Jerome F . O ' Malley General Jerome Francis O ' Malley ( February 25 , 1932 – April 20 , 1985 ) was a United States Air Force four - star general who served as Vice Chief of Staff , U . S . Air Force ( VCSAF ) from 1982 to 1983 ; Commander in Chief , Pacific Air Forces ( CINCPACAF ) from 1983 to 1984 ; and Commander , Tactical Air Command ( COMTAC ) from 1984 to 1985 . He died in an airplane crash while still in office . O ' Malley was born in Carbondale , Pennsylvania , and graduated from St . Rose Parochial School in 1949 . He graduated from the United States Military Academy , West Point , New York , in 1953 with a bachelor of science degree in military science and a commission as a second lieutenant in the U . S . Air Force . O ' Malley completed the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base , Alabama , and concurrently earned a master ' s degree in business administration from The George Washington University , Washington , D . C . , in 1965 , and graduated from the Naval War College , Newport , Rhode Island , in 1970 . After receiving his pilot wings in August 1954 at Bryan Air Force Base , Texas , O ' Malley received jet training in F - 86 Sabrejet s at Perrin Air Force Base , Texas . In January 1955 he was assigned as an air training officer at the U . S . Air Force Academy , then located at Lowry Air Force Base , Colorado . He attended B - 47 transition training at McConnell Air Force Base , Kansas , from December 1957 to February 1958 , and was then assigned as a B - 47 pilot with the 529th Bombardment Squadron at Plattsburgh Air Force Base , New York . From June 1960 to August 1964 , O ' Malley served as an aide to General Hunter Harris , who was 8th Air Force commander at Westover Air Force Base , Massachusetts , and then vice commander in chief , Strategic Air Command , Offutt Air Force Base , Nebraska . Following graduation with distinction from the Air Command and Staff College in June 1965 , O ' Malley served as a pilot with the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing , Beale Air Force Base , California . While there he flew the first operational mission of the SR - 71 . In July 1969 he entered the Naval War College . From July 1970 to April 1971 , he was director of operations for the 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing , Mountain Home Air Force Base , Idaho , and flew RF - 4C s . O ' Malley then left for Southeast Asia and served as vice commander and later commander of the 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Tan Son Nhut Air Base , Republic of Vietnam . In September 1971 he was assigned as vice commander of the 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing , Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base , Thailand . He flew 116 combat missions in F - 4D ' s and RF - 4Cs . He commanded the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base from May 1972 to May 1973 . He was then named commander of the 22nd Bombardment Wing , March Air Force Base , California , and later served as chief of staff for 15th Air Force , also located at March Air Force Base . He was then assigned as assistant deputy chief of staff for plans at SAC headquarters , Offutt Air Force Base , from July 1974 to June 1975 , when he was named deputy chief of staff for operations plans . In January 1977 he moved to Washington , D . C . , for duty as vice director for operations , Operations Directorate , Joint Staff , Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff . O ' Malley served as assistant deputy chief of staff , operations , plans and readiness at U . S . Air Force headquarters , from May 1979 to August 1980 , when he became deputy chief of staff for plans and operations . He was appointed vice chief of staff of the U . S . Air Force in June 1982 and in October 1983 was named commander in chief of the Pacific Air Forces , Hickam Air Force Base , Hawaii . He assumed command of Tactical Air Command in September 1984 . O ' Malley was a command pilot with more than 5 , 000 flying hours . His military decorations and awards included the Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster , Defense Superior Service Medal , Legion of Merit , Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster , Meritorious Service Medal , Air Medal with nine oak leaf clusters , Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters , Presidential Unit Citation Emblem with two oak leaf clusters , Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon with " V " device and three oak leaf clusters , Republic of Korea Order of National Security Merit , Republic of Vietnam Air Service Medal Honor Class and Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with palm . O ' Malley died on April 20 , 1985 with his wife Diane when the CT - 39 Sabreliner they were in experienced brake failure at the Wilkes - Barre Scranton International Airport . At the time of General O ' Malley ' s death , General Robert D . Russ assumed command of the Tactical Air Command .