Charles G . Cleveland Charles G . Cleveland ( born November 13 , 1927 ) is a retired American Air Force lieutenant general and flying ace who was commander of the Air University , Maxwell Air Force Base , Alabama . Biography . Cleveland was born in Honolulu in 1927 . He graduated from the United States Military Academy , West Point , New York , in 1949 , earned his master ' s degree in political science at Xavier University , Cincinnati , in 1966 and completed the advanced management program at Harvard University in 1969 . He entered Air Force basic pilot training in June 1949 Randolph Air Force Base , Texas , and received his wings in September 1950 upon completion of advanced pilot training at Williams Air Force Base , Arizona . He then served as a pilot with the 31st Strategic Fighter Wing at Turner Air Force Base , Georgia . Cleveland transferred to South Korea in March 1952 , where he flew F - 86s as a flight commander with the 334th Fighter - Interceptor Squadron of the 4th Fighter - Interceptor Wing at Kimpo Air Base . During his combat tour of duty , he shot down five MiG - 15 s and is credited with one probably destroyed and four damaged . He returned to Turner Air Force Base in November 1952 , where he again served in the 31st Strategic Fighter Wing . In July 1957 he transferred to Bergstrom Air Force Base , Texas . While there he served in various operations assignments with the 27th Fighter - Bomber Wing , 522nd Fighter - Bomber Squadron and the 481st Tactical Fighter Squadron . Cleveland went to England in February 1959 as a flight commander and operations officer in the 78th Tactical Fighter Squadron at RAF Woodbridge . From 1962 to 1963 , he commanded the 92nd Tactical Fighter Squadron at RAF Bentwaters . He then returned to the United States and served at the Tactical Air Command Systems Office at Wright - Patterson Air Force Base , Ohio , as F - 111 project officer . In May 1966 he transferred to the Republic of Vietnam as executive assistant to General William Westmoreland , commander , Military Assistance Command , Vietnam . Returning to England in June 1967 , he became a student at the Royal Air Force College of Air Warfare , the top RAF service school . Upon graduation in December 1967 , he went to RAF Bentwaters , England , where he became special assistant to the director of operations for the 81st Tactical Fighter Wing . In July 1968 he was assigned to the staff of Headquarters Third Air Force at RAF South Ruislip , England . He served there as director of tactical evaluation , and then as special assistant for F - 111 matters . Cleveland became vice commander of the 20th Tactical Fighter Wing at RAF Upper Heyford , England , in April 1970 . During this period the wing converted from F - 100s to F - 111s . In June 1971 Cleveland assumed command of the 3535th Navigator Training Wing at Mather Air Force Base , California . He headed the U . S . Air Force School of Navigation there . He transferred to Air Training Command headquarters at Randolph Air Force Base as chief of staff . In June 1972 , and assumed duties as deputy chief of staff for technical training in February 1974 . In July 1975 he become director of personnel programs , Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff , Manpower and Personnel , Headquarters U . S . Air Force , Washington , D . C . He was named vice commander of Air Training Command in March 1979 , and assumed his present command in July 1981 . He is a command pilot with more than 4 , 300 flying hours , including more than 3 , 700 in jet aircraft , such as F - 80s , F - 84s , F - 86s , F - 100s , F - 101s , F - 4s and F - 111s . His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal ( Air Force ) , Legion of Merit , Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster , Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster , Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters , Air Force Commendation Medal , Army Commendation Medal and Republic of Korea Order of Military Merit , Chung Mu . He was promoted to Lieutenant General on August 1 , 1981 , with date of rank July 28 , 1981 . In 2008 , Cleveland was recognized by the Air Force as its 40th jet fighter ace of the Korean War 55 years after the armistice of July 1953 . Newly discovered documentation from the Russian Air Force , as well as eyewitness accounts by Cleveland ' s wingmen , provided evidence to support converting one of his ' two probably destroyed ' into his fifth confirmed kill from dog fights over Mig Alley during the Korean War . In October 2008 , he was awarded a Silver Star for action in Korea on September 21 , 1952 .