John W . Vogt , Jr . General John William Vogt , Jr . ( March 18 , 1920 – April 16 , 2010 ) was commander , Allied Air Forces Central Europe , and commander in chief , U . S . Air Forces in Europe at Ramstein Air Base , Germany . Biography . Vogt was born on March 18 , 1920 and died April 16 , 2010 . He received his bachelor of arts degree from Yale University and his master of arts from Columbia University . He was also a fellow of the Harvard School for International Affairs . In 1941 he entered the Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet and attended flying schools at Randolph Field and Ellington Field , Texas . He received his pilot wings and commission as second lieutenant in April 1942 . From April to December 1942 , he served as a fighter pilot with the 63d Fighter Squadron , 56th Fighter Group . In January 1943 he accompanied his squadron to England and completed a combat tour of duty as a flight commander . In May 1944 he became commander of the 360th Fighter Squadron , 356th Fighter Group , and completed a second combat tour . He participated in the Air Offensive , Europe , and Rhineland campaigns and the Normandy Invasion . He destroyed eight enemy aircraft in aerial combat . From November 1945 to July 1946 , he served as commander of the First Air Base Squadron and Ibura Army Base at Recife , Brazil , where he remained until he returned to the United States . After various staff assignments , he was assigned , in 1951 , to the Office of the Special Assistant to the Joint Chiefs of Staff for National Security Council Affairs , where he worked with the senior staff , and later , the planning board of the National Security Council . In August 1955 he became assistant deputy for plans and operations , Headquarters Far East Air Forces , Japan . The following year , he was transferred to Hickam Air Force Base , Hawaii , as the special assistant to the chief of staff , commander in chief , Pacific . In 1960 Vogt was assigned to the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs , Headquarters U . S . Air Force , as deputy assistant director of plans where he functioned as the Air Force planner in the Joint Chiefs of Staff . Later , he became the assistant director of plans for joint matters , with responsibility for the preparation of Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force positions for consideration of the chief of staff . In February 1963 he became the director of the policy planning staff , Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense , International Security Affairs . In this assignment , he was head of the staff of defense department planners , both civilian and military , who participated in the drafting of political / military plans . In August 1965 he began a three - year tour of duty as deputy for plans and operations , Pacific Air Forces , in which capacity he participated in the planning and direction of the air campaign against North Vietnam . He left Hawaii in June 1968 to become assistant deputy chief of staff for plans and operations , Headquarters U . S . Air Force . In August 1969 he joined the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as director for operations ( J - 3 ) . On July 20 , 1970 , he became director of the Joint Staff , a position he held until April 7 , 1972 , when he was promoted to general . He assumed duty as commander , Seventh Air Force ( PACAF ) , and deputy commander , U . S . Military Assistance Command , Vietnam , on April 10 , 1972 . Vogt was responsible for air operations in Southeast Asia for the last eighteen months of United States combat activity . With the cease - fire in Vietnam he became the commander of the U . S . Support Activities Group in Thailand which conducted all U . S . air activities in Laos and Cambodia until U . S . combat involvement ceased in August 1973 . He became commander in chief of Pacific Air Forces on October 1 , 1973 , and assumed command of AAFCE and USAFE in June 1974 . He is the only officer to have been commander in chief of both the U . S . Pacific and European Air Forces . He retired from the Air Force on August 31 , 1975 . Awards and decorations . His military decorations and awards include the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters ; Army Distinguished Service Medal ; Silver Star ; Legion of Merit ; Distinguished Flying Cross with four oak leaf clusters ; Bronze Star ; Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters ; Joint Service Commendation Medal ; Purple Heart ; Croix de Guerre with Etoile de Vermeil ( France ) ; from the Republic of Vietnam the Air Service Medal , Cross of Gallantry with palm , National Order of Vietnam ( Commander ) ; and the Republic of China Order of Yun - hui , Grand Cordon ( Cloud and Banner , First Class ) . He was a command pilot . Vogt was the 1973 recipient of the General H . H . Arnold Award of the Arnold Air Society in recognition of outstanding contributions to military aviation and aerospace progress .