Washington in
February, 1923, for duty in the office
OF the chief of air service. He served
in various aviation assignments I'M
in 1928, when he attended the Com
mand and the General Staff School.
Upon graduation he served here
again in the Office OF the chief of
Air Corps to August Is, 1882, when
he attended the Army War College
here as student,
Temporary Major General.
He commanded the LIST Pursuit
Group from June, 1898, to October,
1884, when he came here for duty
with the War Department general
staff in connection with the re-
organization of the Air Corps. In
tribute to his ability, he was selected
over the heads of a number of senior
officers to head the new General
Headquarters Air Force. He was
elevated from his permanent grade
of lieutenant colonel to that of
temporary brigadier general. His
promotion to colonel in the Regular
Army was followed by his promotion
to temporary grade of major gen.
eral, in which grade he continued
command of the General Head
quarters Air Force until March, 1899.
the expiration of his regular four
year tour of duty.
Reverting to his rank of colonel
in the Regular Army list last March,
Gen. Andrews was ordered to Fort
Sam Houston, Tex, as air officer of
the 9th Corps Area, the post he was
holding at the time of his July l
promotion.