Louis G . Leiser Louis G Leiser ( November 6 , 1927 – October 17 , 2009 ) was a Major General in the United States Air Force . Biography . Youth . General Leiser was born in Portland , Oregon , in 1927 . He was raised in Twin Falls , Idaho , where he graduated from high school in 1945 . He enlisted in the U . S . Army in May 1945 and entered the United States Military Academy at West Point , New York in July 1946 . Military career . He graduated from the academy in June 1950 with a commission as a second lieutenant and a bachelor of science degree . In December 1951 , after completion of pilot training at Williams Air Force Base , Arizona , and gunnery training at Nellis Air Force Base , Nevada , General Leiser was assigned to the 44th Fighter - Bomber Squadron at Clark Air Base in the Philippines . In February 1952 he went to Korea to serve as a pilot and flight commander with the 35th Fighter - Bomber Squadron , 8th Fighter - Bomber Wing , at Suwon , and flew 100 combat missions in the F - 80 . He returned to the United States in August 1952 to serve as F - 94 and F - 89 pilot and assistant operations officer with the 74th Fighter - Interceptor Squadron at Presque Isle Air Force Base , Maine . General Leiser was maintenance officer for that unit when the squadron went to Thule Air Base , Greenland , in August 1954 , the first F - 89 unit to deploy from the United States . His next assignment was in October 1955 as a flight commander with the 460th Fighter - Interceptor Squadron at Portland International Airport in Oregon . During this four - year tour of duty , he flew both the F - 89 and F - 102 aircraft and attained the Air Defense Command Skill Rating of Expert . In September 1959 , General Leiser was selected for an Air Force Institute of Technology graduate program at Wright - Patterson Air Force Base , Ohio . Two years later he graduated with a master of science degree in astronautical engineering . He was assigned in August 1961 to the U . S . Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs , Colorado , as an instructor with the Department of Mechanics , and later served as assistant professor and associate professor with the Department of Astronautics . He also established the course of instruction adopted as the general engineering major . General Leiser completed F - 100 transition and combat crew training at Luke Air Force Base , Arizona , in December 1966 , and was transferred to the Republic of Vietnam . He served as executive officer , Current Plans Division , Directorate of Combat Operations , at Seventh Air Force Headquarters , Tan Son Nhut Air Base , Saigon . He returned to the United States in December 1967 and was assigned to Headquarters Air Force Systems Command at Andrews Air Force Base , Maryland , in the Strategic Analysis Division , Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Development Plans , as lead staff analyst for the B - 1 Bomber Defense Missile and Subsonic Cruise Armed Decoy . He attended the Naval War College at Newport , Rhode Island , from August 1969 to July 1970 . He then was assigned to North American Air Defense Command at Ent Air Force Base , Colorado , where he was command director for the deputy chief of staff for combat operations . In March 1972 , General Leiser was named commander , 23d Air Division , Aerospace Defense Command , with additional duty as deputy commander , 23d North American Air Defense / Continental Air Defense Region , with headquarters at Duluth International Airport , Minnesota . In July 1974 he became commander of the 24th NORAD / CONAD Region and the 24th Air Division , ADC , Malmstrom Air Force Base , Mont . After a command reorganization on July 1 , 1975 , General Leiser had a position title change to commander , 24th NORAD Region , with additional duty as commander , 24th Air Division , ADCOM . The division was awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award during his tenure . General Leiser assumed the position of chief of staff of Allied Air Forces Southern Europe at Naples , Italy , April 1 , 1977 . He is a command pilot , whose military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster , Distinguished Flying Cross , Bronze Star Medal , Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters , and the Air Force Commendation Medal . Activities after retirement . He moved to the Washington , D . C . area in the mid 1980s .