Truman H . Landon General Truman Hempel " Ted " Landon ( February 11 , 1905 – January 27 , 1986 ) was a U . S . Air Force general and commander , U . S . Air Forces in Europe . Landon was born in Maryville , Missouri , and grew up in Carlinville , Illinois . After graduation from the Carlinville High School in 1922 , he attended Blackburn College in that city and , in 1924 , entered the United States Military Academy at West Point , New York . He graduated from the academy in 1928 and received his pilot and observer ratings at Kelly Field , Texas , February 15 , 1930 . General Landon was a command pilot with more than 7 , 800 hours . Following two years with the 3rd Attack Group at Fort Crockett , Texas , he served as a flying instructor from 1932 - 1936 at Randolph Field and with the Sixth Bomb Group at France Field in the Panama Canal Zone from 1937 to 1939 . The commander of the 38th Reconnaissance Squadron from 1939 to 1942 , General Landon participated in the first mass flight of B - 17s from Hamilton Field , California , to Hickam Field , Hawaii , May 13 , 1941 . On December 7 , 1941 while en route to the Philippine Islands in command of the 38th Squadron , General Landon arrived at Hickam Field , Hawaii , during the Japanese attack . For his actions that day he received the Silver Star . In the film Tora ! Tora ! Tora ! , about the attack on Pearl Harbor , Landon was portrayed by actor Norman Alden . During World War II he commanded the Seventh Bomber Command in the Central Pacific . While commanding general of the Seventh Bomber Command he also commanded a Joint Task Group under Admiral Nimitz . With the exception of a tour of duty with the Caribbean Air Command , General Landon post - war assignments were divided between Washington , D . C . , and Germany . He served in the NSC - 68 study group in 1949 . From March 1951 until August 1953 he served as deputy commander - in - chief and chief of staff for USAFE at Wiesbaden , Germany . In June 1956 , he assumed command of the Caribbean Air Command , Albrook Air Force Base , Canal Zone , where he remained until August 1959 . His Washington duties have been varied . He was the senior air instructor and later commandant of the Army and Navy Staff College . Other assignments included assistant deputy chief of staff for operations , inspector general and deputy chief of staff for personnel , all with Headquarters U . S . Air Force . He assumed command of the 4th Allied Tactical Air Forces and U . S . Air Forces in Europe on July 1 , 1961 , succeeding General Frederic H . Smith , Jr . , who was named vice chief of staff , Headquarters U . S . Air Force . He retired from the Air Force on July 1 , 1963 , and died on January 27 , 1986 . In addition to his Air Force duties , Landon received a Doctor of Laws from Long Island University on January 29 , 1960 . He was also fluent in German and Spanish , frequently making public speeches in those languages . Decorations and awards . Silver Star citation . Major LANDON , TRUMAN H . U . S . Army Air Force The Silver Star is presented to Truman H . Landon , Major , U . S . Army Air Force , for gallantry in action , conspicuous bravery , coolness and expert handling of his airplane while serving with the 18th Reconnaissance Squadron ( Heavy ) , during the Japanese aerial attack on Hickam Field , Territory of Hawaii , on 7 December 1941 . Major Landon , Echelon Commander on a flight from Hamilton Field , California , after an all - night flight and with only a small quantity of gasoline remaining which necessitated an early landing , arrived in the vicinity of Hickam Field during the Japanese attack and was subjected to heavy anti - aircraft fire and was attacked by Japanese aircraft . Major Landon ' s flight was unarmed and unprepared for an attack and rather than risk damaging the aircraft under his control by landing in an inadequate , although protected field , brought about the safe landing of his flight through his skill , coolness and daring under fire .