William Crumm William Joseph Crumm ( September 20 , 1919 – July 24 , 1967 ) , was a United States Air Force Major General . He commanded the 3d Air Division during the Vietnam War , from 1965 until his death in a B - 52 collision over the South China Sea . Early life and career . Major General Crumm was born on September 20 , 1919 , in New York City . He entered the military in 1941 , and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army Air Forces and received his wings in 1942 . His first assignment was as a B - 17 pilot with the 91st Bomb Group , based in the European Theatre of Operations . Upon returning to the states , he lectured at thirty combat crew schools and every major aircraft factory as a member of the " Most Deserving Bomber Crew of the 8th Air Force " . In May 1943 , he was transferred to the 796th Bomb Squadron at Alexandria , Louisiana as Operations Officer , and later that year moved to the staff of Second Air Force in Colorado Springs , Colorado . Major General Crumm assumed command of the 61st Bomb Squadron in Smoky Hill Army Air Base in Kansas , where he successfully moved the squadron to Guam . In 1946 , he transferred to Strategic Air Command as assistant training officer in the Flying Training Division , and would in rapid succession hold positions as chief of the Bomb Section and Training Section deputy and acting chief . He left SAC in August 1947 to attend the Air Command and Staff School , Maxwell Air Force Base , Alabama . In July 1948 General Crumm assumed another squadron command — the 344th Bomb Squadron , based at Spokane Air Force Base in Washington . During January 1949 , he assumed the duties as 98th Bomb Group director of operations at Spokane AFB . Crumm returned to SAC in 1950 , as chief of the Special Projects Division , Director of Operations . In 1953 he moved to the Operational Plans Division within the Director of Operations at SAC . In October 1954 , after attending the B - 47 Advanced Flying School at McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita , Kansas , he was assigned to March Air Force Base , California , first as deputy commander of the 22nd Bomb Wing , then as Fifteenth Air Force director of operations . He moved to Greenland in September 1956 , serving as task force commander at Thule Air Force Base . April 1957 saw his return to March AFB , as commander of the 320th Bomb Wing . In October 1958 , Crumm transferred to Headquarters , U . S . Air Force in Washington , D . C . as chief of the Strategic Division , reporting to the Deputy Chief of Staff , Operations . In May 1960 , he was assigned as chief of the Atomic Operations Division , J - 3 , Joint Chiefs of Staff , and in August of that year returned to SAC as the senior Air Force member to the newly organized staff , director , strategic target planning . In June 1962 , he became that group ' s chief of operations . He was assigned as commander , 3rd Air Division , at Andersen Air Force Base , Guam , in July 1965 . Death . On July 24 , 1967 , Major General William J . Crumm died when the B - 52 Stratofortress he was flying in collided with another B - 52 over the South China Sea . At the time of the collision , both aircraft were en route to a bombing mission over Vietnam . He was the first Air Force general officer killed in Vietnam . His remains were never recovered ; a memorial headstone is located at Arlington National Cemetery . Awards and Decorations . Major General Crumm was rated as a Command Pilot . His awards included the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster , Distinguished Flying Cross , Bronze Star , Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters , Air Force Commendation Medal , and Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster .