Fred Ascani Alfredo John Ascani ( May 29 , 1917 – March 28 , 2010 ) was an American Major General and test pilot of the United States Air Force . He was one of the " Men of Mach 1 " and was considered father of Systems Engineering at Wright Field . Early years . Ascani was born on May 29 , 1917 in Beloit , Wisconsin to Italian immigrants just 14 years after the Wright brothers achieved powered flight . His interest in aviation was sparked in 1927 when he watched Charles Lindbergh fly overhead in the " Spirit of St . Louis " on his historic flight to Paris . His family moved to Rockford , Illinois , several miles downriver from Beloit , where Ascani attended Rockford High School and enjoyed a hobby building model airplanes . He graduated as high school valedictorian in 1935 and attended Beloit College for two years . In 1937 , Ascani was accepted at the United States Military Academy at West Point , New York . He graduated 34th out of a class of 425 and in 1941 was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army Corps of Engineers . Engineering took a back seat to aviation when Ascani was sent to Hicks Field for initial flight training and Foster Army Air Field for advanced flight training . World War II . After the U . S . entered World War II , Ascani was assigned as an instructor and squadron commander of the Twin Engine Advanced Flying School in Columbus , Mississippi . Although he had hopes this assignment would be a stepping stone for a combat tour in fighters , Captain Ascani was instead sent to Hendricks Field in Florida , to transition to four engine aircraft . In December 1943 , he was placed in command of the 815th Bombardment Squadron of the 483rd Bomb Group . After additional training in the B - 17 Flying Fortress , Major Ascani joined the 816th Bombardment Squadron as its commander . The 816th was based in Foggia , Italy , and Ascani flew 53 combat missions in the B - 17 , including a secret mission delivery of supplies in German - occupied Czechoslovakia to partisans and the evacuation of escaping Allied airmen . Two of his missions were to Ploieşti , Rumania , and one to Memmingen , Germany , where he lost his entire squadron flying at the rear on an unescorted mission after being attacked from behind by over 200 German fighters . Flight test . Upon his return to the U . S . , Lt . Colonel Ascani was transferred to the Flight Test Division at Wright Field where he was assigned chief of the bomber test section . He attended the Flight Performance School ( now the U . S . Air Force Test Pilot School ) and graduated with class 46 . In January 1946 , Ascani met his new boss , Colonel Al Boyd , who would have a significant impact on both USAF flight test and Ascani ' s career . Boyd and Ascani worked well together , and Ascani became Boyd ’ s deputy both at Wright Field and later at Edwards Air Force Base . One notable decision made by Boyd and Ascani was the pilot choice for who would first break the sound barrier . Although Ascani had initially recommended Major Ken Chilstrom , they eventually agreed that Chuck Yeager would pilot the Bell X - 1 , and Chilstrom would fly the performance , stability and control tests in the new XP - 86 . During his tour at Edwards AFB , Ascani flew a wide variety of research aircraft including the X - 1 , X - 4 , X - 5 , and the XF - 92A . A highlight of his flying career occurred in 1951 when he flew an F - 86E at the National Air Show in Detroit , Michigan , and established a new 100 - kilometer closed course speed record of 635 mph . In September 1951 , Colonel Ascani was named vice commander of the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB . In 1953 , Ascani left flight test for a time . He studied for a year at the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base . After completing the coursework , Ascani was selected as the group commander of the 86th Fighter Interceptor Group based in Landstuhl , Germany . In June 1955 , he was assigned as the wing commander of the 50th Fighter Bomber Wing , Hahn , Germany , and Toul - Rosières Air Base , France . Systems engineering . After completing his overseas tour , Ascani returned to Wright - Patterson AFB in 1957 as the Deputy Chief of Staff / Plans and Operations at the Wright Air Development Center ( WADC ) . For many years , the USAF was under increasing pressure to reduce the time needed to convert new technologies into usable weapon systems . In May 1959 , Ascani was one of twelve Colonels appointed to a committee , by the commander of the , then , Air Research and Development Command ( ARDC ) , General Bernard Schriever , to resolve this issue . Ascani wrote a paper describing a systems engineering group that would be the interface between the laboratories and the product managers . Ascani ' s paper was the genesis of the committee ' s recommendations , which became known as the Maxwell Report , released in July 1959 . Over the next four years , Wright Field science , engineering , and management capabilities were reorganized to comply with the details of the Report and the vision of General Schriever . Ascani played a key role in implementing the reorganization and was assigned as the first Director of Systems Engineering . In April 1961 , Ascani was assigned as deputy commander and system program director of the XB - 70 Valkyrie project . Although only two were constructed , the sleek Mach 3 bomber pioneered technological advances used in later high speed aircraft such as the YF - 12 and SR - 71 . Ascani ' s organizational skills were put to the test once again when , in 1962 , he was appointed chairman of a task force to realign the Air Force Systems Command functions at Wright Field . The resulting structure of four laboratories and a systems engineering group has remained relatively unchanged to the present day . In 1964 , Ascani was named commander of the Systems Engineering Group and deputy commander of the Research and Technology Division at Wright - Patterson AFB . In 1965 , Major General Ascani became vice commander of Fifth Air Force , Pacific Air Forces , with headquarters at Fuchu Air Station , Japan . He returned to Wright - Patterson in 1967 as director of operations for Air Force Logistics Command . In 1970 , Ascani was named the senior Air Force member of the Weapon System Evaluation Group within the Office of Secretary of Defense . Ascani retired from active duty on August 1 , 1973 , after 32 years of service . Later years . Ascani earned a Master of Science degree from the University of Southern California in 1971 . From 1973 to 1981 , he served as a USC adjunct professor teaching systems management organization in the Washington , D . C . , area . He reached his " second retirement " in June 1981 . Ascani had lung cancer and died in his home in Alexandria , Virginia on March 28 , 2010 . He is survived by his eight children : John Ascani , Bill Ascani , Carole Jo McDaniel , Susan Ascani , Stephen Ascani , Clare Ascani , Betsy Henderson and Dave Ascani . His funeral will be held at 10 : 30 am on April 9 , 2010 , at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Alexandria . He will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery with his wife of 61 years , Catherine Hanretta Ascani ( September 11 , 1918 - October 5 , 2003 ) , on June 3 , 2010 , with full military honors . Honors . Ascani ' s military decorations and awards include the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal , Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster , Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster , Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters , Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster , and Croix de Guerre with palm ( France ) . He is an Honorary Fellow of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots , a member of the Military Aviation Hall of Fame , and an honoree in the city of Lancaster ' s Aerospace Walk of Honor . In 1992 , Ascani was honored as an Eagle in the Air University ' s Gathering of Eagles Program . Beloit College presented him with its Distinguished Service Citation / DSC Award . In recognition of his absolute speed record in the F - 86 , he was awarded in 1951 the Thompson Trophy , the Mackay Trophy , and the De la Vaulx Medal . In June 2012 , a street at Wright - Patterson Air Force Base was named after Ascani . Dates of promotion . The effective dates of Ascani ' s promotions are :