Robert E . Huyser Robert Ernest Huyser ( June 14 , 1924 – September 22 , 1997 ) was a four - star general in the United States Air Force who served as Deputy Commander in Chief , United States European Command ( DCINCEUR ) from 1975 to 1979 ; and as Commander in Chief , Military Airlift Command ( CINCMAC ) from 1979 to 1981 . Early life . Huyser was born in 1924 , in Paonia , Colorado , where he graduated from Paonia High School . He later attended Modesto Junior College at Modesto , California , and Ouachita College at Arkadelphia , Arkansas . Military career . He was drafted into the Army in April 1943 and in 1944 entered the aviation cadet program . In September 1944 he graduated from flying school and received his pilot wings and commission as a second lieutenant . During World War II he flew B - 29 Superfortress s in the Southwest Pacific area . In May 1945 he was assigned as a B - 29 pilot at Clovis , New Mexico . From August 1946 to May 1947 , Huyser was an aircraft commander in the 307th Bombardment Wing , MacDill Field , Florida . He next become an aircraft commander in the 93rd Bombardment Wing at Castle Air Force Base , California , and in 1950 was assigned to the wing staff as chief of training . During the Korean War Huyser was assigned to the Far East Air Forces Bomber Command as chief , combat operations . During that period he flew combat missions in B - 29s with the 98th Bombardment Wing . He returned to the United States in September 1953 and was assigned as chief , Combat Crew Section , Headquarters Fifteenth Air Force , March Air Force Base , California . In February 1957 he became chief , Training Division , for the 92nd Bombardment Wing , Fairchild Air Force Base , Washington , and later was named director of operations . Huyser returned to Headquarters Fifteenth Air Force in January 1959 as assistant chief and then as chief , Combat Operations Branch . In July 1960 he become chief , Operations Plans Division . He entered the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base , Alabama , in August 1962 . After his graduation in July 1963 , he served as chief , Concepts Branch , Operations Plans Division , Headquarters Strategic Air Command , Offutt Air Force Base , Nebraska . In July 1966 he assumed duties as vice commander of the 454th Bombardment Wing at Columbus Air Force Base , Mississippi , and in December 1966 he assumed command of the 449th Bombardment Wing at Kincheloe Air Force Base , Michigan . Huyser returned to Headquarters SAC in April 1968 and was assigned to the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff , Operations , as director , command control , and in February 1970 he assumed duties as director of operations plans and chief , Single Integrated Operational Plan s Division , Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff . His principal involvement in the Vietnam War was administering the contingency war plans for SAC headquarters . He planned the B - 52 missions , weaponeered the target boxes and executed the strikes . He also managed the SAC tanker support for the Southeast Asia area . He also flew B - 52 combat missions over Vietnam and tanker support sorties out of Thailand . In June 1972 Huyser was assigned to Headquarters U . S . Air Force , Washington , D . C . , in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff , Plans and Operations , as director of plans . In April 1973 he become deputy chief of staff , plans and operations . He participated in the decision - making processes that resulted in C - 130 Hercules resources being assigned to the Military Airlift Command and the designation of the Military Airlift Command as the Department of Defense ' s third specified command . Huyser become deputy commander in chief of the U . S . European Command , Stuttgart - Vaihingen , Germany , in September 1975 , where he was one of the major users of Military Airlift Command airlift support . In January 1979 , while still EUCOM deputy , President Jimmy Carter sent Huyser to Iran . Sources disagree on the nature of his mission . According to Carter , Huyser , and American sources , he attempted to stabilize Iran during the turbulent early stages of the Islamic revolution . Charles Kurzman describes him as having been assigned by Carter " to rally Iranian Military commanders and help them prepare for a last - resort coup d ' etat , " unaware that the massive scale of the uprising left the Iranian military powerless to prevent the Shah ' s overthrow . According to some supporters of the Shah , his goal was to destabilize the Shah ' s government ( Hostages to Khomeini by Robert Dreyfuss , 1981 ) . Shortly afterward , the Shah left Iran in exile and the Islamic Revolution took over the country . In his memoir " Mission to Tehran " , Huyser called the mission " one that started with desperation and disunity and ended in disaster , " but praised the performance of U . S . personnel . Huyser assumed command of the Military Airlift Command in June 1979 , his last posting . Huyser retired from the Air Force on July 1 , 1981 and died September 22 , 1997 at the David Grant Medical Center at Travis Air Force Base . Work . Huyser published a book entitled " Mission to Tehran " in 1987 . Awards and Medals . Huyser was a command pilot and flew more than 5 , 000 hours in SAC bombers , nearly 2 , 000 , hours in SAC tankers , about 1 , 400 hours in single engine jet aircraft and 1 , 500 hours in B - 25 , C - 54 , T - 39 and various light aircraft . His military decorations and awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal , Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster , Legion of Merit , Bronze Star , Defense Meritorious Service Medal , Air Medal , Joint Service Commendation Medal , Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters , Army Commendation Medal , Presidential Unit Citation emblem , Air Force Outstanding Unit Award ribbon , Small Arms Expert Marksmanship ribbon and Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation ribbon .