Russell E . Dougherty General Russell Elliott Dougherty ( November 15 , 1920 – September 7 , 2007 ) was commander in chief of the Strategic Air Command and director of strategic target planning ( Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff ) , at Offutt Air Force Base , Nebraska . General Dougherty graduated from Western Kentucky University , the Law School of the University of Louisville and the National War College . While attending Louisville , he became a member of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity . In addition , General Dougherty held an honorary doctor of laws degree from the University of Akron , an honorary doctor of science degree from Westminster College , and is an " Old Master " of Purdue University . After serving in the Federal Bureau of Investigation , General Dougherty entered active military service as an aviation cadet at the outbreak of World War II ; previously , he had been a member of the 123rd Cavalry , Kentucky National Guard . He received his commission and pilot wings in March 1943 . During World War II , he was an instructor pilot in the Air Training Command and later he served in the 3d Air Force in crew and instructor pilot duties , as a B - 17 Flying Fortress pilot , and on a B - 29 combat crew . His post World War II assignments encompass varied duties in operational , maintenance , administrative , political / military and command duties in Air Force , joint , and international assignments . In 1947 he served as a unit instructor with the Air Force Reserve at Standiford Field , Louisville , Kentucky , and in 1948 was transferred to the Far East Air Forces . While flying with the 19th Bombardment Wing , he served as staff judge advocate for the wing and later as assistant staff judge advocate for the 20th Air Force . In April 1950 he became the assistant staff judge advocate for FEAF Headquarters in Japan and , at the outbreak of the Korean War , was assigned to temporary duty in intelligence with FEAF . General Dougherty returned to the United States in 1951 and was assigned to Air Materiel Command at Wright - Patterson Air Force Base , Ohio , as chief of the Appeals and Litigation Division , and as the assistant U . S . Air Force trial attorney for litigation arising out of Air Force procurement and contractual activities . In December 1952 General Dougherty elected to leave the Judge Advocate General ' s Department for assignment to the Strategic Air Command and attended both B - 29 refresher and KC - 97 Stratotanker transition training . In June 1953 he began successive assignments in SAC as operations officer for the 303d Air Refueling Squadron ; commander of the 303d Armament and Electronics Squadron ; deputy chief of operations , 303d Bombardment Wing ; and commander , 358th Bombardment Squadron , all at Davis - Monthan Air Force Base , Arizona . He was assigned to Headquarters 15th Air Force , SAC , as chief , Operations Division , where he planned the B - 52 round - the - world non - stop flight , Operation Power Flite , in 1957 . Later he became the deputy director of operations , Headquarters 15th Air Force . He attended the National War College during 1959 - 60 and , following graduation , was assigned duty in Headquarters U . S . Air Force in the Office of the Deputy Director for War Plans . In April 1961 he was appointed deputy assistant director of plans for joint matters , and in February 1963 he was made the assistant director for plans for joint and National Security Council matters . General Dougherty has had four assignments in joint and international duties . During 1964 - 65 , he was the deputy director for plans and operations ( J - 3 ) , Headquarters U . S . European Command , in Paris , France . During this assignment in November 1964 , he was the United States ' planner for the successful U . S . / Belgian rescue operation at Stanleyville in the Congo . In August 1965 he returned to Washington as director , European Region , Office of the Secretary of Defense ( International Security Affairs ) . In July 1967 he again returned to Europe and served until August 1969 as director , J - 5 ( Plans and Policy ) at Headquarters U . S . European Command , Stuttgart , Germany . In September 1969 General Dougherty was again assigned to Headquarters U . S . Air Force where he served as the assistant deputy chief of staff , plans and operations , and in February 1970 became deputy chief of staff , plans and operations for the U . S . Air Force . He was assigned as commander , 2d Air Force , SAC , with headquarters at Barksdale Air Force Base , Louisiana , in April 1971 . In this position , General Dougherty commanded the U . S . Air Force ' s largest numbered Air Force , consisting of the majority of SAC ' s B - 52 bombers and KC - 135 tankers . On May 1 , 1972 , General Dougherty was promoted to his four - star grade and assigned as chief of staff , Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe , headquarters of NATO ' s Allied Command Europe . He returned to the United States on August 1 , 1974 , to become the eighth commander of the Strategic Air Command . He was a command pilot and included among his military decorations and awards are the Defense Distinguished Service Medal , Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with two oak leaf cluster s , Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters , Bronze Star , and the Joint Service Commendation Medal for his tenure as the U . S . Air Force ' s operations deputy on the Joint Staff . He was a member of the Kentucky State Bar Association and the Bar Association of the U . S . Supreme Court . Dougherty retired from the Air Force October 1 , 1977 , and practiced law in the Washington , D . C . area for several years . He died in Alexandria , Virginia on September 7 , 2007 , and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery .