John W . Pauly John William Pauly ( born March 12 , 1923 ) is a former General in the Allied Air Forces Central Europe , and commander in chief , United States Air Forces in Europe , with headquarters at Ramstein Air Base , Germany . Biography . World War II . John was born in Albany , New York , in 1923 . He graduated from Christian Brothers Academy in Albany in 1940 , and attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy , New York , for two years before entering the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1942 . He received a commission as a second lieutenant and a bachelor of science degree from the academy in June 1945 . He also earned his pilot wings while attending the academy . Following graduation from West Point , he attended B - 25 Mitchell and B - 17 Flying Fortress transition training and Junior Officers Staff School prior to reporting to the 60th Troop Carrier Group , Munich , Germany , in February 1946 . He later served there as an instructor at the Central Pilots School of the United States Air Forces in Europe and as assistant operations officer for the 11th Troop Carrier Squadron . Returning to the United States in June 1948 , he was assigned as a training officer and later as commander of the headquarters squadron for the Mobile Air Materiel Area , Brookley Air Force Base , Alabama . In November 1951 , during the Korean War , Pauly was assigned to the 8th Bombardment Squadron , 3rd Bombardment Wing , at Kunsan Air Base , as flying safety officer and squadron operations officer . While with the 3rd Bombardment Wing , he flew 55 night intruder combat missions , totaling 230 combat hours in Douglas B - 26 Invader aircraft . Following his tour of duty in Korea , Pauly was assigned to Headquarters Tactical Air Command , Langley Air Force Base , Virginia , in July 1952 . Over a span of almost four years , he served first as an operations staff officer and later as chief of the bombardment division within the Operations Directorate . In February 1956 he returned to Germany and served in a North Atlantic Treaty Organization assignment with Headquarters 4th Allied Tactical Air Force as an operations officer within the Bombardment Division and executive officer for the deputy chief of staff , operations . Later career . Pauly was assigned to Headquarters United States Air Force in July 1959 and served as a planning and programming officer in the Directorate of Plans until 1962 , when he become the assistant executive officer to General Curtis E . LeMay , then the Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force . In August 1964 he entered the National War College in Washington D . C . , and upon graduation the following summer become the deputy commander for operations , 317th Troop Carrier Wing , Lockbourne Air Force Base , Ohio . Pauly was awarded a master of science degree in international relations from The George Washington University in 1965 . Pauly was assigned as the deputy chief of staff , operations , for the 315th Air Division , Tachikawa Air Base , Japan , in June 1966 . In July 1968 he assumed command of the 315th Air Commando Wing at Phan Rang Air Base , Republic of Vietnam . In July 1969 Pauly was transferred to the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , Washington D . C . , as the Air Force member of the Chairman ' s Staff Group , while General Earle G . Wheeler was chairman . In September 1970 he was assigned as deputy director for regional operations , J - 3 , of the Joint Staff and in June 1972 became vice director for operations of the Joint Staff . Pauly assumed command of the 1st Strategic Aerospace Division with headquarters at Vandenberg Air Force Base , California , in August 1973 . In July 1974 he returned to Washington and served as assistant to the chairman , Joint Chiefs of Staff and , in September 1975 become the deputy chief of staff for plans and operations , Headquarters United States Air Force . In July 1976 Pauly was assigned as vice commander in chief , United States Air Forces Europe , and in August 1978 was appointed commander in chief for the unit as well as Allied Air Forces in Central Europe commander . He was promoted to the grade of general on August 1 , 1978 , with same date of rank . He retired on July 31 , 1980 . In 2001 , he was awarded a Distinguished Alumni Award from his alma mater , the Christian Brothers Academy . Death . John W . Pauly , an Air Force aviator and veteran of two wars who retired in 1980 as commander of Allied Air Forces in Central Europe and commander in chief of U . S . Air Forces in Europe , died Aug . 7 at a hospice center in Colorado Springs . He was 90 . The cause was Alzheimer ’ s disease , said a daughter , Joanne Bolt . Awards . Awards earned during his career :