Patrick W . Timberlake Patrick Weston Timberlake ( December 25 , 1901 – October 18 , 1983 ) was a General in the United States Army Air Force during World War II , serving in both the Mediterranean and Pacific theaters of operation . Timberlake attended the U . S . Military Academy , having a successful role on the football team there . Upon his graduation in 1923 , he was commissioned in the US Army as a Second Lieutenant of Artillery . He later moved to the Army Air Corps and became a certified command pilot , combat observer and aircraft observer . He commanded units in Panama , North Africa , Okinawa & Naples . Early Life & Career . Timberlake was born in Fort Greble , Dutch Island , Newport County , Rhode Island on Christmas Day , 1901 . His family had a strong military tradition , with several West Point graduates . His father , Colonel Edward J . Timberlake , U . S . Army , USMA Class of 1893 , played for West Point in the first Army - Navy football game in 1890 . Col . Timberlake had four sons and all graduated from West Point . The second youngest , J . Coleman Timberlake , died in 1938 at age 32 , but Patrick and his three brothers carried on the family ’ s military tradition in notable style . His brother , Edward J . , was also an Air Force Lt . General and a decorated World War II hero ; the oldest son , Edward , was an Army Brigadier General . Patrick enrolled in the US Military Academy at West Point where he played football as a tight end . He had a critical role in the Army – Navy Game in 1922 . He caught the go - ahead touchdown in the 4th Quarter to beat the Midshipmen , by 17 - 14 . After graduating in 1923 he went into artillery with the Sixth Field Artillery at Fort Holye , Maryland . In 1925 he transferred to the 17th Field Artillery at Fort Bragg , North Carolina . In September 1925 he entered Primary Flying School at Brooks Field , Texas , a move that would completely change the course of his career . He was assigned to bombers in the Second Bomber Group shortly before the formation of the US Army Air Corps . After a spell as a flight instructor he was transferred to the Panama Canal Zone with the 24th Pursuit Squadron in 1929 . In 1931 he got a command with the 78th Pursuit Squadron . He enrolled in the Air Corps Engineering School in 1933 . He was then assigned to the Aircraft Branch of the Air Corps Materiel Division , and in October 1935 was appointed chief of the Attack and Observation Engineering Unit there . In the following years he attended the Air Corps Tactical School and the Command and General Staff School . War Time Service . Timberlake entered combat operations in World War II as a Colonel in North Africa in charge of Ninth Bomber Command . He was appointed director of operations and plans for British Air Chief Marshal Tedder in 1943 , and took over as his Chief of Staff after the formation of the Mediterranean Air Command . During this time he helped in the planning and execution of the campaigns in North Africa , Pantelleria , Sicily and mainland Italy . Returning to Washington in 1944 , he was reassigned to 8th Air Force in Okinawa under Jimmy Doolittle in July 1945 . Post War Career . Timberlake assumed command of the 8th Air Force in 1946 before moving to various high level roles in the Army - Navy Munitions Board from late 1946 to 1950 . In 1952 he assumed command of the Air Proving Ground Command at Eglin AFB until 1955 . He was then transferred to Supreme Headquarters , Allied Powers in Europe where he assumed the command of Allied Air Forces in Southern Europe based in Naples . He retired as a Lt . General in 1957 . In his post - military career he worked with the Northrop Corporation . He died in San Antonio , Texas in 1983 , aged 81 .